New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-04-06


his arrival at Harrison's Bar believed himself
incapable of further resistance, and was fully
prepared TO surrender tho whole army of the
Potomac TO the Rebels If it had been again at
tackled. That army numbered, according to
Gen. McClelan's own returns on the goth July,
1884 men, of whom 101, 601 were ther
present for duty.I 2o''rlDi
Such was the end of the Peninsula campaign.
The four opportunities which the valor of his
army had offered to the imbecility of its Gen.
eral had been utterly lost, and blood and treas.
ure and time spent to no purpose. j..
From that time till the 10Th Of August, when
the position was finally abandoned, no move
ment of any kind was attempted. Gen. Nc.
Clellan applied for $4,000 reanforcements which
did not exist, and could not be given him, and
Gen. Halleck finally withdrew the whole army
to cooperate with Gen. Pope.
The remainder of the report Of the Commit
tee is devoted to subjects which have previously
been fully discussed in these columns, except
ing the events which occurred after the ap-
pointment of Gen. Burnside. We have space
only to remark in passing that the evidence
presented by the Committee entirely sustains
the charge previously brought against Gen.
Mcclellan, that he did not heartily endeavor
to relieve Gen. Pope when he and his army
and the Republic were immnenty imperiled.
And it appears as to Antietam, in addition to
and in confirmation of the facts before known,
that Gen. Mcclellan had at least 10000 fresh
troops with which TO renew the attack next
morning, and that Burnside and Sumner both
advised it. Gen. Sumner has heretofore been
as coincidiDg with Gen. MeClel-
lau's decision. 1t is real pleasure to relieve
the memory of the gallant and loyal veteran
from that aspersion.
Gen. Burnside appears in this report in a
new light. That he was brave, earnest,
devotedly loyal soldier, who had everywhere
done his utmost for the cause in which he
drew bis sword, the whole .country gratefully
knew. We believe that benceforth bis military
capacity, also, will be thoroughly respected,
and at all events he will receive, as he deserves,
the regretfu sympathy of the public in the
singular and apparently wholly undeserved
of his career. He generously took
on himself the sole responsibility for the disas-
ter at Fredericksburg. 1t will henceforth rest
manly on the shoulders of Major-Gen. Frank.
lin. The testimony is explicit that it was bis
of orders which defeated
plan equally admirable for the courage aud the
strategic merits of its conception. If be had
attacked with his available force on the left, !
where the main attack was meant by Burnside
to be made, the day would have been won.
The gallant effort of Gen. Meade was left
wholly unsupported, except by Geu. Gibbou,
who was soon wounded, while Gen. Birney, |
whose division of 1000 men was Immediately
in roar of Meade, contented himself with
the enemy's pursuit where Meade had
been repulsed. instead of promptly advancing
TO his support. 1t seems TO have been Seven
Pines over again on hispart.
The history of Gen. Burnsde's efforts after
ia dramatic in its iusorest, bas
Is even more painful than interesting. I'm
daunted by his defeat the heroic General con-
ceiyed q new plan, embracing magnificent
cavalry raid which would have electrified the
country by its success, and to the success of
which nothing was wanting but opportunity.
But hero occurs the insubordoate interference
Of which whispers have before now been
heard. Gen. John Cochrane and Gen. Newton,
with the knowledge of Gen. Franklin and Gen.
w. F.. Smith, went to Washington with tho
admitted purpose to endeavor to impair the
confidence of the President in their command.
ing General The President listened to them,
and was so far influenced by their assertions
though from the evidence Of these Generals ii
s difficult TO make out how much they are
willing to confess to having said-that he tele-
graphed Burnside to make no movement with
out consultation with him.
The cavalry expedition was at that time
under way, but was promptly halted, and Gen.
Burnside went TO Washington. The President
told him what he had heard. The General
tue names of his accusers. They
we're refused him. He then declared that no
person knew what his plan was; explained it
to the President, and besought permission to
pTocctu. Inc icSiucut neslat'u' 30 uiu Nep'
Ilaeck, aud Gen. Burnside returned to mis-
camp.
Meantime, these plans, which had been COM
nunicated only TO the President, to Gen. Hal
cck, to tho Secretary OF War, and TO some of
Gen. Burnside's stall who had left the camp,
became known to the Rebels in " Washington,
aud tho plan was therefore necessarily aban-
doned
Gen. Burnside then devised still another
nlan and undertook to execute i, on his own