The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1864-10-19

tary of War.
The campaign under Gen. Grant di d
not commence until the 4th of May, 1864.
That of Chancellorville, in which the cas-
ualties of that army were estimated at
thirty thousand men, and which, but for
I TIE Providential killing oe Stonewall
Jackson, would have been annihilated,
was planned by the President and Gen.
Hooker, or to use the Presidents own
words, by "Joe and t. of which the Sec
retary of War and Gen. Hallack were
kept profoundly ignorant, and was com
menced until May 2, 1868 whilst that Of
the Peninsula, for the delay of which
Gen. Mcclellan was sol much censured,
was commenced on the Goth of March
1862. forty days in advance of eitber Of
the others. - ~ 49,
Why this bitter enmity and pAsseu-
tion of Gen. Mcclellan ; Why IN the be-
ginning of March Fas the President press
ed to death to remove him, even before
he had made his tri9 IN command of the
army of the Potomac? ? Why did dis
tinguished member of the Senate on tho
18th of March write to me
oThe cry against Mcclellan is increas-
ing; every effort is being made to crush
him. What possible chance has General
Nj cClellan to succeed when his own Gov
ernment did everything in their power to
embarass his movements and break him
down? One would think his task sufi
cieutly onerous, laborius, and responsible,
when, without experience, after the first
disastrous rout at Bull Run, he reorgan
lied the armies of the United States and
was preparing to Eght 'em, without the
additional conviction being forced upon
him at every step that his own Govern
ment were determined to crush him"
Judge, you and met within ten days
after the dreadful battles before Rich
mond. You attacked Gen. Mcclellan
lwitn . bitterness and feeling that III be-
comes Christian gentlemen. i then
begged you not to break down Gen. Nc
Clellan until you had given him q fair
trial, and until you had found better
man, challenged you to name better
General now do the same thing, and
appeal to the record of the past thirty
months, and to the rivers of blood that
have flown since, to sustain what I then
asserted. l refer you to the opinions of
foreign officers, and assure you that
among the old officers of the army shall
be fully sustained.
The preference of Gen. Mcclellan for
the Peninsula campaign and the condem-
nation of the Presidents plan have been
fully sustained. The families and friends
of the one hundred and thirty thousand
men lost south of the Rapid Lam since
the 4th of May last proclaim it every
where. Mr.. Stanton told the country at
that time he had hundred thousand
men more than he wanted, and now he
tells you he wants hundred thous-
and more men.
Gen. Grant crossed the Rapid-Ann
with an army variously estimated at from
one hundred and eighty Thousand
to--------- ---a- ----7---- l2O, 600
He afterwards added Butler's---- 40, 600
He was reinforced ced------ $4,000
Making, exclusive of SigePs
900 600 -------- ---------2O5, 00O
On the lst Of September our forces
were estima,ed, exclusive OF Sheri-
dams 10000, at---- ----5o, 900
/ Gen. Lee had on the Rapid Ann,
after he had concentrated his ar
my---.---- - ---------- oo,UUu
Beauregard joined him at Rich
mond with his forces frorn the
South, which, with those near Pc
tersburg, amounted -----30, 900
Breckinridge brought 900
And Lee was reinfoEced probably 10000
i Making in all------------ $4,000
On the 1st of September his forces
estimated, at Richmond, at------ $4,000
Exclusive of Early's command 10000
Showing the discharges and loss \
from Grant to be---------t----l5O, 600
And that of Lee to 900
Judge,the were records of the Coun-
ell of War and that of athe strict course
of examination made by Stanton, indiea-'
ting the very difficulties and dreas sfyl
losses Gen. Grant has lately sustained,
ever placed before him? And Why not
And who is responsible for the E hun
dred thousand men unnecessarily and
wickedly sacrificed south Of the Rapid
] Ann. in the experiment made to prove