The Portland daily press., 1864-10-07
Mcclellan and the Potomac Blockade.

Mcclellan and the Potomac Blockade.
In an article of few days since, we refer
red to Gen. McClellan's unwillingness to de-
plete the Army of the Potomac having been
carried to such an unreasonable extent that
he actually defeated efforts made to clear the
Potomac of rebel batteries, and thus contrib
uted to keep that river blockaded against ves-
sells bearing our national flag until such time
blockade and to open the river once more to
the commerce of the Union. AS this is mat
ter in relation to which many of the readers of
the Press may have been as profoundly igno-
rant as we were ourself until enlightened By
the official records, we propose, in this arti-
Gle, to give them the benefit of the revela-
tions which those records disclose.
This matter was ventilated in some of the
public journals at all early day, but so anxious
were the people of all classes for Mcclellan to
succeed, and to make mark on the historic
page which should be regarded with pride by
all coming generations, that deaf ear was
turned to all such notes of warning, while
nine-tenths of those who now are forced to
place very low estimate upon his qualities,
were ready to treat as calumny every word
that expressed doubt Of his fitness for the
high and responsible position which he then
occupied. No man was ever given over by
the people or by the government with more
reluctance than was General Mcclellan. No
one was ever in a situation to have his faults
more readily extenuated than was Mcclellan
The people wanted him to succeed; the gov
eminent felt chagrined to have him fail. 1t
is more than idle; it is insufferably preposter-
Gus for any one to say that the government
could look upon his ill-success with satislac-
ton; with other feeling than that of the most
profound regret, mingled largely with painful
sorrow. But to return.
As early as March %, 1862 the very day on
which Gen. Heintzleman arrived at Fortress
Monroe en- route for the Peninsula, q letter
was written from Washington from which we
make the following extract:
The Secretary of the Navy is blamed for
not doing more than he has done, especially
in the way of freeing the Potomac from that
blockade which, for so long time, made our
name dishonored among the nations, aud for
which no victories elsewhere could compen
safe. Yet it is matter of record, and will
some day become public, that last Fall, before
the blockade became complete, the Navy De
partment urged upon the Administration the
necessity of taking steps to prevent it. The
Navy Department expressed themselves ready
and willing to destroy what batteries there had
been erected, and asked for but 1000 men
from this immense army here, to hold the bat
teries after the Navy had taken them. They
told the President that he must choose be-
tween doing that and having the river perma-
nently blockaded: for as the fotilla Of the
Potomac was composed of the best vessels OF
the Navy, and as Du Points expedition had
been fully determined upon, no matter what
else should be needed, those vessels must &C.
company him to render his expedition GER
tain, and whatever was to be done to destroy
these batteries must be done then, or not a
all. The President consented. and. after a
long time, obtained promise from Mcclellan
that 1000 troops should be spared for that
purpose. Without going into details, it is
enough to state that for two nights in success
sion the flotilIa was in its position in front OF
the batteries, only waiting for the arrival OF
the troops to commence the attack the trans
ports for troops were ready at the Navy Yard,
yet no troops came. Mcclellan lied deliber-
ately about the matter, both In promising the
troops and in the reasons he assigned for not
sending them; and the river was closed.
The letter from which the above is clipped
was written while Mcclellan was on the top
wave of his military career; when with nod
ding plumes and waving banners and spirit
inspiring music he was on his way for the con-
quest of the Rebel capital; onty ten days al
ter that flaming pronunciamento at Fairfax
Court House, in which he promised the "smiles
OF God" and attendant victories" as the re-
ward Of heroic exertion, rapid and long
marches, desperate combats and privations.n
1t was written long before the proofs of its
truth were laid before the public eye. and no
doubt on its first appearance it was generally
regarded as base SANDER, instigated by per-
sonal spite. 1t could not then be attributed
to political jealousy, for at that time no one
knew the political status Of the "Young Ma
poleon," nor had the disloyal spirits of the
North conspired to make him their chief
But what the writer thus early said would be
revealed, has now become matter Of public
information.
We invite the readers attention to the Re-
port OF the Committee on the Conduct of the
war, IN order to show McCelan's connection
with the rebel blockade of the Potomac, and
his share of the responsibility for its long con-
tinuance. on pages 7 and 8 of that Report
we find that the attention Of Congress was
called to the distractions of the Potomac bv
rebel batteries, and to the testimony of tho
Assistant Secretary of the Navy TOUCHING tho
matter. His testimony shows that as early
as June, 1861, the Navy Department propos.
ed to the War Department the adoption Of
more efficient measures to clear that river.
The subject was renewed Immediately after
the Bull Run battle. Nothing was done,
however, at the time, and the matter slept till
October following. The Port Royal expedi-
ton was then in preparation, and the Navy
Department suggested that, as all the vessels
suitable for clearing the Potomac would be
needed on that expedition, it would be neces-
sary to attend to the rebel batteries IN The
river at once. 1t was proposed that the gun.
boats should shell out and capture these reb.
Ell batteries which, had made their appearance
upon the river, and which endangered the
navigation thereof and that sufficient num-
Der of troops should be landed at Matthias