Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1864-10-15
The annh0at General.


lead of the Copperhead candidate for the
Presidency, among them not few facts
showing bow misplaced was the public conn
dence in the q Little Napoleon and how far
he fell short of being equal to the work be-
fore him.
1t has been repeatedly charged, and per-
sistently denied by the Copperhead press,
that General MCCLELLAN, during the battles
of White Oak Swamp and Malvern Hill, IN
stead of being with the comrades for whom
he professed such love and whom he promls-
ed to stand by, was greatpar of the time
on a gunboat, miles away from the scene OF
action. DESTROYS of keeping the main issues
as distinctly as possible before the people
and to avoid personalities, we have hereto
fore said little of this charge, but SO much
evidence has accumulated in regard to it that
we cannot withhold it from our readers, as IL
Illustrative of the character of the man whom
it is sought to elevate to the Presidency, and
whose chief stock in trade is the glory of
successes which we're really won by others,
and showing that in all the attributes of a
brave man, as well as physically, mentally,
morally and militarily, the COpperhead can
didate is well entitled to the sobriquet of
title MAC.
In reference to this matter, it is instructive
to notice, in connection with the testimony,
Gen. McCLELLAN's treacherous memory, to
call it by no harsher name. He admits that
he was in the immediate vicinity of the gum
boats during the battle, but does not remem-
Der whether he was on board Here is his
testimony before the Committee on the Con-
duct of the War:
Question: At what hour in the morning were
YOU on the field, the time of the battle of NAL
| yern Hill, and at what time did you leavef
| aaai;9bt and nresume. occupied some our hours
| in riding over the position. was again on the
ground in the afternoon-I should thin somewhere
| about two or haIf-past two o'clock-ant was over
| the whole position again at that time.
Question Had ths fighting commenced 4" the
/ morning before you teft!
| answer No, sir no enemy an sight
| Question At what point or points we're you
from the time you left the field until returned!
| Answer L was at headquarters, near Haxalfs
/ Question: Were you down to the river, or on
| board the gURboats during any part Of that Day,
between the time you left the field and your return
Answer: do not remember; IL as possible that l
/ NAV hare been, as my camp was directly on Ihe
Question How far was the gunboat from Hax-
| alPst . ::
| The immediate vicinity of Haxall's
| Question How far was that from where the
| heaviest fighting was during the dayl
| Answer From HaxalPs to the point where the
heaviest fighting was suppose, tlco mates an9 q
half or three miles. There were parts OF our line
that within half miles probably, OF less than
| that, of the headquarters.
Gen. BARNARD, in his review of the PENN
sular Campaign, in which he was Engineer
in Chief, and at MCCLELLAN's right hand, says
when speaking of the great battle OF the
3Oth at White Oak Swamp:
"It was an eventful day and an eventful point
central, too, to the general position OF the army
Where was the Commanding General during thl'
| battle At the extreme left, and for considera'
BILE portion of the time on gunboat"
MCCLELLAN, in his report, confirms this
statement. He does more. He says:
cit was very late at night before my aids return
ed to give the results of the days lighting along
the whole line, and the true position of affairs"
alt may well be doubted" says his disgust
ed Engineer-in- Chief, in abiding to this,
whether, in all the recorded dispatches Of
military commanders, parallel to Tits extra
ordinary avowal can be found. We supposed
it the especial business of General to know,
at each moment, & the true position of af.
fairs and to have some agency in ruling it.
Here we find the days fighting all done, the
results-for better or worse-accOmplished,
and very late at night the Commanding General
Just learning about them"
| DR.. MARKS, an eminent Minister of the Old
School Presby Church, has published q
work entitled 'The Peninsula Campaign in
Virginia" in which the following will be
found:
"This vast body of men, well trained, fully
equipped, and equ aling in courage any army which
the world has SEEM eager for the fight, asking
but for Generals to lead them on TO victory was,
after having almost knocked at the door OF the
Rebel stronghold, retreating in haste-at the com
| rnand of one man-who, however distinguished fol
ability in one department of military science, ~
eUery hour of danger l0as child, and in every grea
emergency oppressed Ioith conscious incdpacity
After the enemy was repulsed at the battle Of
Savage Station General sumner sent TO General
Mcclellan for, as be expressed himself orders to
| push the enemy into the Chickahominy.' General
Mcclellan reply was, that the ar-guard would
| follow the retreat of the main body of the army .
| On the reception of this command the greatest
CONSERVATION and displeasure reigned among botf
| officers and men. Many openly rebelled-they
wished to sacrifice themselves in any way rather
| than by disgracefui retreat.
DR.. MARKS gives additional proof, at leas
of circumstantial kind, of MCCLELLANs alb
sence on the gunboat on the occasion of the
battle of Malvern Hill. We quote:
cit may not be inappropriate to say that nc
small part of the praise for the successful re real
| of our army is due to Gen. Sumner.
The disposition OF the troops at the battle OF Nal
| vern Hill was known to have been made by him
and IN the absence of General Mcclellan Gen. Sam
ner, during the most Of that memorable day, com
nanded the army"
Speaking of the disgraceful retreat after
the battle of Malvern Hill, ne says:
"In silence and q Dom our victorious army com
| menced retiring from enemy utterly broken
1 scattered and panic stricken. And when there wal
| not foe within miles of us, We left our wounded
| behind to perish, and any one witnessing the wild
| eagerness of our retreat would have supposed tina
we were in the greatest peril from Vigilant and
| triumphant enemy"
Again, the worthy Chaplain declares post
lively that MCCLELLAN was on the gun
boat on the day of the battle of Malvern
Hill, and produces the testimony of DR.. JAS
RODGERS, who was on the same boat, the same
! day, in proof of what he declares. He says
Mcclellan ssremained on board until late hou
| in the afternoon. DR.. James Rodgers, Bri
| gade Surgeon of Robnson'G Brigade, who had beer
i'll with fever for several days, likewise on th
| steamer, and afterwards related to me the event.
and scenes of that day a. they came under his eye
He said Gen. Mcclellan was evidently laboring un
| der the deepest depression, and apprehended tn,
worst results But about p NJ dispatch from