Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-01-08

900, with 500 field guns aud 900 siaoe
guns. Gen. Mcclellan reached the PENN.
spla with S5, 900 electives early in April,
DE gives his reason for not assau ltinE the
works at Yorktown, describes the battle OF
Hilliamsburgh, with special praise oI
General Hancock. and recItes the advance
to Richmond. The siege of that city is
narrated at length, and the tchauge OF
base, with its attendant battles at Mecbau.
icsVille, fought June &C. to Malvern Hill
fought July I, 1862. "This closed,w saws
General Mcclellan, ''the hard fighting
which had continued from the afternoon
OF the, 10Th of June, in series of engage.
ments wholly unparalleled onithis cont.
nent for determination aud slaughter on
both sides" July 4 the Geucral tele.
grsphed to the. President that he occupied
at Harrison's Bar, positions (Which could
be carried only by Overwhelming nun
bers." "The spirit of the army" he added,
'Is excellent; stragglers are finding their
regiments, and the soldiers exhibit the best
results of discipline" He sums up the re-
suits of the brief but fierce campaign. 81
cannot now approximate TO any statement
1ofOur lOssesi but we were not beaten in
any conflict. The enemy were unable, by
their utmost efforts, to drive us from tho
/ field. We have lost no guns
except twenty five on the field of battle.
tweuty-one of which were lost by the Civ.
ing way of McCalPs, division, nuder the
onset of superior numbers. When all the
circumstances otthc case are known, it
win be acknowledged by all competent
judges that the movement just completed
oY our army is unparalleled in the annals
OF war. Under the most difficult circum.
stances we have preserved our trains, our
guns, our material, and above all our hon..
or. To this the President replied: "Be
assured the heroism aud skill of yourself,
officers and men is,'and forever will he. an.
preciated. If you can hold your present
position we shall hive the enemy YETI.
On the 7th Gen. Mcclellan telegraphed:
"lf not attacked to day shall laugh at
them Flag Offer Goldsborodgh is conf
dent he can keep open my communications
BY the James river" Expecting an at.
tack, he says, as a necessity to the enemy,
aud feeling the critical nature of the posi
tion, General Mcclellan on the same Gny
addressed TO the President the following
letter: ..
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF PoToMAo, ! l
CAMP NEAR HARRISON L'D'G., Va,
60. Monday, July Z, 1862. 81
MR. President: You have been fully in
formed that the rebel army is in oar front,
with the purpose OF overwhelming us by
attacking our positions or reducing us by
blockadiug our river communications L
cannot but regard our condition as critical.
aud earnestly desire, in view of possible
contingencies, to lay before your Excellen.
cy, for your private eonsid Grafton, MY gen
eral views concerning the existing state of
the rebellion, although they do not strictly
relate to The situation of the army, or strict.
ly come within the scope of my official
duties. These views amount to convictions,
and are deeply impressed upon mind and
heart. Our cause must never be aban-
doned-iti is the cause of free institutions
and self government. The Constitution
and Union must be preserved, whatever
may be the cost in time, treasure and blood.
If secession is successful, other dissoiutious
are clearly to be seen in the future. Let
neither military disaster, political faction
nor foreign war shake our settled purpose
to enforce the equal operation of the laws
OF the United States upon the, people of
every State. The time has come when the
Government must determine upon civil
and military policy covering the whole
ground of our national trouble. The re-
responsibility of Determining, declaring and
supporting such civil aud military policy,
and of directing the whole course of na,
tional affairs in regard to the re6elliou,
must now be assumed and exercised BY
you or our cause will be lost. The Con-
sltutlon gives you power sufficient even
tor the present terrible exigency. This re.
oelliou has sssumeththe character of war
as such 1t should be regarded, and it should
be conducted upon the highest principles
known to Christian civilization. Itshould
~ "a ot,k G
the people of any State on any event IL
should not be at all a war upon population.
butagainst armed forces and political or
ganizatiou. Neither cou6scnlion of prop.
erty, political executions of persons, terri.
torial organizations of States or forcible
abolition of slavery should be Contemplated
for moment. In prosecuting the war all
private property and unarmed persons
should be strictly protected, subjec, only
70 the utcessity OF military Operations
All private properly taken for military use
should be paid or receipted for; pillage
aud waste should be treated as high crimes.
all unnecessary jtrespass sternIy prohibited,
and offensive demeau6 the military to.
ward citizens promptly rebuked. Military
arrests should not be tolerated except in
places where active hostiiilies exist, and
oaths not required by euactments constitu-
uonally made should be neither demanded
nor received. Military government should
be confined to the preservation of public
order and The protection of political rights
Military power should not be allowed to in.
IerfRre with the relations OF servitude, eth
er by supporting or impairing the authori
" of the master, except for repressiug dis
order, as ia other cases. Slaves contraband
under the act of Congress, seeking military
protection, should receiveit Tie right ofthe
Government to appropriate permanently
10 its own service claims of slave-lnbor
should be- asserted, aud ihe right of the
owner to compensation therefor Should b e
recognized. This principle might be ex-
tended upon grounds of military necessity