The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1864-10-19

letter, WHICH he placed betors me, anG ana
said :: "Read that; have just received
it from Mr.. Stanton" With his consent,
I made copy of the letter, and, return
ing to Washington, placed it in the hands
of those Who'll had heard the denunciations
of Mr.. Stanton, and who had advised me
of them They desired TO read it to the
Senate, and to publish the outrage and
the yindication, and they telegraphed to
Gen. Mcclellan for his permission, which
he declined TO give them. The following
is copy of the letter:
WAR DEPARTMENT,
Washington, July 5, 1862,
Mojor Gen. McCLELLAN--Dedr Cen
erql !; had talk with Gen. Marcy, and
meant to have written you by him, but l
Stanton is with her children, to see one
OF them die. l can therefore only say,
my dear General, in this brief moment,
that there is no cause in my heart or con-
duet for the cloud that wicked men have
raised between us for their own base and
selfeh purposes No man had ever a
truer friend than I have been to you, and
shall continue to be. You are seldom
absent from my thnugh hts, and am ready
to pake any sacrifice to aid you. Time
alloys me to say no more than that L
pray Almighty God to deliver you and
your army from all peril, and lead ycu on
,,afa -
Yours, truly,
E. NJ. STANTON.
Now, Jud ge, what think you of this
man, who, made Secretary of War by the
request aud influence of Gen Mcclellan,
was vilifying and abusing and utterlng
falsehoods against him, and who could at
the same tine sit down and deliberately
write such letter?
You have referred to the Council of
War held in Washington in March of
1862. Every effort has been made, in
vain, tc bring the proceedings of that
council before the public. "A call was
made for them in the House of Repre-
senta.ives, and was tabled by the Repub-
lican party. A request made by the Re-
corder of that Council, of Mr.. Stanton.
to allow him to have the proceedings made
up ip proper form, was refused in most
rude and insulting manner, aud the pa
pers have never been allowed to leave his
posgession since.
Now, Judge, for your especial benefit,
L YiN relate the history of that i'm portant
event, that you may, if you viii, do jus
tice TO all concerned.
The Council of War consisted of
Brig Gen. Sumner, Brig. Gen. KeYes,
/" Mcdowell, a. Porter.
f" Franklin, " w. Smith
T. J. Porter, " Barnard,
Mccall, &c Blenker,
Hein;zleman, g Naglee,
each entitled to but ""one star" 1t was
called together by order of Gen McClel-
Ian on the night of March 8, 1862, to
convene It 10 A. NJ. on the following day.
Gen. Mcclellan came into the Council
room at the hour appointed, and, placing
on tie table large pap, explained his
proposed PeninSalar Campain. which be-
fore this time 1 believe to have been
known to no one present excepting Gen
Franklin and probably Fitz J. Porter
Upon retiring be left upon the table, for
the consideration Of the council, the fol
lowing inqpiries:
I. Whether it is advisable that the base
of operations shall be changed, the trans
portation being ready at Annapolis IL all
of next week.
IL Whether it is better to, make an all
vance to the front before changing the
base, should such a,change be determined
upon.
III. Whether forward movement,
with the object of destroying the river
batteries, is advisable, and when it can be
commenced, and whether the naval force,
with the assistance of the Ericsson bat
terry, cal alone accomplish that object.
After cession of three hours the Icoun-
ell were summoned to appear before the
President. He advised them that he was
quito unwell and exceedingly nervous,
that the pressure had been intense against
Gen. Mcclellan. He expressed himself
gratifed to have the opportunity to see
and know the officers of the army, and to
be instructed by them in regard to army
matters, which were to him very incam-
prehensible.
Informed him that, as Recorder of
the Council of War, which had held its
session by order of Gen. Mcclellan, l
would advise him of the result of its pro
ceedings. and ;hen read them to him.
what" said he, shave the Council deci,
ded by vote of eight to fcur-two to
one-in. favor of the Peninsuiar cam
paign p He then asked many questions
in regard to the same, until Mr. Stanton