Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-03-07

you direct, will also send my only remaining
squadron of cavalry with General Sumner.
can do no more You now have every man of
the Army OF the Potomac who is within my
reach - - laats tffa afaN tHl nia
Certainly il was sharp satire. very keen and
biting wit. which dictated, after that last SEN
tenee the words Of The order. General McClal-
Ian commands that portion of the Army of the
Potomac that has not been sent forward'l
But the morning Of the 3lst brought TO Wash
iugton some startling intelligence. Haleck had
been FOR four days busy reducing McCIellan's
position, neglecting and even insulting him.
The President and Secretary of War had yielded
to the radical politicians who were bounding the
young general. aud on the evening of the Both,
when the War Department issued its order,
Washington radicsiism was jubiant, and all be-
lieved that there was truth in Pope's dispatches
and that be was sweeping the rebel army with the
bosom of destruction Mcclellan was down, and
great victory won by Pope. Men who were in
Washington that night will remember the tri-
umph of the radical faction. But the next day a
change came over the spirit of the radical dream.
Hslleck telegraphs Mcclellan that he had not
seen the order. and he evidently begins TO think
that possibly they have been little too fast in
Washington The news from Pope is not rose
colored TO day. Mcclellan begins to loom up
again to day in the minds OF the managers.
'You will retain command of everything in
this vicinity Bot temporarily belonging to Pope's
army In the field beg of you TO assist me in
this crisis with your ability and experience.
am entirely tired out"
So says Gen. Halleck at 1871 p NJ on the 3lst.
Well he might be tired. The experiment had
failed. The whole plan of abandoning the Pc
ninsuar campaign and disgracing Mcclellan was
proving disastrous failure. The liability and
experience" of Mcclellan was pow worth think
ing OF once more.
At half past eleven that night Mcclellan tele-
graphs Halleck that Pope is defeated. the road
filed with wagons and stragglers coming toward
Alexandra. that Pope's right is entirely exposed
and that he fears the gravest consequences. He
adds.
ITO speak frankly-and the occasion requires
it-there appears to be total absence of brains,
aud fear the total destruction of the army"
Il shall be up all night" says Mcclellan from
Alexandria. Il shall be up all night" says
Halleck from Washington 1t was fearful
night The morning brought truth from Pope s
army and wisdom to the heads in Washington.
Mcclellan is sent for All day disastrous intel
ligence comes in. Mcclellan is ordered to take
command of the defences of Washington but his
orders are limited They do not vet dare to face
the Indignation of the radical politicians who
would have seen Washington destroyed rather
than Mcclellan restored. But the morning OF
the 81 leaves them in doubt no longer. The
hope of the nation hangs on the man they had
disgraced and ridculed on the 30th. The Presi-
deaf and General Hallecl seek Mcclellan at bis
house aud commit everything TO his hands.
directing him to 60 out and meet the returning
army.
The crossing Of the Potomac that day by Nc
Clellsn is scene for long remembrance. The
shouts that went over the hills. the exutation
of men who bad regarded themselves as doom
ed, but who now welcomed orders, wisdom. gen
ius, ability and experience" all which they
had proved and known-this has been described
and recorded. How the general took the shat
tered army restored its morale. led it into Mary
land, and in fourteen days won the victories OF
South Mountain and Antietam; how Halleck
complained of his slow march TO South Noun
tain, and radicals everywhere growled sullenly
over the salvation Of the capital by Mcclellan
this is already history