The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-04-11

8
kind; appealing to the army to submit TO this
privation, a. Il would be only Temporary
ssonly for . few days" He demonstrated With
Gen. Mcclellan against issuing such an order;
that it would have bad effect, would demor-
alize the army, as it would be telling them
more plainly than they could be told any other
way that they were defeated and running for
their lives. The order was not issued, and
Gen. Mcclellan testifes that he has no recol.
lection Of any such order.
TIE RETREAT TO JAMES RIVER.
The retreat to the James river having been
decided upon, the army took ND its march,
attacked BY the enemy in the day time, and
however successful in repeling those attacks.
evacuating their positions during the night
The actions Of Savage's Station, Glendale and
Malvern were fought during the movement Of
the army to the James, the enemy being re-
pulsed in each days fighting, and our army
falling back, under orders, during the night.
1t would appear, from all the information
your Committee can obtain, that thebattiss tcye
fought, the troops handled, new dispositions made
and old ones changed, entirely By the corps come
nanders, without directions from the Command
ing General. He vould place the troops in the
morning, then leave the field and seek the position
for the merit day, giving no directions until the
close of the days fighting, when the troops could
be ordered to fall back during the night to the new
position seleeted By him. In that manner the ar.
my reached the James river.
BATTLE OF xALvHRH HILL.
The battle of Malvern Hill, of the lst
July, Was the most fercely contested Of any
upon the peninsula. The troops were placed in
the morning, under direction of General Nc.
Clellsn, ,cho then left the field, returning to It
again in the afternoon. The first action of the
day commenced about 10 o'clock in the fore
noon, but did not continue long. The princi-
pal action, when the enemy attacked most Wig.
orously and pereistently, commenced late in the
afternoon, and continued till after dark, the
enemy being repulsed and beaten at every point.
Many of the officers examined by your Com
mittee were of the opinion that the enemy
were so severely punished on that day that they
could have been followed into Richmond had
our army followed them up vigorously.
1t is true that our army had :been severely
tried during the preceding week, fighting, as
they did, nearly every day, and retreatipg every
night The corps commanders and the troops
under them fought most bravely-no troops
better However disheartened they may have
become by what all must have regarded as q
precipitase retreat during the night, they still
attacked in the day time by an exultant and
successful enemy.
/ NCLELLAN STILL RETREATS.
The commanding general, however, determin.
ed to fall back from Malvern Hill to Harrson's
Bar, notwithstanding the victory won there by
our army. He seems to have regarded his army
} as entirely unified to meet the enemy, for on
!. the day of the battle at Malvern, evidently be-
! fore the battle took place, he writes to the
, Adjutant-General of the army from Haxal's
plantation.
AND STILL WANTS TROOPS.
"My men are completely exhausted, and /
dread the result if we are attacked to-day by
fresh troops. If possible, shall retire tonight
; to 4arrison's Bar, where the gunboats can rem
der more aid in covering our position. Permit
J me to urge that not an hour should be lost in
: sending me fresh troops. More gunboats are
J much needed"
: On the I'd of July the President telegraphs to
9 General Mcclellan:
D "Your dispatch of yesterday morning induces
me to hope your army is having some rest In
this hope allow me to reason with you for mo-
+ ment, When you ask for $4,000 men to be
T promptly sent you. you must surely labor under
o some gross mistake of fact. Recently you sent
9 papers showing your disposal of forces made
t last spring for the defense of Washington, and
advising return to that plan. find included
. in and about Washington $4,000 men. Now
# to fill that very plan by $4,000. -aH Of General
e Fremonfs IN the rduey; oil Of Gen. Banks; all of
: Gen. McDomels not nth you; and all IN Wash.
ington, taken together do not erceed if they reach,
e $4,000, ,ciM Gen. Wool and Gen. Dir added to
e those mentioned. Ihdue not outside of your army
75, 600 n,e,, east of the mountains Thus the idea
:. of sending you $4,000 men, or any other con-
y siderable force, promptly, is simply absurd. If
in your frequent mention Of responsibility, you
: had,the impression that blame you for not doing
}, more than you can, please be relieved of such
= impression. only beg that in like manner you
will not ask impossibities of me.
y elf you think you are not strong enough to
e take Richmond just now, do not ask you to try
n just now. Save the army, material and person
o mel, and will strengthen it for the offensive
again as fast as can"
d On tie Sd of July, after the army bad reached
s Harrisons Bar, Gen. Mcclellan writes to the
e Secretary of War:
az am in hopes that the enemy is as complete
~ worn out as we are; be was certainly very Sc
. verely punished in the late battle.
1t is of course impossible to estimate yet oul
t losses but doubt whether there are to-day
: more than $4,000 men with their colors.
It To accomplish the great task of capturing
y Richmond, and putting an end to this rebellion
{. re. endorsements should be sent me rather much
d over than less than 100000 men,"
: THE ARMY HELPLESS.
= The retreat of the army from Malvern to
Harrisons Bar wes very precipitate. The
- troops, upon their arrival there, were huddled
;f together in great confusion the entire army be-
- ing collected within space Of about three
:. = miles along the river. No orders ,cere giNn tn
u first day for occupying the nights mhch commanded
). the position. nor the troops so placed as TO b.
able to resist an attack in force by the enemy, ana
u nothing bu. heavy rain, thereby preventing III.
" enemy from bringing mp their artillery saved tn
=. - arng there from destruction. The enemy did
. succeed in bringing up some of their artillery
and threw some shells into the camp, before any
nrenarations for defense had been made On
u oh faEo