The Portland daily press., 1864-09-30
Gen. McOlellan's Failure-Battle Of Will
Observation-Disclosures Of Gov. Sprague.

Gen. Mc0lellan's Failure-Battle Of Will
hamsburg Testimony Of Gov. Sprague'
In the testimony of Gen. Hooker which we
gave yesterday, in relation to the battle OF
williamsburg, he referred to Gov. Sprague,
and his going to Yorktown to urge Mcclellan
to go to the theatre of conflict, and lend the
influence of his presence, judgment and au-
thority to decide the fortunes of the day in ia
vor of the army of the Union.
In the present article we propose to give the
reader the benefit of Gov. Sprague's testimony
touching this matter, as well as his views OF
the peninsula campaign generally.
Gov. SPRAGUE's testimony was given be-
fore the committee on the 10th of March, 1868,
tee on the Conduct of the War. Part l, pages
500 to $40.
Gov. Sprague was on the staff of Gen. Bir-
ney, Chief Of Artillery. He joined the head
quarters of Gen. Mcclellan in March, 1862. In
answer to the question, what led, SO far as he
could judge, to the failure Of the peninsula
campaign, he said, page 566:
There we're a great many causes which
tended to produce a failure. The first, of
course, was, In my opinion, the iRcompetency
of the commanding General. Gen.
Mcclellan, Jealous Of any interference, when
ever any thing was done contrary to his adj
vice or desire, became at once inefficient, aud
disposed to shirk the responsibility OF whatever
might take place. There was, thus, from the
very commencement a want OF hearty CO ope-
ratlonSbetween the Gen'l and the Governmt Mt
Then there was the tavorltsm which
he exercised towards the officers under him,
which created bad state of feeling from the
beginning. A few officers were constantly
with him. The major portion, however, even
when calling upon duties connected with their
positions, were obliged to wait, even for days,
without an interview. There was
very little personal attention paid by the Gen
eral to the various departments OF his army
The time which it took to prepare
his batteries was one great cause of failure in
dspiriting the men; and in producing bad hab-
Its OF caution. The place where each regi-
ment was posted, for the time during the seige,
was most generally in situation that it was
difficult to drain, and the men were made to
sleep In the mud and water most of the time.
After digging bitches and building entreneh-
menis for time, you would see regiments
drawn up behind the batteries, instead ofstand-
ing up and receiving whatever might come,
constantly lodging and trying to hide them
selves. The men, naturally brave were edu-
Gated rather to dodge and shrink danger than
to face it."
Question. What necessity did you perceive
for heavy seige guns and seige in form before
Yorktown?
Answer. All can say is that the principal
lrebell defences at that point were made to a
great extent after our army sat down before
the place.
Question. The enemy made his principal
works after our army appeared before York
town?
Answer. Yes, sir.
WILLIAMSBURG.
The pursuit of the retreating rebels from
Yorktown and the severe fight at Williams
burg, seven miles from the former place, took
place during a rain storm. Gov. Sprague was
with the advance, and when Gen. Stoneman
became engaged with the rebel rear, he
[Spraguel twas in a situation to know the po-
sition of the enemy, and could give informa.
ton to the General In command which would
enable him to determine the best course to be
pursued In attacking the enemy's works. But
this information, which had been gathered by
Gen. Stoneman's advance, and which," says
Gov. Sprague, 81 was anxious to communicate
to Gen. Sumner, could not be communicated
all that night, because there was no one exer-
cising command there. Gen. Sumner and his
staff, in going too far down, had got into the
woods, and almost surrounded by the enemy,
aud the only way they could get off safely was
by remaining still all the night in the woods
We slept there in the mud and rain that night
without cover. We had started from York
town so hurriedly that no preparations Tor ra-
tions had been made, and many of the regi
ments had nothing to eat"
And where, all this time, was the command
ing General, while his men were in the mud
and rain, without shelter and without food.
and while important information needed to be
communicated, but could not be for want of
some one authorized to give command? Where
was he? As we shall soon see he was at York
town, comfortably sheltered with Fstz John
Porter and Gen. Franklin, unwilling to move
when urgently requested to do so, and when
he did come out of his comfortable quarters
into the rain doing it with grumbling because
"tnat little matter"-in which 100 brave boys
iell 10 single division-could not be managed
without requiring him to get wet! But we will
not anticipate. Gov. Sprague shall tell the
the story. Says he, page 5e9-7o:
"My aid was shot the night before With
one orderly left the advance at - o;c,oct -
90 to Yorktown and communicate the cor,d "
ton of affairs to Gen. Mcclellan, who was s',..
posed to be az Yorktown, though no comm,,.
ntcGtion had been received from him since
early The day before. | reached Yorktown
Ia about an honr and a half and found Gen.
Mcclellan with Gen. Fitz John Porter aud
Gen. Franklin. | communicated to him the
condition of affairs at the front, and urged him
TO go up there at once. His reply was that
ne thought they could take care Of that little
ntdtter, out said he would Immediately leave
Ior the front. Joined him In boat to old
camp Scott. He informed me he would let
me know when he was ready to start | laid
down and went to sleep. / did not vaka nm
until late in the night, as l had been nm for
three nights previously. l afterwards ascar- |
tanned that Gen. Mcclellan arrived at ,ho
front about tive O'Clock"
Here we stop to-day. The foregoing affords
much food for reflection. Yorktown, SO for. |
midable 10 Gen. McCIellan's estimation that.
with more than 100000 of the best troops on
the continent, he commences a regular seige, |
is suddenly evacuated by all its forces, and
In lat