The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1864-10-28
Mistellaaeous.
LEAVE POPE TO GET oUT0F HIS
SORAPE."
McoLELLAN's DISPATCHES.

town. anu Newport news.
The entire rebel army was thus free to pre-
cipitate itself upon Popc's small command OF
81, 900 men. and the hulk of its forces had
in fact, moved upon Pope several days be-
fore.
Fully aware OF this and naturally anxious
as to the result Gen. Halleck telegraphed
Gen Pope on 2lst August
Dispute every inch Of grouud, and fight like
the devil till we can reinforce you. Forty.eght
hours more and We can make you stroug enough!
Don't yield an inch II you can help II.
Pope obeyed his instructions, falling back
and fighting every inch Of ground until he
confronted the entirerebel army at Manassas.
With what result, the country knows.
But what country does not know is, how
| il happened that the small army at Manas-
sas should be allowed to be outnumbered,
while the large and we'll appointed forco OF
Mcclellan lay. during the three days strug.
gle, within marching distance, almost mo-
tionless.
Gen. Mcclellan prefaced his report Of the
Antietam campaign by stating that
The troops composing the Army OF the Poto.
mac were meanwhile ordered forward 10 rein
| force the army under Gen. Pope SO complete
| IL was this order carried out, that on the 30th
OF August had remaining under my command
only camp guard of about one hundred men.
Everything else had been sent to reinforce Gen.
Pope. In addition, | exhausted all the means
at my disposal to forward supplies to that 9th.
| Ger, my own headquarter teams even being used
for that purpose.
Is this or not one OF those spccious state.
ments that keep the word of promise to the
ear and brcak it 10 the sense? Is it true, or
is il delusion and a snare?
Did Gen. Mcclellan really send troops and
rations to Gen. Pope in his sore distress?
Did he send them expecting them to reach
him?
Did he desire that they should reach him ?
Did he or not purposely prevent their
reaching him?
Now, we shall not answer these vital ques'
tions with the testimony Of Gen. Pope, or
any of his army; nor yet with the incxora-
bls array OF facts and crushing logic Of the
Committee on the Conduct OF the War. We
propose simply that Gen. Mcclellan himself,
speaking in his Official dispatches. shall reply
/ to them.
On the 27th OF August, 1862. Gen. Pope,
in compliance with his instructions, alter
lighting the enemy Two days on the upper
Rapp,hannock, fell back towards Washing
ton. Halleck, who knew the entire rebel ar.
INV was upon him. had promised heavy rein-
iorccmcnts from the Army Of tho Potomac.
Upon their reaching Popo depended the safe
~ OF his army. and perhaps that Of the Cap
| ital. No one was more keenly alive than
Gen. Halleck to the Importance OF strength.
aning Pope, and, accordingly, IN tho morn
ing OF August 9th, 1868, he ,clegraphed to
Gen. Mcclellan, through whom alone all re-
Inducements for Pope must pass, to have
Fnnklin's corps march in the direction OF
Manassas as soon Us possible.
The order is clear and definite. II il had
bcen obeyed, JacksOn's forces, defeated and
driven by Pope on the 2Ith. would have been
me, near Ccn,reyillc tho next afternoon by
franklin. aud crushed
Now follow tho Developments OF the next
three DAYS, and SEQ with what fertility OF de-
vice, prodigIlity of invention, and coolness
OF assumptiOn-with what unyielding tcuac-
ity. shameless premrication, and rank insu',-
ordination-Gen. Mcclellan carried out his
s;ealfast purpose. that Pope should not have
a man OF these reiniorcements--not an ounce
of powder. not loaf Of bread, and that with
his 10000. struggling in q death.srpple
with that same rebel army that had discDm-
fitted McClellan's l50, 900, he might be lett
to Get out OF his scrape. This choice phras-
eoloyy. we hasten to remark, is not ours. but
that of Gen. Mcclellan, who proposed to
the Presideut"1o leare Pope TO get out OF
has scrdpe."
Plain enough was Halleck's order. yet il
never was executed! Thus il fell out. Al
! IN. 40 Mcclellan replied that he had sent or
dcrs to toFranklin (Ho, 20 march. but) to pre-
pare to march. and To repair to Alexandria
In person. 70 inform him Us to his means ol
transportation. Singular, that in order that
franklin should march iriih his corps, he
should begin by leaving it. Was there no
Quartermastcr 10 attend to transportation
At 10 IN, Halleck telegraphed to Mcclellan,
"Frankln's corps should move out by forced
marches. carrying three or four days' provi
sions," to which Mcclellan replies that
Fr,nklin had gone to Washington, and that
his aid gave the order to the next in rank ;
and later that "Franklin's artillery had no
horses TT
viii il not be we'll to push Summers corps
here by water rs rapidly as possible. to make
immediate arrangements for placing the works
in front Of Washington in an efficient condition
Of defence. have no means Of knowing the
lenemy's force between Pope aud ourselves. Can
Franklin. without his artillery or cavalry, ef-
feet any useful purpose in fronti Should no.
Burnside nj once take steps to evacuate Fal.
mouth and Acquia, aud at the same time cover
the retreat of any OF Pope's troops who may
fall back in that direction do not see that
we have force enough on hand to form q con.
nection with Pope. whose exact position VIC do
not know. Are We safe in the direction Of the
valleyr .t n
True 20 himself and sensible to tho last
STAY iu the works-thc front is dangerous
place! Sitting ut the feet Of such u Cana.
iiel. IL is strange that Porter learned to say,
as he told Mcdowell. pointing to the enemy,
.Wo cannot 60 in there without getting in
20 n fight" And so the 27th Of August
passed away, and brought Pope no reinforce
ments. .I. c-i
Tmxsp,r, Arcrsr 2sth, ls62.-0n the
morning Of the 2sth Halleck telsgraphed di-
rectly to franklin ..r..
On parting with Gen. Mcclellan. about two
o'clock this morning, i was UNDERSTOOD tns'
| You were to move with your corps to-day to-
ward Manassas Junction, to drive the enemy
from the railroad. have just learned that
the General has not returned 10 Alexandria. III
you have not received his order. act ON this.
At los Mcclellan. not franklin. answered:
Your dispatch to Franklin received. have
been doing all possible TO hurry artillery and
cavalry. The moment Franklin can be started
with reasonable amount Of artillery, be shall
70. please sec Rarnard and