Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-09-16

u .uCtieitan.
Cspelnde6)
On he Doth Of May be directed tao colu INNS
of hi- couimaud 20 cross into West Virginia 10
thwsrt the designs OF the rebels simultaneously
with THIS aiv,nce. he issued proclimati TO
the people 81 Wet Virginia. and an address 70
his army. from the latter Of which se extract the
following sentence a. embOdying the general
policy ~bch Gen Mcclellan pugsucl throughout
bis subsqutn, military career:
o. \ our mission - 60 restore peace aud conf
dence. 20 protect the majesty OF tbe law. and
% rescue oar brothers from the grs-r 81 armed
trsitof-
On The 2Oth Of June he took command in per.
son. auo IN address "a hi- troop. reiterated
~hat he hal -.ld mon previous. = fss zen
tenccs from bich We -ubjoin: lI
Bear in mins tbat Won are here - protect.
not ~ destroy We have come here - save.
not o. up,ufn You ~il respect the right Of
private opinion You ~ill punish 10 man tor
opinions sake"
CALLED To WASHINGTON.
After a series of brilliant and dashing victo-
res, which, in a months time, destroyed the
rebel power in West Virginia, on the 22d day OF
July General Mcclellan was ordered 20 turn over
bis command to General Rosecrans and report
az Washington. Five DAYS later he assumed
command OF the Army OF the Potomsc, which
the defea; At Bull Run, July 2l, had reduced 10
little else than sn armed mob His energetic
actions toward recognizing the army inspired
the soldiers with fresh courage, and the people
with confidence. AT the request of President
Lincoln, he prepared memorandum containing
his plan Of operations for the Union forces. and
addressed il to him on the 4th of August. This
most remarkable paper, though thought 70 be
via for, q f.ra al s1l-
stantially the whole history Of the war from that
day 20 this, and stamped General Mcclellan as
the master mind Of the day. 1t is enough TO say
here that where that plan has been followed out,
success has attended our efforts 10 crush the re-
bellion. and nearly every deviation from il he's
resulted in disaster.
PREPARATIONS YoR A GRAND CAMPAIGN.
General Mcclellan SC, Immediately TO work to
organize and equip the Army Of the Potomac
and soon restored discipline and confidence
where disorder and disirust had before existed
On the LIST of November General Scott feeling
his inability by reason of his infirmitie. 20 dis
charge the onerous duties which devolved upon
him as General-in- Chief of the Union forces
asked TO be placed upon the retired list, and
General Mcclellan was at once assigned 20 the
position thus made vacant He had now, nom
inally at least, control Of all the military opera
tons in the United States. and set to work 10 de-
velop his plan of the great campaign. Instruc-
tons were issued 10 commanders of various mil
itary departments and everything promised that
in the following spring series of blows wouId
be levoled against the rebel power which would
efectually crush il and restore the authority
Of our Government throughout the Southern
States.
His instructions to department commanders
are models of clearness, drectness and brevity,
and show that he ever had in mind the political
as well as the military bearings of the great con-
tict "You will please constantly TO bear in
mind, he writes to Gen. Buell., then comman-
der of the Department of Ohio, 'the precise
issue for which we fighting; that issue is the
preservation Of the Union and restoration of the
full authority of the General Government over
all portions of our territory" And then follows
this most memorable sentence: I'VE shall most
readily suppress this rebellion. and restore the
authority of the Government BIZ religiouslv re-
speeding rho constitutional rights Of ALL -
rue ROLE OF The ARMY OF THB POTOMAC.
Having marked out plans of operations for
Gen. Buell., Gen. Halleck. Gen. It. w. Sherman,
Gen. Butler, and Gen. Burnside, he began to
make preparations for advancing against Rich
mond by the Peninsula route, when, to his sur
prise as il was without consultation with him.
President Lincoln issued an order on the 27th
of January directing that general movement of
all the land and naval forces Of the United States
be made ON the 22d of February. Four days
later the President issued special order for the
advance of the Army Of the Potomac against
Manassas Gen. Mcclellan asked permission to
state his objection to this plan. which being
granted, he addressed TO fhe Secretary of War,
under date Of February 3. most important
paper containing his reasons for moving on
Richmond by way Of the water route. and de-
veloped his plan OF the grand campaign East,
West. and South. The same day he received
from the President the now notorious letter
about "my plan. which plan has since cost the
nation 80 many lives and so much treasure
The letter of General Mcclellan evidently had
some influence upon Mr.. Lincoln, since the exc
cution of his special order was not insisted up
on. Active preparations were then made for
moving the Army of the Potomac to the lower
Chesapeake, when, again TO McClellan's sur
prise. the President interfered, by ordering the
retention near Washington of what the General
in-Chief and his corps commanders should deem
n force adequate for the protection Of the city.
On the 10th of March the army advanced on
Manassas, which the enemy had just evacuated,
and on the 18th the main body moved back 10
Alexandria, preparatory 20 embarking for the
lower Chesapeake.
GENERAL MCCLELLAN PARTIALLY pErosBD.
While Gen. Mcclellan was at Fairfax Court
House, on the 18th Of March, he was informed
by $ member of his staff that an order of the
President was printed in the National Intelligen.
Ger of that morning relieving him of the COM
mand of all the military departments except the
Department Of the Potomac, thus deposing him
from the position Of General-in- Chief, and that
without word of consultation with him. Such
was the beginning of the attempts of the admin
istration 70 thwart McClellan's plan. and in
jure him, If possible, in the estimation of the
country.
The PENINSULA CAMPAIGN.
On the 18th Of Nsrch. the army began TO en-
bark on transports for Fortress Monroe, which
had been decided upon as base of operations,
in preference TO Urbana. as General Mcclellan
first intended. Before the General had left
Washington Blenker's division was Withdrawn
from his command, and given TO General Ere
mont, though, but a day or two before, the Pres
ident had assured him that he would not do this
On the LIST Of April General Mcclellan embarked
for Fortress Monroe, and ar once began the siege
of Yorktown then strongly fortified, and in com
mand of General Magruder. Orders were issued
on the Sd for an advance on the town the next
day, il being understood that General Mellow
ellis corps would turn the position by way Of
West Point. The next morning 10 the utter as
constituent of the commanding general be re-
ceived she following telegram:
ApIUrAST GKNERAL's OFrIcEl
April 4, 1862.