Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1863-04-07
Sunday Night Report.
Report vi the Committee on the Conduct
Of the War.
NEw I0Rr Apr,t


| Of u e testimony relates to the army o.
he Potomac.
The report shows that on the | sth Of
December. exclusive Of the command d
zen. Dix, Mt Baltimore, the Potomac
army numbered $4,000 men, well arm
ed, disciplined and equipped. The
strength OF the enemy was vsriousy ts
tImatcd at from 10000 to 10000 at the
time, and their works exceedingly ior
nldabIe, but subsequent events proved
hat their force was less than 10000, aud
The strength Of their Notifications greatly
ovcr-estllnated. At the same time it
was considered impraclicable to attack
the enemy in front, and also that it
would be necessary to leave $4,000 or
$4,000 men III front Of Washington for
Us defence, thereby allowing allowing
10000 Tor service elsewhere.
The committee are aware that adc-
quate provision MAS never made 10 man
lhc icitliiealons IN front o, Washington
la relation 10 the blockade of the ioto.
mac the committee states that it was pro-
posed 10 take possession Of Matthias Point
~ June. lsGl, and again in August, but
nothing Was done. In October u plan
was adopted to take The Potomac ilotiI'a
ana act IN conjunction with dttach-
ment OF troops, but tho troops were not
sent as agreed, and the plan was not
ircd. Soon after the Potomac tlolla
Icit on the Port Royal expedition, when
The river Was almost immediately closed
hy lcbc batteries until the rebels yoiun-
tnriy left.
Ga the 10 b Of January, 1862, the
Commander IN Chiei issued an order for
genera! movement Of all the armies OF
the hitcd States, che Of the results Of
which was the capture Of Forts Henry
and Dongl on.
on The 3ist Of January the President
ordered AL tie disposabIc force Of the
Army Of the Potomac, after providing
for the safety Of Washington, 10 seize
"A point on tie railroad south west of Ma
nasaas, aud the expedition to move be
lore the I'D Of February. Ills plan WAS
objected 10 as d,iliu. our arm, by too
great Il disla nce 10 en.bic the two por-
tons to support each other. The Com
manding General recommended instead a
M cement hy WY Of the kappananuork
or Fortress Monroe. 10 tins the Pre-, :
dent protested certain questions AS 10 It's
Feasibility and advantages, and finally a
movement 10y way o. Annapolis and the
haPpahannock was acted upon. but the
rebels evacuated their position at Manas
sa~, rctreailng TO the Ia pahannock, thus
rendering the plan useless.
On lac 18th OF March council of
Generals decided on a campaign by way
OF tie York and James rivers, which the
II, slicnt sanctioned. lie desired that
enough force be left % protect Manassas
and leave Washington secure. Ne
Dowcll WAS assigned the advance, but
;ransportlon not being adequate his di-
VISION was detained MI the last, and sub
scqucn,ly detained for the defence of
Previous 10 leaving. the Commanding
General addressed communication to
the AdJutsnt General, showing that he
left 5i,i56 men at different points-at
" ar cuton, Manassas, Shenan loah, and
IN the Lower Potomac, with Is 900 for
Ihc GAR ison and n front Of Washington.
The next day Gen. Wadsworth stated
that his force for the defence of Wash
lngton was inadequate, and the subject
va, referred to Gen. Hitchcock. who re-
ported the same evening, which con
cludes with the opinion hat the require
meuts OF the President, that enough
force be left TO secure he safety OF v ash
lngtcn, had not been fully complied with.
The President the next day ordered
corps 10 return.
The army moved towards Yorktown
on the 4til Of April, approaching bc.olc
the rebel works ,on the 9th.
The committee say tina, the rebels had
from 10000 to 10000 at Yorktown
then, and 1t Is now ,>idcn: our forces
could not have thcn pierced the rebel
lines cutlng oll endorsements, but
sci9o rs determined on, contrary to the
" i>bes Of the President
The committee relemsc the facts re
Ia'ing - the evacuation OF YorLt1wnand
the rattle OF Williamsburg. and SAYS one
q The neaelals testified taat after the
oattlc, = the enemy had been followed /
pur toicc> conld have ,,achcd Richmond |
Utmost without iitlnc gun, but the cen
mi Commanding states tina: the bad |
'oaos made pursuit impossible.
After the btttle OF Williamsburg il /
Sas decided 10 send Mcdowell via
Fredericksburg. to reinforce the Army
i the Potomac, but opposition Of Jack
on ~ The >henanaoah Vale, prc,enlcd
lls beng sett.
The committee gives details ofthc bat
IL of seven Pine. and Far Oaks. IN
'hlch 1t Is stated reconnaissance TO
within four miles OF Ricmond wa. made.
'ertan officers testify that the army
ould have matched to Richmond.