Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-02-05


The journals which few months ago were SO
importunate for forward movements" and which
during the winter of 1912 clamored so inces-
sanity for an advance on Richmond by the overland
route have entirely changed their views Of military
expediency now that the Army Of the Potomac
is no longer held back by the uis inertis Of
Gen. Mcclellan" Foremost among the journals
which during his military direction called for
active operations" without regard to the of
the year the condition of the army was the Gin
cinnati Gazette. In the month of February, 1862,
at period when the roads in Virginia were at
their worst, our Cincinnati contemporary gave a
prominent place to the following colloquy which it
alleged took place about that time between Mr.
Secretary Stanton and Gen. Mcclellan. Wequote
from the Gazette of February oath, 1862, but
without vouching for the truth of the report it
then chronicled:
We hear a report from Washington, which, being
Illustrative of the character Of Secretary Stanton worthy
OF place 10 the pages OF current history The Secretary
diskes very much the close proximity of he rebel army
to the national capital The thing stencil to him, and
it Is disgrace to the country. In this spirit he
urging Gen. Mcclellan one day TO this military
necessity He suggested that the General get in
behind the rebels and cut off their railroad commuuca-
ton The conversation from this point progressed
follows
Mcclellan. 1t is impossible to move the artillery
owing to the condition of the roads
Stanton Then 90 without artillery.
Mcclellan. We could not our transportation
wagons
men carry their tents their backs and their provisions
IN their haversacks do without tents Gen. Grant
three days. and glorious victory. lie had trans
poraton AS for the artillery you could get behind the
enemy keeping off ten fifteen miles and if you cannot
your field pieces neither can the rebels il the
latter came out TO fight you they will have advantage
1t would Do infantry against Infantry, fair field
Of this inspiring appeal we have not learned"
This was the language current with whole
class Of journals about year ago, and the Cincn-
natl Gazette was of their number. The lapse of
time, some other cause, has recently wrought an
entire change in its military ideas. It now holds
the following language on this topic:
1--WE doubt if any outside influences, or meddng Of au
thores at Warrington have nterfered much with
good generalship have been disastrous the
army the newspaper camor tor Immediate movement
upon the enemy, at the most mpractcabe times If there
any outside pressure that forced Burnside to attack
the enemy at fredericksburg after the failure in bis
pectaons subjected the attempt to such terrible dsad
vantages, it the urgency Of public feeling which is
supposed to be expressed through the public journals
Our army sorely needs instant suspension Of the
sixty and ninety day policy which encourages the
rebellion to persevere by declarations that if it can hold
out many days shall yield which made for the
purpose of urging immediate and desperate attempts that
do not allow the of the of military skill and
strategy but would precpitae the army ing
point best prepared 10 resist it, and would expose it to
utter destruction by campaigns undertaken at
when twenty four hours sink every gun and supply
wagon inexricaby in the mud the in the last
attempt of the Army of the Potomac"
OF like purport are the following observations Of
that Influential Republican journal, the New York
Evening Post, which, instead of importuning for
active operations in the direction of Richmond has
now begun to- ask what is the use of Richmond %
Writing under this head on Saturday last that
paper says:
"The news from the Rappahannock is that a heavy
snow storm with open weather, has increased the mud,
already lmpassable which forced the army week ago
back to its camp Before Gen. Hooker completes his
chat advantage oiH the possession af Richmond be US
There a time when the capture of Richmond might
have been serious blow to the rebellion If Mcdowell
had beaten Besuregard at Bull Ruo and followed up his
victory by sezng the rebel capital the moral effect of
such defeat at that time might have been fatal to the
rebel cause, just as single conspator hung in South
Carolina in December 1860 would probably have checked
the treason which then Matching But even il Mcclellan
had captured Richmond his campaign the Peninsula
1t doubtful if the prize would not have been an empty
one. jeff Davis announced, when the boom of McCel-
an's guns heard by the trembling rebel Congress-
that with Richmond lost be could fight for twenty
was made against him only from the base Of Washington