Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1864-10-21
Met cClellan's Generalship- Tes.
timony Of Gen. Casey.

Gen. SILAs CASEY, who was with the
army of the Potomac on the peninsula
from the last of March till the latter
part of June following, was summoned
before the Joint Special Committee Of
Congress on the Conduct of the War;
His testimony bears date March 5, 1868
the next season after the events narra..
ed took place. Gen. Casey held the rank
of Colonel in the regular army, having
received a regular military education,
and was alto brigadier general of vol
unteers so that his competency to cri-
tieise military movements is undisputed.
His testimony will be found in Part LIST
of the Report Of the committee, pages
AL to All.
Gen. Casey says, in answer to ques-
tion, page 442
THAT part Of the army that went to
Yorktown, l think should have stormed
the works, as, from the informal tion | re-
ceived afterwards there were but about
1000 or 5000 men there on the arrival o.
the five corps on the peninsula"
Concerning the battle Of Seven Pines,
Gen. Casey says, page 445:
"Gen. Mcclellan acaS not on the field
Of battle until after the enemy ecacuat-
ed"
Question. Where was Gen. McCell-
an while that battle was being fought?
Answer. He was o. the other side of
the Chicahominy. If our forces had
pushed on that Monday no.ning we
should have gone right into Richmond. in
my opinion. | got on the ground just
as Hooker was taking possession, after
the rebels evacuated. They had left
wagons full of muskets standing in the
road and where they were burying their
dead, they had thrown down their hoes
and spades and left them. Some Of our
men who had been taken prisoners, and
left behind by the enemy, reported that
the enemy was in u perfect state of de-
worslization.
Question. What prevent d the bring
ing our whole army across the Chicaho-
miuy, and making fnal assault on
Richmond right after that victory
Answer. That should have been done
in my opinion.
Question, What reason was given for
not doing it -?
Answer. One reason was that the
Chicahominy was very high at the time.
Gen. Mcclellan remained there three
weeks. Humor was rife in the army
that be was about attacking the enemy
day after day, still our army lay there
three weeks, until Stuart made his raid
rround it, and learned how we were sti-
uated. Jackson then came down and re.
iatorced the rebel army, and then they
swept US down the James river.
Question. Do you believe there would
have been much difficulty in an energetic
General having taken Richmond, and de-
stroyed the rebel army there, with the
force that General Mcclellan had?
Answer. l think that if Gen. Me-
CleI!au had possessed that quality of u
great general we should have taken
Richmond.
Question. What did he do d?
Answer. do not know. In regard
to Gen. Mcclellan, L am perfectly will
ing to say that he is man Of talents
but he does lack some of the qualities of
great General.
Question. What did he expect to &C.
con-plish by laying there and making
those intrenchnents
Answer. ! cannot tell,
Question. Was Gen. Mcclellan al
any time on the field Of battle so as to
take note of tho merits or demerits Of
officers
Answer. He was not at the battle OF
Fair Oaks and never heard that he
was at any other Oh the peninsula, per.
haps, at the battle Of Malvern. Page
446.
Generals Summer and Hooker place
the fact beyond question. that at the bat
tie of Malvern he was not on the field,
while other testimony shows that during
that severe engagement he was at 4 safe
distance on board a gunboat
Referring to the retreat Of HcClellan's
army to Harrison's Landing. without
sezng the heights that really command
ed the position Of his army, General
Casey s.ys, page 44S:
The only thing that saved US there
was, think, the rainv Which prevented
the enemy from pushing their masses for
ward otherwise nothing would have
saved that army
Question. What rs your opinion of
the propriety Of moving on Richmond
by way Of the peninsula instead OF di.
rect from Washington ?
Answer. OF the three plans submitt-
ed to the government, as l understand
them, think the one the President de-
sired to have adopted was the best to
move down on the right fiom here
ashington.
Question. What was the advantage
of that plan?
Answer. 1t covered Washington, and
avoided the necessity of leaving large
force here for its protection. 1t inter-
posed between the enemy and Washing
ton force which would have enabled US
to take from Washington more troops
than we otherwise could. When the
army went to the peninsula, there was no,
force enough lett in Washington.
Question. In your judgment, wer,
as many troops spared from here Wash
ington) for the peninsula campaign al
as prudence would permit /?
Answer. Decidedly so. I thirk thu