Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-03-01

the War Department order | have no right 10
give them orders" Here one of those very
common Washington complications under ths
present management Il have not seen the or
der, replies Hslleck. IL was the last insult OF
the War Depar nent. that order. devised in the
same spirit hitch few weeks later dictated the
order sending the victor OF South Mountain and
sntietam to report at Trenton. The order was
decisive "Gen. Mcclellan commands that por
ton Of the Army Of the Potomac that has not
been sent forward TO Gen Pope's command"
How they must have cbnckled At the War De-
partment over the keen wit of this order. IL was
issued on the afternoon of August 30th. and at
ter the receip, from Gen Mcclellan OF his dis
patch Of 2 10 p NJ, saying:
Il have no sharp shooters except the guard
around nv camp. have sent off every man but
those. and will send them with the train AS
YOU direct vii 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 +"
Certainly it was sharp satire. very keen and
biting wit, which dictated after that last SEN
tence the words of the order: "Geueral McClai-
Ian commands that portion of the Army OF the
Potomac that has not been sent lorward"
But the morning of the 3lst brought to Wash
ington some startling intelligence Haleck had
been Zoe four days busy reducing Mcclellan 3
position neclecting and insulting him.
The President and Secretary Of War had yielded
to the radical politicians VINO were bounding the
Young general; and on the evening OF the 3Oth,
when the War Department issued its order,
Washington radicalism was lublant. and all be-
lieved that there was truth in Popes dispatches
and that he was sweeping the rebel army with the
bosom of destruction. Mcclellan was down, and
a 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.
Halleck 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
c0lored 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 not temporarily belonging to Pope's
army in the field IL beg of you 70 assist me in
this crisis with your ability aud experience. |
am entirely tired out
So says Gen Halleck at l07 p NJ on the 3lst.
W ell he might be tired The experiment had
failed The whole plan of abandoning the Pc
ninsular campaign and disgracng Mcclellan was
proving disastrous failure The liability and
experience" of Mcclellan was now worth think
ing OF once more.
At half past eleven that night Mcclellan tele-
graphs HaIleck that Pope is defeated, the road
filled with wagons and stragglers coming toward
Alexandra. that Pope's right is entirely exposed
and that he fears the gravest consequences lie
/ adds
ITO speak frankly-and the occasion requires
t-there appears To be a total absence of brains,
and fear the total destruction of the army
Il shall be up all night" SAYS Mcclellan from
! Alex andra. Il shall be up all night, stys
| Haleck from Washington. 1t fearful
night The morning brought truth from Pope :
army and wisdom TO the heads in Washington
! Mcclellan is sent for All day disastrous intel
| liseuce 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 potici ms, who
would have seen Washington destroyed rather
! than Mcclellan restored. But the morning OF
the ri leaves them in doubt longer The
| hope of the nation hangs on the man they had
dsgrace,l and ridicued on the Goth The PreS-
deaf and General Haeck seek Mcclellan at his
house and commit everything" 20 his hands
/ directing him To so out and meet the returning
/ army.
The crossing of the Potomac that day by Nc
/ Clellan is a scene for long remembrance. The
shouts that went over the hills. the exGltation
OF men who bad regarded themselves 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 IL into Mary
! land. and in fourteen days won the victories oil
| 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.