The weekly pioneer and Democrat., 1863-02-13
OhiciOus Interference Of the President
with the Military Operations.

I aDleSt ISepuDiiCith P"P~i' Va eho OouuCiy ,
saws there is no fact in ancient or modern
history-political, military or religious
that is more conclusively established, than
that the failures of our campaigns in
Eastern Virginia are chargeable to the
proximity of the city of Washington, the
intrigues and intermeddling of the polite
ians there congregated, and the President s
mlsapprehension of his duty, and officious
performance as Comlnander-in-Chief of
the Army.
The fair prospects of MoCLEILAN's Pc
ninsula campaign were blighted by the
Washington malaria, which was far dead
lier than that from the swamps of Chicka-
hominy If it had not been for the change
in the plan of the campaign, made after
the departure of MCCLELLAN from Wasl :
ington, and telegraphed to him, there
would have been little delay in front of
Yorktown, and our army would at least
have appeared before Richmond a month
earlier than it did. The country has seen,
in the testimony given in the MCDOWELL
Court of Inquiry, how that officer felt
about the order that prevented his ad-
vance from Fredericksburg to join Nc
CLE1LAN before Richmond, and Secretary
SrANroN's dispatches to Governor ANDREW,
display the madness of the panic at Wash
ingtOn. If it had not been for cOwardly
fear that unseated reason at the War Of
flee, the Army of the Potomac would ha 1e
taken Richmond; and Washington was
not in danger until the strategy hatched
there withdrew our army from the PENN
sula, as if it were better to have the seat
of war on the Potomac than on the James.
But we need not 60 back so far as the
time when General MCCLELLAN was held
responsible for the conduct of the Army
of the Potomac, to see that the Washing
ton meddling has been as ruinous as dis
gushing. HENRY J. RAYMOND, writing on
the 23th from Washington, having just
visited the army of the Rappahannock,
makes an exposure ofthe manner in which
General BURNSIDE has been interfered with.
He says:
The affair at Fredericksburg. and the invcs-
LEGATIONS which followed it were no sooner
over, than General Burnside prepared for anOtll-
er aggressive movement 1t embraced an at
tack in front, at point selected with care and
a formidable raid of cavalry and light artillery,
which was to threaten the enemy'S cOmmuni-
cation and divert his attention from the main
attack. 1t was a bold plan, but vigorously ex-
ecuted, was reasonably certain of success.
| Every preparation had been made for it. A
| picked force OF cavalry and artillery was GOT
ready, under the command of that dashing and
most competent officer, General Averill, and
| the execution of the movement was fixed for
| the 31st of December. The column destined
to make the raid was actually in motion, when
a telegram from President Lincoln announced
to Gen. Burnside that he must make no more
ment witout consulting him. The General at
| once arrested the march of his troops and re-
paired to Washington The President informed
him MGt the reason of his dispatch wus hat some
tested yeheme"tiy against the naorement Thus
failed the third attempt. through the interfer-
| ence and insubOrdinatiOn of officers of the
army.
No wonder the New York Commercial
Adce,1iser, which is as loyal a journal as
is printed in the United States, and which
has always endeavored to treat the Presi.
dent with respect, says OF this revelation
by Mr.. RAYMOND:
Of course we are bound to believe the state
ment, incredible as it seems, when made on
such authority But duty and candor alike re
quirc us to say that the conduct OF the President
was reprehcnsible in the highest degree, and
that if the Federal Government is to cOnduc
the war on such principles, only disaster car
attend our arms. If the President or any 9th
cr non-lnilitary person, staying at home anC
knowing nothing of military facts. expediencic|
and necessities, il, thus to hold in leading strings
the generals commanding his armies: if tho
President is thus to check and dsconcert an(
overthrow Generals calculations and move
ments: and il. above ALL he is to do this Oh tht
| representations OF subordinate officers, who
! ought not to be permitted to approach tht
President except through their commander. i
is utterly impossible that battles can be success
fully fought Or due SllbOrdlnatlOn and discipline
be preserved in the army. II is time that thi
sort OF child's play on the part of the Presiden
was put an end to.
There will be an ineffective army and Il lack
of cooperation among Generals so long as sucl
Il pOilcy as Iilat described Dy Mr.. Raymond il
pursued by the Chief Executive The Genera
commanding an army ought to have the powe
to dismiss, peremptorily, any subordinate wh'
docs not cordially cooperate with him, and tn
President, instead of listening to such subOrdi
nates ought to cashier every one who ap
proaches him with any such representations a
those described. The officers who will ac
thus, can never be relied upon to act cordiall
with their commander, and there nerer uiN be
battle fougA by the Armyof the Potomac, If til
President precents 1t ecery time some officer uit
no heart TOR a fight imte1poses some objection
That is the plain truth and may as well be toll
now as when it is too late. ..
3 The President has not been alone il
$ this meddling with the Army of the Poto
:, mac. We were told by field officer i
2 that army, that he degraded a sergeant t
the ranks for gross misconduct The ser
:; :, geant happened to know some of the polit
) ical borers at Washin gton, and complaine
r to them of the terrible manner in whic
y he had been treated. They took it W
9 and brought the matter before the Secre
tary of War. who addressed letter to til