The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1864-04-27

Gen. Mcclellan had now exhausted all the
resources of diabolical ingenuity ia order
TO keep Pope from receiving reinforcements.
He had by these means gained two days and
a half; that is, from 10 A. NJ. of the 27th till 3
p. NJ. of the 10Th. He kner that Pope had by
this time the whole rebel army upon him.
He kneto that great battle was that very
morning and afternoon going on, for the roar
of the artillery came to his ears at Alexan-
dria, where he held thirty thousand loyal
Americans in the leash, while their brothers
in arms were being overwhelmed. 1t was
crisis with Mcclellan, and he must either let
the troops go forward to Pope, or devise
new system of tactics. He could no longer
pretend that he did not know where Pope
was-he could no longer pretend that he did
not know how far Gen. Halleck wished Frank
lin to advance. He was brought to the wall
by Gen. Halleck's emphatic order, our peo-
pie must find out ,rhere the enemy is "
Gen. Mcclellan was equal to the emergen-
cy. He drops the correspondence with Hal
leck, and coolly indites to the President of
the United States the following dispatch, the
most extraordinary ever penned by any man
wearing soldiers uniform. We pause for
moment to ask the reader TO take in full
realizing sense Of the import OF the following
amazing words:
.''The last news 1 received from the direction of
Manassas was from stragglers to the effect that the
enemy were eyacusting Centresille and retiring
toward Thoroughiare Gap. This Is by no means
liable. am clear that one oftwo courses should be
adopted. First-To concentrate all our available
forces to open commun cation with Pope. Second
TO kedpe Pope to get out Of his scrdpe, and At
all means to make the Capital perfectly safe
Ms me- to now w 10 al my 10
accomplish IT, wish to know what my orders aud
authority ask for nothing but will obey
whatever orders you give. only ask prompt de-
cisiOu, that give the orders.
1t will not do TO delay longer"
Expressive silence is the only comment we
have for this astounding proposition, for the
profound horror and contempt such words
inspire take away all power OF cool dissec-
tion. 1t is said that when Mr.. Lincoln read
this dispatch he fell back in his chair in a
half fainting fit, and even at this distance of
time it is hardly possible to read 1t without
sinking OF the heart.
Gen. Mcclellan in the above proposition
suggests two courses. We need not say that
they are substantially one and the same. lie
kne1 that Lees junction tcih Jackson iras
nop certain. Fitz John Porter had attended
to that. In either case, therefore, Pope was
perfectly certain to be left to "get out OF his
scrdpe."
But what was the "scrape" out of which
Pope was to get? Into what horrible indis-
cretion-so Onwarranted that to leave him to
get out" of 1t was only just punishment on
him--had he rushed? viii it be believed
that he got into the scrape" at the urgent
instance Of Gen. Mcclellan, who begged
Pope to make diversion in his favor? VIII
it be believed that, with the loyal alacrity OF
a true soldier, he had, in obedience to this re-
quest, thrown himself down on the Isapidan
TO compel the enemy TO loose his hold on the
Army of the Potomac-that he received the
whole weight OF the reDel lorce preclpitated
upon him-that with mastery generalship he
kent back that force for seventeen davs. FIGHT
- l.; a.. ,;,,,a sa,,o,, I.r, h.,,los 4; ,ls;.t
ne -. 'a' .fl 'no eo,S' 'ai so oa..o', ~ "ne.
repeatedly successiui, ne gave the reDeie their
mrs. .as.e Vi uuc punisnnen'nnenaloy - oy lnis
sneans he C,, suSIe1uea ~ ga'ns ule s sullclen'
~, ,1i 1er e. .i " oiins oseA ns army ~
- s.s:e,. S:.. W.. p-a ~ 1en ".e w
iacts which ill.,. history feSoius. now we unuer-
stand. ms was the "scrape rope was 70
get out of.
The 30th of 4u,uust Wa have exb.ps,aa
A. ,,o;r ay.;. r., "a; s - -.
VIC niain acaoh in .nis strange uraha, Dut
there remains an episode that should take Its
place in this recital, So far as the keeping
hac, of rein farcameots goas Can McCIall.n n
IA - ~. -. ~. 49, - ~ -.
hau uone us oest thaI ope shouiu not get
out oil his scrape." But there remains touch
beyond this. Pope's Ammunition rations and