The Portland daily press., 1863-12-14
Singular Letter to look in the Face.

Singular Letter to look in the Face.
The Argus has exhumed an old letter Of
Gen. Mcclellan to Gen. Halleck, written after
he had been ordered to return from his abor-
tive and disastrous peninsula campaign, and
our neighbor says in his appended remarks:
1--WE should think the above letter would not
be pleasant reading for the authorities at Wash
ington, in the light of what has since tran
spired."
Gen. Mcclellan, it will be remembered,
called for heavy re-iniorcements, and was re-
fused on the ground that they could not be
spared without weakening other points. To
this he said, in the letter in question:
It may be said that there are no reinforce
ments available. point to Gen. Burnsidc's
forces, 10 those Of Gen. Pope, not necessary
to maintain a strict defense in front of Wash
ington and Harper's Ferry; to those portions
Of the army of the West not required for q
strict defense there. Here, directly in front
Of this army is the heart of the Rebellion. 1t
is here that all our resources should be col
iected to strike the blow which will determine
the fate of this nation. All points of secon-
dairy Importance elsewhere shonid be abaa-
doned, and every available man brought here.
A decided victory here and the military
strength of the rebellion is crushed. IL mat
tiers not ,chdt partial rererses Ue may meet
acith elsetchere, here is the true defence of
Washington; lit is here on the banks of the
James River that the fate of the Union should
be decided.
Here is the programme that Mcclellan
marked out. He would have all else neglected
that he might have increased command.
Burnside, then bearing the Union flag towards
the heart of North Carolina, SHOULD be called
back to benefit the Army Of the Potomac;
Pope with his army, guarding the Shenandoah
valley and protecting the Harper's Ferry re-
gion, should be absorbed by the Army of the
Potomac; nothing in the Southwest should be
done but to act strictly on the defensive;
everything was to be subordinated that the
Peninsula Campaign might be redeemed from
utter failure. This was McClelans plan, and
had it been yielded to what would have been
the result? Facts have shown. While they
have not proved or scarcely indicated that
Richmond would have been taken; while they
do not show that the army, reinforced, would
not have dwindled down under the malaria OF
they do show that, with such policy Grant
would not have accomplished the brilliant VIC
tories which have attended his Southwestern
campaign, and rendered his name glorious.
Mcclellan would have kept that gallant man
on the "strict defcnsive;r no fall of Vicksburg
would have cheered the American heart; 10
Fort Hudson would have surrendered to
Banks no setback would have been given 10
the rebellion at Murfreesboro; no glorious
victory at Chattanooga would have sent the
rebels Keeling from that strong hold; no gal
liant storming Of Lookout Mountains and Mis-
sionary Ridge would have called forth the
nations exultant admiration; no retreat Of
Longstreet before Burnside's victorious lc-
gions would have been sent over the wires to
thrill the hearts of all loyal men; no invitation
Of the President would have called the people
to thankiulness for the redemption of Ter
nessee from rebels and rebellion, but. in all
probability, not that state only but Kentucky
would to-day be ravaged by guerrilla bands,
carrying dismay into every household, and
laying waste every green thing. Nor would
Arkansas be redeemed and the flag Of the
Union now float over her Capitol, or Banks be
marching with his gallant command, flushed
with victories, from the Rio Del Norte east
ward to the Neuccs, the Colorado, the Brasos
and the Sabine
If any one finds the letter of Mcclellan mt
pleasant reading" in view of the facts Of his
tory, surely 1t is not the authorities at Wash
ington, who put stop TO his strictly defen-
slice" operations, and inaugurated CAM
paigns that have cheered by their results the
hearts of the American people, and opened
up large portion of the territory Of the re-
~bellion to the sunshine and the promise Of
Union and Liberty, now and forever. II
is true, and it is painfully true also. that the
fate of the Union" came near being decided
ION the banks of the James River" and deci-
ded, too, in manner perfectly satisfactory TO
the rebels In arms. II McClellans policy had
been continued that decision, there is too much
reason TO fear, would have been arrived at.