Evening star., 1863-04-06
THE EVENING STAR.
THE CoNDUCTOFTHE WAR.
Ieport of the Congressional Committee.

The Joint Committee on the Conduct of the
War, appointed by the late Congress, and
which by resolution of one or both Houses
was permitted TO continue its sittings after the
expiration of the official term of that Congress,
concluded on Friday last one branch Of its
labors BY the adoption of Report devoted
chiefly TO the Operations of the Army OF the
Potomac.
This Report is to be followed by others relat-
ing 70 the first battle ut Bull Run-rhe troops
there engaged having beer the nucleus of the
Army OF the Potomac-and to the disastrous
conflict ut Balls Bluff, in which portions of
the troops OF the same army Were engaged A
Report is also promised on the Western De-
partment. The battle at Fredericksburg is
noticed only in part. No mention is made
OF the operations in the Shenandoah and Noun.
tain Departments.
As regards-the campaign of the Army OF Vir-
ginia, under Gen. Pope, the committee says
that the circumstances connected with it shave
been SO fully investigated by the military courts
In the cases of Gen. Mcdowell and Gen Por-
Ter that the committee ssdeemed it unnecessary
to make SO thorough an investigation Of that
campaign as they would otherwise have DONE"
II therefore con fines itself to recital of nthe
orders and correspondence in relation to the
delays in the forwarding of Gen. Summers and
Gen. Franklin'S corps from Alexandria to the
assistance ofGen Pope" For the same reason
that the subject has been Investigated by a
military commisslon-the committee has not
deemed it necessary TO take much testimony in
relation to the surrender OF Earper'S Ferry.
Three -fourths of the report is occupied with
the military services Of Gen. Mcclellan, COM
mencing with his appointment as the successor
OF Gen. Scott, and coming down to November
last, when he was relieved of the command Of
the Army of the Potomac. His forces, his
movements, his delays, his repeated calls fer
renforcements, his differences with the Presi-
dent and General in Chief, his alleged failure
to provide proper protection for the National
Capital DC. are adverted to, more less at
large, and interspersed with unfavorable views
OF his operations in the field, based upon the
opinions of other officers who were called be-
fore the comm ttee.
Much Of the matter of the report has already
come before the public, and we therefore shall
not repeatit
OF the Army of the Potomac which is
first treated OF, the Committee say:
Every energy of the Government and all
the resources OF a generous and patriotic people
Were freely and lavishly placed at the disposal
OF Gen. NJ cClellan to enable him to gather TO-
gethtr another army and put il i'll the most
complete state of efficiency, SO that offensive
operations might be resumed at the earliest
practical moment. The Army Of the Potomac
became the object OF special care to every de-
partment OF the Government, and all other
military movements and organizations We're
made snborGld;tt' 10 the one great purpose OF
collecting at " a>hiGgton. and organizing there,
an amy which should overppwer the forces of
the enemy, and forever crush out any hope of
success winch the rebels might cherish Even
when the Army of the Potomac had attained
dimensions never bsfor' contemplated In the
course OF military operations upon this CONT
nent, and seldom, if ever, equalled III modern
times, no portion of its rapidly increasing
numbers was permitted to be diverted, even
for a brief period. to the accomplishment OF
other enterprises.
The generals III charge of the various expe.
ditions from time TO time inaugurated, and
from which so much benefit was anticipated
General Butler, General Sherman, General
elsewhere for the troops to compose their COM
mands, TO rely upon the continued patriotism
OF the people, and the zeal of the executives of
the various States for the raising OF those regi.
ments which would enable them 10 depart for
the fields OF duty assigned To them. No consid-
Grafton was, for a moment. allowed TO diminish
impair the efficiency of the army OF the
Potomac, and the unexanlpled spectacle was
presented to other nations, who We're intemtly
watching the course of events in this country.
of the largest army OF the present century being
raised entirely by voluntary eniistments in the
brief period of 4 few months.
"W hen Congress assembled in this city, in
the beginning of December, 1861, so successful
had heen the eNerIions OF the authorities, and
so Zealously had the people res ponded to their
coun:ry's call, that the consolidated morning
reports, furnished your committee by the ad-
Jntart general OF the army. showed that, ex-
elusive of the command of General Dix, at
Baltimore, the army of the Potomac consisted
OF about 1s5WG men
Concerning the obstruction OF the navigation
of the Potomac, the Committee say that the
Navy Department repeatedly proposed TO CO.
operate with the War Department to pen the
navigation OF the Potomac: that Gen McCIel.
Ian finally promised that i,Uui men should he
ready 1T Il time named to go down the river
Tor that purpose, but that the project fell
through.
"Capt Fox, in answer to the inquiry OF the
comEiittee as 10 what reason was assigned for
not sending the troops according to the second
agree ment, replied that the only reason 50 far
as he COULD ascertain was. that Gen. McClel-
Ian feared IL might ing on a general engage
Easnt.
The President, who lad united with the
Navy department III u.g.rg their proposition,
nrst upon Gen. Scott ana zen upon Gen. Me-
Clellin, manifested great disappointment when
he learned that the | an had failed in conse-
quence OF the troops not being sent. And Capt.
Craven threw up his command on the Potomac
and applied to be sent to ca. saving that hy
remaning here and doing nothing, he was but
losing ms own reputation, as the blame for
permitting the Potomac ! be blockaded would
be imputed TO him and ie fiotilla under his
command"
The Presidents order for flank mo yement
on Manassas, on or befol the 22d OF February
le62, already published. given.
To this order Gen. Mcclellan wrote an eIab-
orate reply OF the same date, objecting TO the
plan therein indicated as involving ssthc error
OF dividing our army by Il very difficult OBJ.
stacle, tthe Dccoquan.) and by q distance too
great to enable the two portions to support
each other, should either be attacked by the
masses of the enemy, while the other is held in
Check He then proceeded TO argue in favor
OF movement by way of the Rappahannock
or Fortress Monroe, giving the preference to
the Rappahannock route. He stated that
thirty days would be required 10 provide the
neces sary means of Transportation. He stated
that he regarded "suecess as certain, by all the
chances Of war" by the route he proposed,
while 1t was aby no means certain that we
can beat them (the enemy al Manassas"
The committee have no evidence, either oral
or documentary, OF the discussions that ensueCi
OF the arguments that were submitted TO the
consideration of the President that led him TO
relinquish his own line Of operations and con-
sent to the one proposed by Gen. Mcclellan,
except the result of council of war; held in
February, 1862 That council, the first, SO far
as the committee have been able TO ascertain
ever called by Gen. Mcclellan, and then by
direction OF the President, composed Of
twelve generals, as follows: Mcdowell. SUM
ner. HeintZelman, keyes, Fitz- John Porter
Franklin, w. L. Smith, Mccall, Blenker, An
drew Porter, Barnard, and Naglee, (from G en-
Hooker's diyisios)
To them was submitted the question whether
they would indorse the line of operations which
Gen. Mcclellan desired TO adopt. The result
OF the deilberation was a vote of eight to four
In favor OF the movement by way of Annapolis
and thence down the Chesapeake bay. up the
Rappahannock, landing at Urbana, and across
,,t,fr m, OH the