The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1864-05-19
MisttVlantONs.

General Mcclellan on the Peninsula.
The New York Times is publishing,
in a series of articles a crushing review
Of General McClellans "RepOrt," ex.
posing tho oharlatanism Of the Young
Napoleon" from his own record. From
the latest Of these articles we quote tho
following, which refers to the peninsula
campaign
"Is complains again and again of the
smalluess Of his force, during period
at tho beginning Of which (whcn the
rebels we're weakesO, he hud twenty
times their number, and at the end of
which when, through his own peculiar
tactics, they were strongest, he had still
more than twice their number. But
though General Mcclellan is constantly |
whining about the weakness cf his
force ho strangely enough nowhere
comes down to precise figures,
In what purports to DO a complete
Report" of the military transactions
Of this period, one would suppose he
colld hardly fail to give a detached
statement of the strength cf his army.
Yet this capital point is entirely over
looked. Fortunately, &c have had the
means Of supplying this unaceountablo
deficit. The "mOrning report" Of the
Army Of the Potomac for April 30, 1862,
vouched for by the Adjutnnt General OI
the army, shows tho following figures
Total aggregate, 13O,378 men nggre-
gate present for duty, 1882. Re
member that this was while General
Mcclellan vas still bosieging York
town. Afterward he received reinforce.
ments, from frst to last he received a
total 9C not less than 10000! AL
most the only definite statement of the
strength Of his army eivOn by General
Mcclellan is in dispatch of april 9Th,
in the following terms:
"When my present command all joins,
I shall have about (85, 5,O0O) eighty, five
thousand men for duty, from which a
large force must be taken for guards,
scouts, etc"
But this is replied to by the Presi'
1 dent in a dispatch of the subsequent
9 day:
: "Therc is curious mystery abOu: the
u number of troops now with you. When
1 telegraphed you on tho 9Th, saying
. ycu had over a hundred thousand mer
with you, l had Just obtained from thu
l. Secretary of War a statement, as b;
/ said, from your own returns, making
!. 1880 men then with you and en- rouh
!. to you. You now say you will have
:. but 85, COO when all en- route to you shal,
'' have reached you. How can t6is dis
Crepapoy of $4,000 be accounted for?'
We may here add that this "curiOu,
mystery" never was solved. 1t is wrap
ped up in the secrets of that extraordi
= nary legerdOmain which Cen. MoCIel
, Ian always brings to the treatment o
numbers.
The pc-tinocity with Which Genera
: Mcclellan dwells upon these al!ege;
causes of complaint, only serves Il
show the determined spirit in which h
. seeks to throw the blame of his failur
upon others, and thus turn attention
away from ito true causes, which mus
ae sought first, in the Inherent dihicul
ties Of the campaign, which shOul,
have prevented its having been under
>, taken altogether and, secondly, in
characteristic element Of the Com
J. mander Of the Army Of the Potomac
. which the President appears to hav
n appreciated by his repeated allusion'
y in his letters 10 General McClellan, t
what he calls his ovcr caution and hi
G indispOsitiOn to act,