Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1863-12-20
The Potomac Army---Gen. McCIeI.
rIa- lan's Policy.

q we Inlnk Ill nOI lnOppOrIune 10 publish
the following letter from Gen. MCCLELLAN
to Gen. HALLEcK, dated August 4, 1867
Had his protest been regarded at that time
and his suggestions needed, Richmond would
have been in our possession more than O
year ago, and thus the whole face of things
changed. But fanaticism ruled the hour
and MCCLELLAN did not suit the mad fanat-
les, and hence he must be deposed, though
by so doing thousands of lives and hundreds
of millions of money should be lost Nc
CLELLAN was deposed, and what has since
occurred fully demonstrates the wickedness
of the act: pc
BERKELEY, Va, Aug, 4, u NJ.
Major General Hrlleck, Coamdnder-iu -CAief:
Your telegram of last evening is received.
must confess it caused me the greatest
painI ever experienced, for am convinced
that the order to withdraw this army to
Acquia Creek will prove disastrous i'm the
extreme to our cause. fear it will be fatal
blow. Several days are necessary to COM
plete the preparations for so important a
movement as this, and while they. are in
progress, beg that careful consideration
may be given to my statement. This army
is now in excellent discipline and condition.
We hold debouch on both banks of the
James river, so that we are free to act in
any direction, and with the assistance of
the gunboats, consider our communica-
tiOns as secure. i r-f
We are 25 miles from Richmond, and are
not likely to meet the enemy in force sufl-
cient to fight battle until we have march
ed Is to Is miles, which brings us practical
ly within 10 miles of Richmond. Our larg-
est line of land transportation would be
from this point % miles, but by the aid of
the gunboats we can supply the army by
water, during its advance, certainly to
within II miles of Richmond. At Acquia
Creek, we would be rs miles from Rich
mond, with land transportation all the way.
From here to Fortress Monroe Is march of
20 miles, for regard it as impracticable to
withdraw this army and its material except
by land. The result of the movement would |
thus be to march 145 miles to reach point
now only % miles distant and to deprive
ourselves entirely of the powerful aid of
the gunboats and water transportation
Add to this the certain Generalization ofl
this army which would ensue, the terribly |
depressing effect upon the people of the |
North, and the strong probability that it |
would influence foreign powers to recog-I
nize our adversaries; and these appear to |
me sufficient to make it my imperative du- |
ty to urge, in the strongest terms afforded
by our language, that this order be rescind-j
ed, and that far from recalling this army it |
may be promptly reinforced to enable it tol
resume the offensive.
It may be said that there areno reinforce |
ments available. / point to Gen. Burnsides |
forces, to those of Gen. Pope, not necessary
to maintain strict defense in front of
Washington and Harper's Ferry; to those |
portions Of the Army of the West not re-
Quired for strict defense there. Here, di- |
rectly in front of this army is the heart Of
the rebellion. 1t is here that all our re-
blow which will determine the fate of this |
nation. All points of secondary importanceI
elsewhere should be abandoned, and every
available man broughthere. A decidedvic-
tory here and the military strength of the
rebellion is crushed. 1t matters not what
partial reverses we may meet with else
where; here is the true defense of Washing
ton; it is here on the banks of the James
river that the fate Of the Union should be
decided.
Clear in my conviction of right strong in
the consciousness that have ever been, and /
still am actuated solely by love of my coun-
try, knowing that no ambitious or selfish
motives have influenced me from the COM
mencement of the war, do now what /
never did in my life before. / entreat that
this order may be rescinded. Ifmy counsel
does, not prevail, / will with q sad heart
obey your order to the utmost ofmy power,
1evoting to the movement-one of the ut
most delicacy and difilculty-whateyer skill
| may possess, and may God grant that ] am
in my forebodings. Ishall at least
have the internal satisfaction that l have
written and spoken frankly, and have
sought to do the best in my power to arrest
disaster from my country.