East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1863-04-28

Washington, ID c.. Sept IS, 1862 !
Major General MeClcllsni

asbinston, ID G., sept IS loOZ
Major General Mcclellan
"Yours Of $50 p NJ yesterday Is just received.
In your lcttor of the llth you attach too little ia
portance 10 tho capital assure You that You are
wrong Tho capture Of this place will throw Us
! back six months IL il should not destroy us. Be
ware OF the evils HOW point out TO you You saw
them when here, but you seem 10 forgot them in the
distance. No more troops can be sent from here ull
I We have fresh arrivals from the North
/ The letter from Gen. Mcclellan, Of the llth. 10
which General Ilaeck here refers, contains the fol-
lowing:
" 1 believe this army fully appreciates the inn
portance Of victory at this time, md viii hSht
well hut the result of general battle, with such
odds rs the enemy now appears to huvo against Us,
might, 10 say the least, be doubtful; and, II we
should be defeated the consequences TO the country
would be disastrous in the extreme. Under these
circumstances would recommend that one or two
of the three army corps now on the Potomac, oppo-
ste Washington, be at once withdrawn, and sent to
reinforce this army. | would also advise that the
force Of Colonel Miles at llurpers Ferry where II
be of little use an is continually exposed to be
cut of by tho enemy be Immediately ordered here.
This would ait about % 900 old troops to our pres
ont force, and would greatly strengthen rs
" II there are any rebel forces regnaining on the
other side Of the Potomac they must be so few that
the troops left the forts after the two corps shall
have been Withdrawn will ne sufficient 10 check
themi and with the large cavalry force now on this
I
distant approach Of any very large army, part OF
this army might be sent back within the intrcnch-
mcnts 10 assist IN repelling attack. But even "
Washington should be taken whilst the armies are
continuing each other this would not in my Judge
mcnt bear comparison with the ruin and disasters
which would follow single defeat Of this Amy. IL
should be successful in oonquering the gigantic
rebel army before W. would nave no difficulty in
recovering il On tbs other hand, should their
force prove ut;ientiy powerful to defeat us could
all the forces around Washington he sufficient TO
prevent 81 n u victorious army from carrying the
works on this side of the Potomac after they are un-
covered by our army ! think not"
In relation b the surrcn Ter of lIarper's Forty,
your committee have not deemed it necessary to
take much testimony on that subject The militia
rs commission which was convened in this city in
October last fully investigated that su ject, und
their report has been given 10 the public Atten-
ton is clle merely TO two kilograms Of Sept III,
which passed between Gen. Mcclellan and Gen.
| IIalleck, and which are as follows:
ROCKVILLE, Sept. ll.--9:i5 A. NJ
/ "Col Miles is Mt or near IL rper's Ferry, | un-
derstand, with 5000 troops lie can do nothing
where he is but could be of great service if ordered
t o Join me suggest that he be ordered at once to
/ jim me by the most praeti;a cable route y
GEO b Noel ELAN.
Major General CommanlIny"
avian DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON, d. c. }
Sept T. lS62--Sont 2;20 p NJ.
There is 40 way for Col Miles to join you ut
present. The only chance is to defend his works
until you can open communication with him -
When you DO So he will bo sub sct To- your orders
"H. W. HALLECK
Generhin-Chief"
On the 18th Of September the battle of South
! Mountain was fought-the troops Mt Turner's Gap
being under command of General Burnside and
/ those at Crampton's Gap being under the command
of General Notwithstanding in the enemy retr-
ing 10 the vicinity of ShepherdstOwn.
D. the 18th of September the battle OF Antlotam
was fought.
The blttlc closed at dark, our army having gain.
Ell some little advantage NJ heavy loss, but moth
inc decisive The attack was not renewed the
next day. the two armies occupying the positions
held by them mt the close of the yesterdays battle
In relation to the policy Of renewing the attack
on the day Of the battle, General Mcclellan testi-
| fes:
sThe next morning (hc lsth) I found that our
loss hal been 80 great, and there was so much dis
organization in some Of the commands that did not
cons Ter II proper TO renew the attack that day. cs
peciilly NJ | was sure the arrival that day # tive
fresh divisions amounting TO about l5,OOO. As m
instance of the con liton Of some Of the troops that
morning | happen TO roccolloct tho returns of the
first cor3a-Cien. lloOker's-madc the morning o
the 18Th by which there were about g. 800 men re-
ported present for duty. -Four days after that th
returns nf The same corps showed b. SO)
III had arranged, however, to renew the attack n
, 1
ing the night, or carly in the morning that th
enemy had abandoned his position II afterward
proved that he mpyol with greet rapidly AM, not
being encountered by wagons, was enabled to gc
his troops across the river before we could do hin
any serions injury think that taking into con
sidcration what the troops had gone through, WI
got rs much ont Of them in this Antictam campaign
| ~ human enlurln'c would bear"
On the night Of tho 18th Of September tho enc
my abandoned their position AMI retired across tn
Potomac into Virginia without molcstation Gu
army slowly folio vel nm took up II position alon.
the Potomte, on tn, Mtrylani 81 10, occIpyn
! Mirylanl Heights on the goth and Hlrpors Ferry
on the 23l
Gen Mcclellan, on tho Goth of September, re
ports our loses nj South Mllntpin Mt 2 }2) NJ An
ticlam, l2,iS0-total losses in both battles, li19
In relation 10 tho losses fthe enemy in both battles
I in klo wounded, prisoners AMI strasglers Gen
VI ,Clcllin says:
at may be safely con,lu lol, therefore, that tn,
rebel army lost at lcls $4,000 Of their best troop
in their brief campaign in Maryland"
i After the battle of Antietam General McCiell'
called for reiniorccments, aud announced his inten
u ton To firtify Maryland Heights, making rcquis
: iton on General Wnisworth, then ia Washington
for 2 900 contrhanls for that purpose. On the 2It
, of September he writes to G,l llalleck:
"My present purpose is 20 hold tho enemy nbou
( rs it now is rendering IIaryes Ferry secure, AN
watching the river closely, intending to attack tn
o enemy should he attempt to cross this side On
possession Of lIarpcrs Ferry gives the great al
vantage oC a secure de bouche; but we cannot ava
Ourselves Of it until the raroilbrige is finished be
= cause we cannot otherwise supply greater numbc
!. of troops than we now have on the Virginia side
: ia I point When the river rises 80 that the cnem
II clunot cross in force, purpose concentrating III
Il army somewhere nenr Jarpcr's Ferry, and the
D. acting according to circumstances viz Moving q
Is Winchester it, from the position and attitude Of II
s. enemy, we likely to gain great advantage /
A. doing so; else dcvoting reasonable time TO IL
orgzattion OF the army and instruction OF the no
e troops preparatory to m advance on whatever la
,e may be determined. In any event, | regard 1t
70 absolutely necessary TO send now regiments Mt on
10 to the old corps for purpose o. instruction. AMI tn
v tue old regiments be filled Mt once.
Al NY own view Of tho proper policy TO be pursue
"a l. TO retain in Washington merely the force nccc
p sary to garrison IT, and to send everything ell
g. available To re- 'uforcc this army The railroa
AZ give Us the means Of promptly reinforcing Was
Is ington shout it be no. >ss'ry IL am rciniorc'
AS ask, AMI am allowed to take my own course,
- will hold myself responsible for the sicty OF Was
ngton
Of After his return to Washington the following {
NJ der was sent to Gen Mcclellan by IN llalleck
AZ WAR DEPARTMENT, WAsmSGToS, d. Z,
October 9th 1862
81 am instructed TO telegraph you rs foi'ow
* The Presi lent directs that you the Potomac
d. give battle to the e1emy an1 drive them south.
u Your army must move now while the roads a
good
v a. II you cross the river between tho enemy nj
40 Washin,,ion aud rover tho latter by your line