Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-10-13

quested you (Naglee) to hasten TO Wash
ingtOn." And now, Judge, listen to the
truth. No doubt, having INDUCED so freely
in fiction, the truth will be little distaste-
full to you, but, as a favor to me, listen to 1t
until / have done, after which, as far as | am
concerned, you may resume your natural
inclinations.
First then, for the purpose OF falsifying
your declarations read the follOwing
EXECUTIVE MANSION,
WASHINGTON, Feb. 3, 1862.
My DEAR SIR:--You and | have distinct
and different plans for movement of the
Army of the Potomac: yours to be done by
the Chesapeake, up the Rappahannock to
Urbana, and across land to the terminus of
the railroad on the York river; mine to move
directly to point on the railroad southwest
of Manassas
II you will give satisfactory ans,cers to the
following questions, | shall gladly yield my
plan to yours:
lst Does not your plan involve greatly
larger expenditure of time and money than
mine?
I'd. Wherein is victory more certain by
your plan than mine?
Sd. Wherein is victory more rdtudbte by
your plan than mine?
4th In fact, would it not be less valuable
in this: that it would break no great line of
the enemy's communications, while mine
would?
5th In case of disaster, would not a re-
treat be more difficult by your plan than
mine?
Yours, truly,
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
Major General Mcclellan,
| And for the further refutation and falsi-
fication OF what you have said, hereby as
sert what | know to be true. During the
month of January, 1862, Gen. Mcclellan
| had been very i'll. The President became
very restive under the outside pressure
which demanded, through the Republican
press that the army should ION to Rich
mond," and was about to consent to some
movement proposed by Gen. Mcdowell.
On hearing this Gen. Mcclellan arose from
| his sick bed and proceeded to the Presiden-
tal mansion, there to join the President
and his Cabinet, who had been assembled
to meet him. He was asked by the Presi-
dent ''to giue his plan Of campdtgl" He hes
itated for a moment, during which he re-
membered that all information furnished to
the Cabinet found its way to the cOnfiden-
tial friendSof some of them, and thence by
the multitude of spies that infested the
War and other departments it was forth
with communicated to the enemy, and he
replied that he would do so if the President
ordered it, but as the President must know
how Immediately such information was
transmitted to the enemy, he, Mcclellan,
preferred not to make known his plan of
campaign to the Cabinet unless the Presi-
dent should order it; and the President de-
clined to make the order.
Mr.. Chase remarked to one present, that
if Mac persists in thus refusing intorma-
tion, he is ruined man.
These circumstances occurred in January
and on February Sd. Do you still intend
to reaflirm that Mcclellan had no plan,
until the Democratic Senators, Mr. Latham
and Mr.. Rice, and brigadier from the col
umn of Joseph Hooker, concocted one, and
: packed council of war to approve of it?'
on the Sth of March thereafter.
Now, Judge, you will save yourself and
friends much confusion, which you have
caused them in following you, if you would
read the orders and letters that have beer
5 published upon all ofthese military subjects
{ and which may all be found in your favor
: ite work of the report of the committee on
the Conduct of the War, or in Gen. McClel'
: lan's report, which is not so great a favorit'
! with you. You evince, again, the most eX
l traordinary confusion when you assert thai
the President gave him ten days to find q
plan, and confOund the ders have refer.
red to with the following order of the Pres
ident:
EXECUTIVE MANSION,
WASHINGTON, March 8, 1925
E Presidents General War Order, Nos.
II
. That any movement as aforesaid en- rout,
f for a new base of operations, which may b,
4 ordered by the mmander-in-Chief, an(
: which may be intended to move upon TIN
= Chesapeake bay, shall begin to move upoi
the bay as early as the 18th March, instant
and the General-in- Chief shall be response
e BILE that it moves as early as that day.
f A. LINCOLN.
> L. Thomas, Adjutant General.
e In which, you will observe, he did not or
e der General Mcclellan to produce plal
D within ten days, as you assert, but that hi
G increment should commence within tel
: days.
/, Shifting from your original nomencla
t ture, you now assert that the council wa
: designated as ''council of division com
e manders," and that, with the exception o
G General Naglee, it was composed of divis
ion Generals. Now, sir, as usual, you fal
e sify the record. There were but nine di
|, vision officers detailed, and it was conven
: ed by General Mcclellan as a ''council o
: war;"
a Your voluntary, unprovoked attack mad
Y upon me OH the 22d ultimo needs no denial
D for the mere fact of my being member O
f council of war convened by order of Gen
Il eral Mcclellan shows of itself that wa
Y on detached duty by proper authority, owe
e which neither your friend Mr.. Stanton no
Gen .Hookerhad any control. The attack up
Y on me under such circumstances, as well a
t your assertion that General Mcclellan hat
!, no plan until it was prepared for him BY
J. Senators Latham and Rice, and Genera
t Naglee, on the 9Th of March, 1862, in face
: of the letters and orders of the Presi
d dent of February and March
Q herein referred to, and long since subject
= of constant public discussion, exhibits ol
s your part a recklessness of assertion ant
n Indifference of proper self respect that few
d of your friends will comprehend, and nom
g Of them attempt to justify.
G Judge, if ever question OF veracit.
e comes up between youand myself, we alon
t must settle it, aud You must not attempt Il
: shuttle off your responsibility and place |
!, upon Others, nor to protect yourself behint
such "well-known individuals" as "Puffer'
r Moore and George Hacker. This may hav
e been your practice heretofore, and yol
It may have so acted with impunity, but res
d assured 1t will not be permitted by me.
: You refer to some great surprise tina
: General Mcclellan proposed to make on tn
: rebel line at Brentsville; and you make oui
= no doubt to your satisfaction, that the sue
cess of the surprise depended entirely upo
t certain bridge to be constructed of cana
!, boats, that were to have been passed int
r the Potomac near Harper's Ferry, and tina
e it was found, when the movement wa