The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1864-11-03


coIorcd McClclIan's loyalty still dark
er. Those circumstances tend to show
the reasons why Mcclellan was indu-
eed to turn back from Malvern Hill
and order retreat of our army. even
after it had won a victory almos in
violation Of his orders. The circum-
stances alluded to are made by Mr..
Emile Bourlicr, a gentleman lately in
the secret service Of the War Depart
mcnt in statement made through the
Philadelphia North american, and
sig4cd by Mr.. BourIier. and original
ly addressed TO the National Union
Club of that city, in response to note
of inquiry on the subject.
The following is Mr.. Bourlier's state
ment:
TO the Members Of lie National Union
CluJ, PhiLadelphia:
GENTLEMEN II am in possession of
your note, in which you ask me if |
remember having made certain asscr-
tions at the rooms Of the National I'm
ion Club in January last, on my return
from the rebel lines, in regard to Gen.
George B. Mcclellan and Clement i.
Nallandigham, and desiring to know
if would rciteratc said statement
| recollect perfectly well having
made certain statements in regard to
the two persons named, and in pres
encc of several members of the Club.
In responcc to your inquiry if /
would repeat said statement [ will an
swer you by saying: First, that while
the battle before Richmond, in 1862
was still progressing, and Immediately
after Mcclellan had fallen back from
before that city in company with a
friend, an officer in the rebel service
who was prevented from joining his
command in the fight in question, on
account of a wound received at the
battle of Seven Pines, and being pro.
vided with a special permit from the
War Department at Richmond, ] visit.
ed the Notifications around Richmond
! and advanced to q distance of about 9
miles north of that city, where we met
Col. Gayle, of the 18th Alabama, (reb.
ely regiment, who was partic.lar
friend of the officer in whose company
| was; also Lieut.. Col. Pickens of the
l encouragement, with whom | had tho
advantage Of personal acquaintance
The Col. was experimenting the dis
intermcnt of II number Of cases
of U. S. rifles, which lay buried
in tho ground, and in rows, the sol
heapcd over them as if they were
graves. -Four of the cases were al
ready unburicd when | reached tho
spot, and L had the (to me unpleasant
satisfaction Of handling some of thosC
guns which had already been takcr
out of the cases.
/ heard Col. Clay say the il termcn
Of those guns was known at the Wal
Department (RebeD even before Nc
Clellan's retreat from before that city
On the inquiry of my friend and
| DR.. Kelly of the rebel army, from
Col. Gayle, if he thought it had beef
intended that said guns should fal
into hands of the Confederates, tn,
Colonel answered in the affirmative
, and concluded by saying, "MAC's ALI
RIGHT.
, Not moro than q hundred yards
, distant from this spot, Lieut.. Colone
| Picllcns pointed ont to me number
( of ambulances-two hundred a9d ter
, in number-and said he had assisted
5 at their capture, and that, when cap
, tured, the horses belonging TO sale
, ambulanccs were hitched some t
, trees and some to the rear of the am
G balances. AS | was then in tho en-
u ploy of the United States, it was my
$ business to gather as much informa
' tion in regard to military matters a
{ possible, and on my inquiry of Col
| Pickcns if he thought these ambulan
| cos had intended to be in the sam,
{ "bargain " as the rifles, he said, q"
don see what else they should be in
S tended for, for they were just wher
you see them, and the horses hitchet
n as you sec them, while tho fight wa
going on right here"
/ Presently some whisky was handle,
g round, and we all drank toast t
\ "LTTTLE MAC"
G About the month of April the sam
|. year, as was going from Richmond
n to Mobile in company with Licutenan
r Wilt and DR.. Knock, of Missouri,an'
O Dr. Fontloroy, of Va, the two latte
gentlemen being of the rebel Genera
/ Prices staff we met with Brig. Gen
= Watson, of Alabama. Gen. Watson
: said in my presence that then, or Il
f any time after the war, he could Civ
n satisfactory proof that George B. Nc
+ Clellan, of the Federal army, at tn
# outbl eak of the Rebellion and durin,
c the preliminary arrangements for th
n organization of the Confederate army
{ had offered his services to the Confed
= crate Government, but as the Confcd
n crate Government had resolved to Civ
t rank in preference to officers formerl,
@ in the United States, according to sc
c nioriJy of rank, they could not give {
Mcclellan what he desired, as othe
officers ranked him, and that Nc Clcl
t Ian, hdUing become offended at this, the
!, offered his services to the United St0te'
t In December, 1862, 1 had occasion
r to call on Gov. Shorter, of Alabama
9 who was then sojOurning at the Hunts
villo Hotel, Huntsville, Ala. Gov
s Shorter introduced me to Gen. Wat
n son who was present The GenerN