New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-03-26
RICHMOND CAMPAIGNS.

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RICHMOND CAMPAIGNS.
An article in The Richmond EIamiaer, which
We copy this morning, discusses the expected
movement of this Spring against the Rebel
capital, with u view to persuade the people of
the South that by proper exertion on their part
the city is dciensible against any possible effort
to take il; aud offers this considerable morsel
Of comfort to its responding readers: "They
have sent each year an army always greater
than that which they sent the year before.
Defeat aud disaster have hitherto been the
invariable result" Admitting the truth Of TIE
latter statement, we deny that it includes ony
real excuse for encouragement on our part rs to
future operations. 1t will appear that past
campaigns have failed not from inadequate
resources, nor from the insufficient yalor OF our
soldiers, nor from insurmountoble existing diff
culties, but simply from the stupendous biunders
of incapable Generals.
The first movement supposed 10 have been
directed against Richmond was in July, 1861.
Gen. Mcdowell led an army OF 1900 men
againt the Rebel forces at Manassas, and was
defeated; first because not more than half our
available force was sent 10 the fronts second,
h@e"'.- ha did nat know bow la handle 81 -
had; third, because Joe Johnston was suffered
By the treachery osPatterson to effect O junction
with Beouregard on the battlefield, and deci-
sively turned the scale against US. We dc not
expect hereafter to see either of those causes OF
disaster reappear.
The second attempt-lOHgo interrdHo-wss
by way of the Peninsula, and was directed by
Gen. Mcclellan. With an army of l0S, 900
men he sat down before Yorktown, April g.
lce2, defended at that time by Rebel force of
I 800 men. Mcclellan says it was 10000
but no matter. 1t is known by the testimony
OF Senator Bowden that the Rebels never
seriously thought Of making a stand at York
town. till they found siege operations beginning
They were in no condition to resist a deter
mined advance, either at that point,
or at any other on the Peninsula, and
they have admitted that Richmond would
then have fallen, had Mcclellan gone on. But
be dug away industriously before Yorktown
till the Rebels got ready to eyacuate it, which
they did May "A month Of delay invaluable
to them. The battle Of Williamsburg followed
fought while Mcclellan was far TO the rear
and the Rebels were beaten, and might, by the
testimony or several Generals, have been pur-
sued into Richmond. Instead Of which the
army was again halted, and two weeks were
consumed in a march Of fifty miles to the Chick
ahominy; astride Of which stream Mcclellan
finally planted his army within ten miles of
Richmond.
The defensive policy was adopted with the
same strange persstency here ~ at Yorktown.
Seven Pines was fought May 3l-a battle which
the enemy brought on-and Fair Oaks the next !
day. McClellan's disposition of the troops had
allowed raw division to BIO destroyed the first
day, but in spite of that loss and of the result.
ing DISASTER the battle Of Fair Oaks, Oh June |, |
ended in an overwhelming defeat of the Rebels.
They were terribly beaten and fled in panic,
and once more the road to Richmond lay open,
but Mcclellan would not permit it 10 be trav-
eled. From that timo ON, there was no offensive
on our side, and the next scene
in tho drama reveals this gallant army
with its face turned sadly away in |
disgraceful acknowledgement to its COM
mander, never to its soldiers. The bat
Ito Of Gaines's Mills was fought and lost
by third Of our force contending under an
incompetent corps commander against three
times their number under Stonewall Jackson.
The remaining two-thirds had no enemy be-
tween them and Richmond, yet they were per-
mitted neither to assist their comrades nor to
After the battle of Malvern another
was thrown away, and in the whole
not less than five different occasions when the
Rebels expected their capital to fall were lost
by this sluggish and tinid leader. To him
alone is duo the total failure Of the Peninsula
campaign. and since he is not likely TO direct
another, We need not remember his defeat as
cause Of Encouragement in the future. a-a 10
Gen. Pope'S Virginia campaign is not to be