The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1864-02-13

order in the city Of Washington. Camps
ct instruction were located and filled wit /
the new levies iertifications were pushed
forward under a systematic plan.
| BY the 10Th of October tba number OF
/ troop. in and about Washington was a.
| follows
| Present for duty. POI
SICK. -...-.--.-.. ........ y,2YO
| In confinement. I,l56
Total I42 ,647
Making, with absent troops. ....... S,i04
4 grand total Of. of...........lj 81, ,0jl
By the first @. March, $50, thi. to-
tai had been raised ;o........ % ,yo.
From tins number the defences OF
Wa.hiu. ON, the projections OF its COM
muuicatIon=, and the main operations
against Richmond, = strong and central
defensive position Ct the enemy protected
by an army in Virginia OF AZ least 100 900
men, were to be supplied
Gen. Mcclellan shows that ths Army
Of the Potomac proper, subsequently
reached at three different. periods. the fol-
lowing totals:
June 20. : -
July 10. IL $50
The history of the progressive orgsni-
zatiou Of the army IS given At length, from
its formation into tIIgaoes 10 The adoption,
under the direct authority OF the Execu-
tive, Of the organization into army corps.
of which the General observes: Though
was always in favor OF the organizat on,
as al abstract principle, | did not desire
20 form them until the army had been for
some little tiae in the field IN order 10
enable tho general officers first 10 acquire
the requisite experience as division com
maRdeTs III active service. he Gweils
also upon the great difficulty Of s,eGclopins
the artillery and cavalry arms TO the state
OF efficiency which would justify riskIns
the fortunes ci the hat!on upon {. grand
and trying campaign. lie tcstows specia!
praise upon General Barry, Chief OF Aril-
Iery. and the artillery officers Of the regu
lar array, for their !uesrImas.e services IA
relation 20 this sur!emely Important part
OF his great work and upon the zeal aud
intelligence with which the volunteers
avaiied themselves Of the instructions
and example. oi these officers.
The brigade organization was effected
August T. I>Gl.
The divisional organizstien was effected
Octoter -, l>JI-
he organization ihLS Al uls GCEIs u.
special order OF the President, WAS Dade
March :. 1852, the army not having take n
the field in body al all
Of the important organ iza -.o1 os a gem
erAl staff, Gen. Mcclellan states that il
was beyun in September, 1851, 10y the ap-
poiuttncut of Gen. Marcy as Chief of Staff.
The history o: the various departments
Of the army IS then rapidly Uut fully
sk@tched, with details which show how
vast vas the labor to be performed IN
perfecting them, and with due mention
made Of those who, III discharge OF their
duties in the Engineer, Medical, Com mis-
sary and Quartermasters Departments,
especially sIgnal!zed themselves by then
skill, fidelity, and energy
Gen. Mcclellan particularly dweils upon
the sanitary state of the troops, which ls
declared to have been on the whole bet
+ ter than that OF any army OF the United
States and this, Notwithstanding the
trying nature Ct the eanpa!gn OF the Pen
! Ursula and the haste with which, after the
+ battles OF the seven days, the troops were
removed from Harrisons Landing 10
/ Alexandria, leaving behind them all man
| ner of necessary hospital stores and ac
comm odations.
. The remarkable development of the
/ telegraph corps Is also noticed, and the
Importance Of the service. rendered HI the
! Aeronautic Corps which accompanied the
army.
/ PLANS OF ACTON N OCTOBER, 1861.
Early in October, lS6I, Gen. McClellaa
: addressed letter to Secretary Cameron
at the request of the President, in which
7 he set forth the then position OF affairs
and the course open TO the government
and himself.
/ In this letter he showed that the force
under his orders was greatly inferior to
! tina, asked for by him in August fer the
prosecution of a vigorous and successful
invasion Of the South. He urged the
! concentration of the national forces en-
| Virginia for the purpose of striking the
rsbell at tire heart He showed that
! for the defence of Washington there would
be required, according to Gems. Barry, OF
! the
Engineers and Artillery. .....:... $4,000
For Baltimore and the Potomac. l3,OOC
! For operations against the enemy. O0C
For Lower Potomac. mac.........- S0Ot
Total effectives required POS, ,00t
The actual effective strength at his dis
posal he then showed to be- including all
! points held, 247 ,695, with Dds field guns
/ some of the batteries being raw and unfit
! for active service, and the whole force
| being 200 guns less than was estimated
on all hands as necessary.
The entire force ofthe Union elsewhere
en- eloyed was stated by the War Depal t.
ment At l6l 900, aud the reserves organ
iziug at 100000.
Gen Mcclellan accordingly recommend
| ed a eonplete aud vigorous concentration
of all the forces not required for defensive
purposes upon the active campaign in
| Virginia; the War Department estima
: ting the force of tine enemy in Virginia at
not less than lao. 900 men, Unity IN
| councis, the utmost visor and energy in
action" he added, "are indispensa BILE
The entire military field should be grasped
as a whole and not in detached parts y
n 1.-The rebels" he continued
have displayed energy, unaaim,ty, and wis
dom worthy the most desperate days OF
the Freach revolution. Should we do
less q. Were such a concentration as he
proposed to be effected, Gen. Mcclellan
expressed his conviction that the rebel Or
ganization Might still, by a well planned
and well-executsd movement, be over.
thrown before winter should set in.
Whilo these propositions were under
consideration, the disaster of Balls Bluff
took place Ofthis Gen. MoCieHsa states
that the movement Of Gen Stone was
ordered by him as a demonatration.which
he thought it Possible mignt induce the
enemy to abandon Lessbure- made
as it was, contemporaneously with recon-
noiseanoes Ia force toward Drainesville nm