Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-10-06

OF the Council of War on the mind of the Prs.dept and
thus to carry out the objects Of those who had bean pss
ing upon the removal of Gen. Mcclellan lasted for four o,
nVe hours during which time was only interrupted BY
an occasional expression of the President indicating his
satisfaction and qualification at the many explanations OF
m'ary movements contemplated and which he had no!
before been able to comprehend
was now getting dark. Mr. Stanton's questions indi-
0a'eu approaching exhaustion, and finding there was
silence which called for cessation of hostes on bis part
LOT the nght Mr. Lincoln expressed himself highly graft
ned with the interview, said he was impressed with the
earnestness and intelligence of the officers present and
tnat no had every confidence in them He was now de-
er'ned not to remove Gen Mcclellan as he had promis-
20 do but that should make his campaign as approx
Cd Dy Inc Council Of War; under restrictions which he
would make known on the following morning o'clock
when ne desired the presence Of all of the officers of the
ana Until after which time 10 desired that
them should leave the city
Before leaving the President the Recorder of the Coun-
ell approached the Secretary and said: If Won please
MI stanton permit me to have the proceedings of the
ooune OF war that they may be copied in fair hand aud
ueheral sumner, the President of the Council will sign
.ne the Recorder will sign Them and they will then be
III proper iorm I'm just good judge of the form
as you are was the reply of your friend. Other ncv
Ties nave baen attempted by Mr. Stanton towards me- the
manner and result of which he has neither forgotten nor
forgiven, and which he may relate TO you whenever he
may feel so d.sphsed.
on the following morning, at the appointed hour, when
all OF the officers of the Council of War had assembled
Mr. Lincoln said: have slept better than for two wrecks.
1891 relieved OF an immense responsibility have deter
mined upon the following programme which he submitted
verbally, and which was substantially as follows:
Il will permit Gen Mcclellan TO cary out his cam.
Pagn he shall leave sufficient force to defend the works
before Washington He shall embark fly thousand men
from Annapolis and then the batteries on the Po-
tomas which you will necessarily be abaud,
ed are withdrawn ssnced shall my authority
% embark other troops" He then said, have deter
mned TO divide Gen McCans army into four CORPS and
! SNAIL appoint The commanders otthem."
And afterwards he promoted the four officers ,eo had OPP
posed Gen Meet Han's campaign three of ,ohom he ap
pointed 70 me command Of corps and, with the exception
OF Gems Franklin and Smith who have been the subjects
OF constant annoyance and ndgntes since the others hape
all been dismissed from The army.
l he Pennsular campaign proposed by Gen. Nc
Clelan whilst commander-n-chief of the armies of the
United States and intended be made with the forces
Then under his command in Eastern Virginia estimated at
over 2ooooo men, 1t accepted by the President
ana Inc movement was commenced upon that basis Gen
Mcclellan had scarcely left Washington to take the field
when the Secretary of War relieved him of all the armies
not under his, Gen McCean's immediate command and
assumed command of them himself. The troops left 10
Northeastern Virginia placed under the command of
Mcdowell Banks, Fremont, and sgel, each being indie
pendent of the other aud of Gen Mcclellan and all sub
ect to the order of Mr. Stanton Whilst the above dvson
OF our army taking place, the Confedsrates
trated theirs until the Goth day of june Gen McCel
Ian found himself before Richmond with SIS 900 men, On
Guiding MoCal's divson) and attacked by the con-
centted Confederate force of IT'S 900 the very moment
when Mcdowell under protest withdrew his assistance
from Mcclellan by the orders of the President and ece-
tary of War
The campaign under Gen Grant did not commence until
the 4th of May 1854 That of Chancellorsve which
the casualties of that army estimated at thirty thou
sand men, and which, but for the Provdentisl killing OF
Stonewal Jackson, would have been aDnhiated was
planned the President and Gen. Hooker or to use the
Predents own words, by Joe and L." of which the Sc
cretary of War and Gen Haleck kept profoundly
ignorant and not commenced until May g. 1863 whht
that of the Peninsula for the delay of which Gen McCel
Ian much censured commenced ON the 25th of
March, 1862 forty days advance of either of the others
Why this bitter enmity and persecution of Gen Nc.
Clellan Why in the begnnng of March was the Pres
dent pressed to death to him. before he had
made his first trial in command of the Army of the Poto
Why did distinguished member of the Senate on
the 18th of March write to me
"1he cry against Mcclellan is increasing every effort
is being made TO crush him. What possible chance has
Gen. Nice elan TO succeed when his own Government
did every thing in their power embarrass bis move.
ments and break him down One would think his task
sufficiently onerous, laborous, and responsible, when
without experience, after the frat disastrous rout at Bull
Ruu, he reoganzed the armies of the Untd States and
pre- airing to fight them, without the additional con
vlcOn being force upon him at every step his own
Government determined to crush him."
dge, you and met within ten days after the dreadful
battles before Richmond You attacked Gen Mcclellan
and Eaalip III
gentleman. then begged you not to break down Cen
Mcclellan until you bad given him fair trial. and until
you had found better man. and challenged you to name
better General L now do the thing, and appeal
to the record Of the past thirty months and to the rivers
of blood that have flown since to sustain what then
asserted refer you to the opinions of foreign officers
and you that among tho old ocers of the army
1 shall be fully sustained
The preference of Gen. Mcclellan for the peninsula
campaign and the condemnation Of the Presidents plan
have been fully sustained The families and friends IF the
hundred and thirty thousand lost south of the
RapdAnn since the 4th of May last proclaim every
where Mr. Stanton told the country that time he had
hundred thousand than he wanted and now he
tells you he wants a hundred thousand more men.
Gen. Grant crossed the Rspid.Ann with an army va
ousy estimated at from hundred and eighty thou.
SAND 10 1890. -----. l20,O0O
He afterwa ds added Buffers .-.......---. 40 900
lie was reinforced $4,000
Making, exclusive of Siges 30 600 .----. 205 600
On the 1st of September our forces we're est.