The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1864-11-05

rebels, / was somewhat indignant, ant
told Gen. Mcclellan that / would burr
those pontoon bridges in the faces Of ths
soldiers. and lee them know that they ba5
got to whip the enemy or be lost. Bu
that policy did not suit General No
Clellan. l was hasty--unmilitary and
injudicious.
led me to doubt his being true man.
will not call him traitor, but will give
you facts and you can judge whether he
was traitor or coward.
We took the testimony of the corps
commanders. Calling up each cas a
questioned about the situation: General
Mcdowell " at do you know about the
strength Of the enemy? Their reply va.
that they we're not permitted to get any
such informa,ion Should deserter or
contraband come "into our lines the corps
commanders are forbidden to question
him about the enemy" but the order waa
imperative to send the witness off to
Washington to be examined by Gen. Me-
ClelIan. Laughter
What does this ali meant General
Sumner, can you tell US what this means!
"No. | cannot tell, but such is the per-
emptory order"
The only explanation of which such an
order was susceptible, was that Gen Nc
Clellan desired to exclude the facts from
everybody else, so that he could exagge.
rate the number of the enemy snd thus
deceive the President, Congress and the
country, Indignation.] Icanno, come
to any other conclusion. He had some
purpose in that, aud l leave you to judge
of it in the light Of the msny other curl
GUS facts 10 this Generals military career
on the Potomac
When Gen. Mcclellan was solicited. for
the sake Of a distressed country, to eros.
the river. he hesitated, doubted aud said
it was dangereus-[great lapghter]-it
might bring on general engagement
Renewed laughter
Why. Gen. Mcclellan, / thought that
was what you desired, as you are SO
strongly fortified in this American Sc.
bastopol. thought you would be glad
to get him out OF bis eatrenehments and
meet him on fair terms But no, he would
not move.
At last things got go desperate crush
ing that no one could stand il any longer
except Gen. Mcclellan himself, and thos,
just like him. [Applsuse. So. Old Alb.
tinally go, his back up. and gave McClel
Ian positive orders to move On a certair
day.
What did this "Young Napoleon DO
theny He did wha. he had never dons
before-called a council of war. Ii,
gathered in twelve Of his Generals, an,
managed to get eight Of them to decide i
inexpedient to move that it was ex
tremely dangerous. Four of them s,oo,
out to the last. and begged the General
in Chief to move; but be had large ma
jorl,y that voted il dangerous
But Old Abe was inexorable, and sal,
to Mcclellan. aGo. or | will find som
one who will move" Upon this. be mad
a movement, growing and grumblin
about getting smashed up, and you kno1
the result.
There it is, (pointing to a stick of tim
her, with one end painted black, lying o
table to his rights s.Qaakers gun
Gen. Mcclellan found what few forriHc,
tons they had, mounted with such CUR
! as that, and sono of the earthworks wei
! inadequate to any kind OF srmor.
Tie victorious legions OF General M
Clellan came back, and tten il was th,
? the campaign down the Peninsula ",
planned. | desire the facts to be unde
stood, so that Mr. Lincoln may be r
ieved of the charge Of robbing Gener
Mcclellan of bis troops, and so in.erfe
: log with him that be could do nothing.
II was at this time that we insisted u
on the division Of the forces into arm
corps. Up to this period that necessa
/ work had not been done. Ii is true III
we were not educated in military scienc
. but we consulted the books and foul
that they all agreed that large aru
y must be divided into corps in order to
e handled in battle with advantage. Th
II was SO in accordance With common SEN
o that We considered the Union cause no,
20 lesa unless it should be done We to
u tue books to the Secretary Of War, and
le the President and urged tnis matter.
ID They saY it in the same light, and urc
Gen. Mcclellan to do il; but he refuse
70 Why? For no other reason that could
a. discovered than that it would displi
re some of bis favorites.
'e He row resolved to go the Pen
CT sula route to Richmond. Mr. Linco
&c knowing that there was strong re
as army lying near Washington, said to
u, Clellan: "Iu my judgment, the true
OF of advance is to attack the rebel arr
i meantime interposing your army betw,
an the rebels and Washington. But /
H. not military man, and you are; and
Im your council of war is unanimous on
lA' subject you may take your own route
10. Richmond, If you will leave an Al
TO corps here to defend the capital" Fl
ne plause. You will take notice of th
cir facts, because there has been an atte,
las to grossly deceive the people in resi-
= to the part which Mr.. Lincoln played
De this most disastrous and disgracefuI G
lch paign. Mr.. Lincoln did not advise
ate route, but left it to the General-iu- CT
Ut under the advice Of bis council of val
ing Applause. But Mcclellan never ca