The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1864-09-07

had placed his army nearer Richmond tina
any Federal army has ever been since, ~
we'll understood. We will only allude
one thing in this connection that is unive
sally misunderstood. 1t has been custom
ary among all classes to regard the wee
of battles which succeeded the change {
base to the James River as one of dcfea
and disgrace to the Federal arms. Neve
was there . greater error than this an
never in the history Of battles, in this o
any country, have there been, than in thes
greater exhibitions of heroism on the par
Of soldiers, generalship on the part Of com
mander, and success in the endeavor to &C
complish q certain end. There Is not to
day, in all the glorious occurrences of thi
war, an event which reflects so much credi
upon the military genius of American gen
eralship; there is no success in our caree
which CLEANS with as bright light &c tn,
movement by the Army of the Poto,na,
from the Chickahominy to the James River
And yet it is almost universally misunder
stood save by those who rise above parti
san prejudice and view this thing with ,
dispassionate eye. ...
1t is very easily understood. Owing t
the jealousy of Stanton and Lincoln anG
the impertinent and constant interference
of the latter. Mcclellan found himself with
out sufficient force to sustain his position
in front Of Richmond. Reiaforcements had
been constantly promised him and as con.
stantly not sent. He was receiving his
supplies from White House on the Pamun.
ky River, and to retain this base he depen.
ded upon the troops under Mcdowell, who
guarded his right flank, and thus prevented
the rebels from striking his rear. The
President at this moment withdrew Nc.
Dowell in the direction Of Washington, and
thus left McClellan's rear exposed. He had
no troops to replace those under Mcdowell
Lincoln could not or would not send him
any reinforcements. What should he do
Remain where he was and allow his right
to be turned and the safety Of his entire
army endangered, or change his base to
some point where his line of supplies could
be secure, and Richmond be menaced the
same as ever? Of course the latter altern-
ative had to be chosen.
Everybody knows that . change of base
with an enemy in front is one of the most
difficult problems in military science.
Where one force will succeed in doing it.,
there will be dozen cases of failure. Suf-
bee it that Mcclellan executed this maneu-
he transferred his entire army to
new base on James River without the loss
Of wagon or q gun-that he did this in
The face Of the most tremendous attacks of
! superior force continued from day to day
and that finally, after having repulsed
,verv attack, he reached his new base with
,is army and material, having inflicted up.
N the enemy twice or thrice the loss in
men experienced by himself. And yet
here are men stupid and bigoted enough
o pronounce this unequaled feat disgrace,
! disaster.
1t is unnecessary to follow McClellan's
,areer in detail much further. Ths public
Inows it all. 1t is known how he was re-
moved from command how he took the
lisordered and defeated fragments Of Pope's
'rmy, placed them in the pathway Of the
rebel hosts at Antietam and
lrove them back into Virginia. But for
Mcclellan At that critical moment Washing
on would have been captured. the North
'verrun, and Davis would have dictated at
'aneuil Hall terms of peace to humliated
North. There was but one man in all the
North who at that moment could infuse
confidence into the dispirited fragments of
he Federal army-who could fuse into a
olld, resisting mass, the scattered elements
IT the Army OF the Potomac. But one single
nan in that hour could oppose the rebel
'rmy Of invasiOn-who could resist sue
the occupation of Philadelphia,
he plunder OF New York, and the overrun
ing of the entire North. That man was
Mcclellan. He had just been disgraced,
and would have been justified
n allowing the administration to be over
by that ruin which it has so richly
nerited. He magnanimously forgot and
orgave. He came forward, placed himself
n the breach, saved the North from inva-
sion, drove back the invader, and in little
while was once more disgraced by the un-
grateful government
Such is in brief an outline of the military
career of one who to day is second to no
military genius Of this or any other coun-
Try. His political life, although not as full
Of interest as his military career, has been
as consistent in every respect. Always q
Democratic, he has ever been truejto the
principles of that party, carrying them with
nun not only in local and national politics,
but being governed by their dictation in
all his military enterprises. 1t was democ-
racy that taught him war should not be
against mere opinion-that cit.
zens should not be disturbed in their prop.
the institutions of States should
not be interfered with, and that the forces
Of the Federal government should not be
directed against those only who were in
arms. To illustrate this feature in his
character, and as fitting close to this
sketch, we cannot do better than give an
extract from Gen. McClellan's letter to the
dated at Harrison's Landing.
July 7tb, 1862 1t shows at once the char.
acter Of a salesman, soldier, q christian,
and gentleman.
''This rebellion has assumed the charac.
Ter Of war; as such it should be regaI ded.
and it should be conducted upon the high.
est principles known to Christian civil'za-
ton. 1t should not be war looking to
the subjugation Of the people of any State
in any event. 1t should 1t be at all a war
upon population, but against armed forces
and political organization. Neither con
fiscation Of property, political executions
Of persons, territorial organization Of States,
Or iorcible abolition of slavery, should be
for moment. In pr0secu-
ting the war, all private property and un
armed persons should be strictly protected.
8 lbject only to the necessity Of military
operations. All private property taken
far military use should be paid or receipt
ed for; pillage and waste should be treated
as high crimes; all unnecessary trespass
sternly prohibited, and offensive demeanor
by the military towards citisens promptly
Military arrests should not be
tolerated, except in places where active
hossilities exist, and osths not required by
constitutionally made should
be neither demanded nor received. Mil,
tary governmet should be confined to the
preservation Of public order and the pro-