Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1863-04-06
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sunday Might Report.
Report VI the Co mns,itce ON the Conduct
Il tue War.

New YoRK, April 5.
The full report OF tho committee OF
the conduct OF the war occupies sixty fonl
closet, printed PAGES. The principal part
of tsc testimony relates to the army oI
the Potomac.
The report shows that on the lSta of
Hcceinbcr exclusive ot the command oi
Gen. Dix, at i Itimorc, the Potomac
army numbered ls5, 900 men, well arm
cd, disciplined aud equipped. The
strength Of the enemy WAS v,rionsly -
tInatcd al from 10000 10 10000 al tn
time, aud their works exceedingly iol
mldabe but subsequent events proved
that their force was less than ao,opo and
The sttcn sth oi their io,,lticatians greatly
over-esina,cd. At the same tue IL
was considered imprac,icsbIc to attack
the enemy IN itont, aud also that il
would be ,ccc,,arY 10 leave $4,000 or
10000 men in front 81 Washing on fol
lis defence, Thereby allowing alloaln.
10000 Tor service elsewhere.
The committee arc aware that aic-
quaic provision was never mad, IL man
The frliicaions in front oi Washington.
In relation To the blockade of the foto
mae the committee states that it ~as pro.
posed 10 ta.c po. session Of Martha, Point
N June, 1861, and again IN August, but
nothing was done. In October "A plan
was adopted To- take the Potomac flotilla
and net IN cuninn ton with detacl
mont OF troops, but the troops were no
sent as agreed, and the plan was not
ricJ. Soon after the Potomac ilotilla
left on the lo,t Royal expedition, when
the ryer was almost Immediately closed
by robe batteries until the rebel. voluu-
larlly left.
On the 10 Ii Of January, 1902, the
Commandcr-in- Ghict ISSUED an order foi
u general IN Nctncnt of al the armies ot
the | nlted States, enc OF the results ot
~hich WAS the capture 81 Forts lleaft
and Dom on.
On the 3ls, Of January the President
ordered all the disposnblc force OF the
Arlns Of the Potomac. after providing
or the safety OF Washington, to scizc
Il point on tie railroad south west OF Ma
nas,as, and the expedition to move be
lore the 22d Of February. Ills plan was
objected to as dnidln. our army hy too
great dis ancc 10 cn.bic the two por-
,ions 10 support each other. The Com
manding General recommended instead "a
NJ. ,cnlcnt by way Of the Il R,ppanannoch
or Fortress Msnfoc. TO this the Pres
dent protested certain question, as I" ITS
Feasibility and advantages, aud ilhally \
movement by way oi Annapoll- aud thc
Ksppahannock was acted upon, but the
rebels evacuated their position al Manas
sa,, retreatiag to the la pahannock, thus
rendering the plan useless.
On The 18th Of March council of
Generals decided on a campaign hy way
of Tic York and james rivers, which the
sdent sanctioned lie desired thal
enough force he left 70 proteci Manassa,
and cvc Washi' gton secure. Nc
Dowcll was assigned the advance. hui
;rausportlon not being adequate, his di
vision was detained III the last, and sub
scqncutIy detained for the defence Of
Washington.
Previous 10 leaving, the Commanding
General "A dressed communication 10
The 4 atant General, showing that hc
lett 81 i5G men at Gilrrcut poiats-at
Waueutou, Manassas, Shcuan loah. and
on the Lower Potomac. with 5000 tor
The gait son aud i front of Washington.
The next day Gen. Wadswotta stated
that his torcc for the defence oi ash
lngton sas inadequate, aud the subject
was referred TO Gen Hitchcock. wh" re-
portci the same evening. which con
ciudcs with The opinion hat the require
mculs of the PRESIDENT, that enough
force be left 10 ,ccurc he safety Of y ash
in Z u, had not been fully complied " ill.,
The President the mex, day ordered
McDowell's corps 10 return.
The army moved towards Yorktown
on the 4th Of April, approaching bcto,c
the rebel works On the 5ih.
Th committee say hat the rebels hal
from 10000 to 10000 at Yorktown
then, aud it is now cyilcn: oar forces
could not have ,hen pierced the rebel
lines Gu ting off rcintorccincnts, but Il
seiee Ms determined on, contrary TO the
wishes of the President.
The committee rehearse the facts re
i,iing t. the evacuation of Yoskt,w and
the iatlle of VIII ansbnr., aud says one
Of the Generals testified that after The
battle. il the enemy had been followed
our rccs could have reached Richmond
almost With ut firing gun, but tic Gen
cral Commanding states thu; tic bad
roads made pursuit Impossible.
After the b,tllc OF Wlliams' urg it
was decided TO send McDo~.l via
Fredericksburg 10 reinforce the Army
Of the Potomac, but opposition OF ia. k
son in he Shcnan oah Valley prc,calcJ
his being sent.
srho c.,,,,,;,too .,;y, G dotails RI III. la,