, 1863-04-25
GEN. msCIELLAN AND GEN. HAM
ELT0N.

ELIUNs
It will not have been forgotten that,
when Brigadier (now Major) General G. S.
Hamilton, was in front Of the enemy, with
a division, before Yorltown-doing able
seryicc-hc was relieved Of his command |
by order of Gen. Mcclellan. This act !
caused great indignation among the men
Of that division, and also among large !
number Of the most competent and patri-
otic officers of the Army Of the Potomac.
Civilians everywhere, TO whom the facts
came, regarded the act as purely out
ragcous- But Of late the secessionist organ |
in this city has raked up the fact of Gen.
Hnuilton's dismissal from his division in
the manner stated, and has two or three
times paraded it as damaging proof Of his
unfitness for command Out ofp1re spite,
that polluted sheet attempts to weaken an
admirable soldier and an honorable man
with the army and people. The organ Of
JEFF. Davis can do some things, but it can
not destroy reputation 50 nobly earned
and so widely difIuscd Us that enjoyed by
Major General Hamilton, Of Wisconsin.
An extract from the Report Of the Com
mittce Of Congress upon the Conduct Of
the War, will show the cause of Gen. Ham
ilton's difficulty with Gen. Mcclellan:
t'Au the testimony goes to prove TINT when
our troops first 1anded on the Peninsula the
force Of the enemy there consisted Of Magru-
der's command, rariously estimated at from
1000 to u 900 men, except BY Gen. McClel-
lan, Who estimates 1t from 900 to 5000.
Senator from VirEinia-thcn living within tue
rebel lines, near Williamsburg -tcstifes that
the rcbcls did not determine to reinforce Ma
gruder until It was apparent that our forces
Intended to stop before Yorktown and com
1nence regular siege Of the place. Il is now
evident, Whatever may have becn the opinion
Of our officers at the time, tlat our forces,
when they first appeared before Yorktown.
could have pierced the line Of works across
i+olating yorktown, and cutting off reinforce
.ncn1=. Nhcn the place must have fallen in q
vcry short time.'
Some of our officers at the time were
not deceived, and then knew what all now
know. In front Of that part Of the line
held by Gen. Hamilton was only small
force Of the enemy, and nothing but a
trench that infantry soldiers could easily
havc crossed. Gen. Hamilton was of the
opinion that he could pierce the cnemy's
line with his division alone, and with little
loss ol Life. Gen. ucintzclman heard Gen.
Aamnton's views, and, after examination
agreed with him. The Committee say
"Gcn. Heintzclmnn forwarded tn Gen. Nc
Clellan the application Of Gen. Hamilton
commanding division, for permission II
force the .encmy's lines. No aus,o.r ma
1cceiped to the application
Gen Mcclellan had stubbornly rcfnse.
for Ecycn months to attack, with force c
two hundred thousand, the enemy ut Afs
nassas. The enemy evacuated Manassa
and he refused to follow them up and gi'
battle. This conduct dissatisfied and di
gusted some Of his best officers; and whe
he had taken his army around to Yorl
town, and it was evident that he intendt
=. to sit there in the mud, many officers #
that the cause was not only IN bad wa
but in bad hands, Hence Gen. Hamilton
application for permission to force Il
encmy's lines-to which no answer "
ever returned. Hence Gen. Mcclellan
dislike Of Gen. Hamilton. TheTcsnlt
not forgotten. The long delay; the sic
nefs :nd misery; the frishtful loss Of lii
~ azc matters OF history. II Gen. y