Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1863-04-22
THE CONDUCT OF THE WAR.
Report of the Joint Committee.
THE PENINSULA CAMPAIGN.

Report of the Joint Committee.
THE PENINSULA CAMPAIGN.
Gen. Heiutzelman, who commanded the first
troops of the army Of the Potomac that land
ed on the peninsula, arrived at Fortress Mon
roe on the 23d of March, two weeks after the
evacuation OF Manassas. He had orders to en-.
camp as near Fortress Monroe as possible, in
'orcer that the enemy should have idea of
.he direction In which the army was to move
whether toward 7 Yorktown or Norfolk. Gen.
Heintzclmsn states that shortly after landing
he obtained information that the enemy had
not m.re than lC 900 troops at Yorktown and
on the Peainsula, and Is satisfied that he could
have advanced and isolated Yorktown, in
which case there would have been no serious
obstacle in the way of proceeding directly TO
Richmond On the 9th of March he sent out
reconnoitering parties far az Biz Bethel and
Watts Greek, and went near the Halt way
House, where about 400 Of the enemy and
little artillery we're seen. lie telegraphed to
Gen. Mcclellan what he was doing, and re-
ceived q dispatch, in reply, that he (Gen. Nc
give the enemy information OF the line of OPP
srai!ons OF the army. The reconnaissance
was then withdrawn.
Troops continued TO arrive at Fortress. Mon
roe, and on the I'd of April Gen. MoClell
himself arrived. On the 4th of April the
my commenced its movement in the direction
of Yorktown, and on the 9th appeared before
the enemy's lines. Gen. Mcclellan states that
he moved from Fortress Monroe sooner than
he otherwise would have done. upon hearing
that the enemy were sending down re enforce
Hepts.
DELAY BEFORE YORKTOWN.
All the testimony goes to prove that when
troops first landed on the Peninsula the
force OF the enemy there consisted of Magru
der's command, varionsly estimated at from
1000 to II 600 men, except by Gen. McCIel-
ian. who estimates it from Is, 900 to 20 900.
The Hon. Lemuel j. Bowden, United States
Senator from Firginia-then living within the
Rebel lines near NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. that
the Rebels did not determine to REINFORCE Ma
grader until IL tras apparent that our forces ,n-
tended 10 stop before Yorktovn aud commence a
r,gaiar siegs OF the place. 1t is now evident,
whatever may have been the opinion of our
officers at the tiple, that our forces trhen hey
frIs appeared before Yorktown, could hare pier
etf the line Of tcorhs across the Peninsula there
without mueh officially, isolating Yorktown, and
cutting off re-enforcemsnfs, vhen the place must
hare fatfeH in rsry short time. Some OF our
Generals expected and desired that that should
be done. Gen. Heintzelmsn forwarded to
Gen. Mcclellan the application TO Gen Ham
ilion. commanding division, for permission
TO force the enemy's lines. No answer was
received TO the application.
Row MANY TROOPS MCCLELLAN had.
Instead of that, however, = siege was de.
.ermined upon, contrary TO the desire of the
President, who, as early SIS the 9th of April,
wiote to Gen. Mcclellan aSfpllows:
"There is a curious u1ysfe4 about the num-
her OF troops now with you. / telegraphed
You on the 9th, urging that you had over 100,
0oo with you. had just obtained from the
Secretary OF War statement, taken, as he
then with yon and en- route to You. You now
'ssy that YOU will have not So 600. when sll en-
route TO you shall have reached you How
can this discrepancy of %, 900 be accounted
iaEl As 10 Gen. Wool's command under.
stand it is doing for You precisely what like
command vas away.
81 suppose The whole force which has gone
forward to you is with you by this time, and
u so, think IL ls the precise time for you to
s,riSe blow. By delay the enemy will stead
iIy ssin on you-thst is, he will gain faster by
for'ihcsiions and endorsements than you
can BY re endorsements alone.
"And, once more, let me tell you Il Is indis-
pensable to you that you strike blow. am
powerlsss TO help this. You will do me the
Justice to remember 1 always wished not GO
'hs down the bay in search of a field, instead
o. nghting at or near Manassas, as only shift
iIg and not surmounting difficulty that we
honid ind the same enemy and the same or
equal in'renchments at either place. The
country u1H not fail TO note-is noting ro,c-
haf the present hesitation 10 more upon an in
reached po,,tios is out the story Of Manassas re-
psGteG."
Ana the repetition was made complete near
month later, when the enemy, in the face
VI superior force, evacuated their work S
without loss and without the knowledge of the
general commanding our army.
MCCLELLAN WANTS MORE TROOPS.
uen Mcclellan, however, did not deem his
'ofees sufficient, and objected very strongly
:" " 'ne order Of the President detaching Nc
po"eifs corps for the defense OF W ashington.
~ imperIlling the success of our cause
e called again and again for rre-enforcements,
asking for Frank Inns and McCalIs Divisions
% o. acDoweli's corps, to be under command of
frshRiin; insisting that Frank Inns Division,
=. least, should be sent to him. On the Ilfh
VI april Fraukiin's Division was ordered to
aiexandria to embark for Fort Monroe. On
H rns i4th, Gen. franklin reported to Gen. Nc
Heilan near Yorktown, but his troops remain
90 On board the transports until afer the ene-
my evacuated the place, when they were or
dered to West Point.
he WANTS TRANSPORTATION.
on the 9th Of April Gen. Mcclellan tele-
sfsphed to the President, 81 have BY no
'ne transportation must have TO move
army even few miles 20 and asks that all
> orders for wagon trains, &C., may at once
complied with. All was sent to him as de-
sHsu' until even Gen. Mcdowell found him.
so stripped OF the transported ion designed
a.. a.. MS corps, that when he moy ed to Freder-
easourg IL was with the greatest difficulty he
uh move supplies for his small force from
equia TO Falmouth until the railroad was
Completed
month was snept before vo-k,a.n -.
ss'ng, in the opinion of some of our ablest Of
eetl1, OSCnrnin0 mr.