Evening star., 1863-04-06

perfect readiness to move forward and take
Richmond the moment that Mccall reaches
here and the ground will admit the passage of
artillery" On the IGth or 18th of June McCalFs
| troops commenced arriving ut the w hite House
Preparations confined to be made in Wash
| ington to send down by land from Fradericks-
| burg the remainder of Gen. McDowelrs corps,
| he being directed TO cooperate fnliy with Gen.
/ Mcclellan, but retaining an Independent com
| mand. This does not appear to have been in
| accordance with Gen. Mcclellan e wishes: for,
on the 10th of June, he telegraphs TO the Secre-
| tary of War:
| .It ought to be distinctly understood that
| Mcdowell and his troops are completely under
| my control l received telegram from him
! requesting that McCalrs division might be
placed so as to join HIM immediately upon his
/ arrival. That request does not breathe the
! proper spirit; whatever troops come to me
must be disposed of so as to do the most good.
| do not feel that iH such circumstance those
1 ia which l am now placed General Nc McDowell
/ should wish the general interest TO be sacri-
| feed for the purpose of increasing his COM
mand. If cannot fully control all his troops
/ ! want none of them, but would prefer to fight
/ the battle with what have, and let others be
/ responsible for the results"
| On the 18th of June, Mcclellan telagraphs
to the Secretary OF War; that the rebel Jackson,
/! in the valley, had been reinforced from Rich
mcnd with II, ,GG0 men, to which the President
replied that he was in possession Of similar in
| formation and considered it. if true, as good
as a reinforcement TO him (McClellan) of an
| equal number of troops On the same day
Mcclellan telegraphed the President that at
| the expiration of twenty four hours he should
slight the enemy as soon as Providence win
permit At that time the record shows that
he had l5G,StsS men, deduGting from this mum. !.
Der those special duty, sick and in arrest,
lett him 1l5, lG2 present for duty. It Was about
this time the rebel Stuart made his raid round
the entire army, uDharmed, and discovered
attra nF
York River.
Tn the oath and 25th, Mcclellan telegraphs
the Secretary of War that he expects an attack
upon his right ana rear; ne expects 10 have to
! fight against odds and asks for rainforcamrntS
The answer of the President is as follows:
"WASHlNGTON, June 26 1862.
"fonr three dispatches OF yesterday in re-
lation to the affair, ending with the statement
that you completely succeeded in making vour
point, are very gratifying.
THE later one of 6.l5 y. m, suggesting the
probability of your being overwhelmed by
2;a.UGU men, and talking of whom the res ponsi.
bllity will belong, pains me very much.
give you ali / can, and act on the presumption
that you will do the best you can with what
ycu have: while you con tinue ungenerously
think, TO assume that could give you more if
/ would. ] have omitted. shall omit, no op-
poriunity to send you re-emiorccmcnts when
ever possibly can. A. LINCOLN.
ssMaior General MCCLELLAN"
On the afternoon of the same day the PIesi-
dents dispatch was written. u une 16th.) the,
enemy in force attacked McCalis division az
Mechaniesyille. The action lasted until II light,
when the enemy was raDHlsed At II thai
night, Mcclellan ordered the troops to fail
back to Gaines Mills. where on the following
morning. the battle ofGaneS' NJ ills was fought
by 3u,GtG troops under Gen. Porter. The enemy
was three to one against rs. We lost a,iHH, ,,ea
in killed, wounded and missing, and were
driven back. Mcclellan, in reply 10 a uu..s-
tion iy the committee VIII he allo wed his RICH,
wing TO be thus exposed to such oyer.vi,aIm-
ip.y ,I,pcS NJ ha and
prevented the enemy from getting on his
flank and rear amd enabled nim to withdraw
the army and material.
During tine night Of the 9Th. The army was
removed 10 the right bank OF the Chickaho.ni-
ny, and the next day it was determined, upon
! cons ultation, to fall back to !hr James river
Gen. Mcclellan at midnight t"i,'graphed the
Secretary OF War that he was no. responsible
for the result, but felt that the Government
had not sustained his army.
To this the President replies, on the 9-th:
IL you have had II drawn battle, or a repuis.
it Is the price We pay for the enemy not being
Ill Washington. We projected Washington
and the enemy concentrated on yon. Had we
stripped Washington hr would have been mn
on rs before the troops sent could have rot 10
yen.
save your army at all events. VIII send
rsinforcements as fast can. OF course they
oannet reach you to-day, tomorrow, or next
day.''
i, The retreat to the James river having been
decided upon, the army took up its march
and however >tHl III reprl!ing those at
tacks, eT;tca;tting their positions during the
night. The actions Of Savage Station, q iendal.
and Malvern Were fought during The move
ment OF the army 10 the lanes, the enemy being
repulsed in each days fighting, and o,lr army
falling back, under orders. during the night
1t would appear, from al the information
the committee can obtain. that the battles were
fought, the troops handled, new dispositions
made and old ones changed. entirely by the
corps commanders, withou: directions from the
commanding general. He would place the
troops III the morning, then leave the field and
seek the position FOR The next day, giving no
directions until the close Of the days lighting
when the troops would be ordered to fall back
during the night 10 the new position selected
by HIM. In that manner the army reached the
James river.
The battle OF Malvern Hill of the fst Of July.
was the most tiercely contested OF any upon The
peninsula. The troops We're placed in thu
morning under direction OF General M cIieIlan
who then left the field, returning to il AGAIN III
the afternoon. The first action of the day COM
mrnced about ten O'Clock in the forenoon, bnt
did not continue long The principal action.
when the enemy attacked most vigorously and
persiStently. commenced late in The afteTnooa
and continued until alter dark, the enemy bain 2
repuised and beaten at every point Many OF
the officers examined by your committee are OF
the opinion that the enemy were so severely
punished on that day that they could have
been followed into Richmond had ou. army
followed them up vigorously.
IL true that our army had been s.. ypraly
tried during the preceding week, fighting as
they did, nearly every day and retrea'il:. e very
night. The corps commanders and the troops
under them fought most brayely-no troops
better. However disheartened they may have
become by what all must have regarded "a q
prsciritate retreat during the night, they sui
fought with the most obstinate bravery when
attacked in the daytime by an exultant and
successful enemy.
The commanding general however. deter
mined 10 fall back from Nal to Harrison S
Bar, notwithstanding the victory Wen there
by our army. He seems to have regarded his
army as entirely untitled to meet the enemy
for on the day OF the battle al Malvern, evil
IDENTIFY before that battle took place. he writes
10 the aoiutant general Of the army, from Hax-
ails plantation:
"My men are completely exhausted, and
dread the result ii we are attacked to -day by
fresh troops. Ii possible shall retire To- nj ght
10 Harrnson's Bar, where the gunboats can rem
der more AID IN covering position. Permit
me TO urge that not an hour should be lost in
sending me fresh troops. More gunboats are
much needed
On the 2d of July the President telesraphs to
Gen. Mcclellan:
sslf You think You are not strong enough to
take Richmond lust now, do not ask YOU TO
try just now. Save the army. material AMI
personnel, and l Will siren ythen il for The Of
fcnSiNc again as fast can :