Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1864-02-11

COsEEsPt NDEgCE OF A BE LINCOLN AND GEN
Gle Ian.
The INSIDE Histo, of The Lsra's n ou"a Richmond
Bitter Letter to Secretary Stanton When MeClet-
IAN Thought he .ccs scte-7 Ten thousand Tia, KS from
the Ape.
The Northern papers publishing extracts from
the report Gen Mcclellan. We cnpy from it the let
ers aud ieh ,apl which PAS tet lbe defeated
Napoleon ard the clown at Washington. 10 one OF
LiDcoln's dispatch after McCleIsn's tirit.e hrash
ng occurs the following wis ndvic : al you think
you are not stroug enough take Richmond just now
do not WtM goH TO" { be young Napoleon mode st.
ly tells Abe that his ">henge 81 base nDparalle
ed IN the al nails Of war" 1h re coed m.ny more
amusing, we'll as nructlVe things which the reader
will meet with in lursuing Vie correspondence
FIERCE LETTER TO THE SECRETARY OF WAR
On the night of the 28h, sent the following to the
Secretary OF wal:
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE PnToMAC
SAVAGE STATION, June 20, 1862
IL: 20 A. NJ.
now know the full history of the day On this side
Of the aver the right bank. rel used veral strong
attacks On the left bauk our men did all that men
could do oil that soldiers could do but they over
wLentd by vastly superior Lumbers even tfter l
brought my last resesves int action. The loss on
both sides terrible. believe it will prove to be the
most desperate battle of the The sad remnants
Of my men behave mer; those 1t sons who fought
NEST bravey and suffered most, ale still in the best
order. The regulars were superb and / count upon
what left to turn another battle, in company with
their gallant comrades of the volunteers. Had 90
900, even 00c fresh troops to tomorrow, |
could take Richmond; but have not a man in re-
serve and shall be glad to my retreat and save
the material and personnel of the army If We have
lost the day, have yet preserved honor and no
one need bush for the Army of tie Potomac. l have
lost this battle because my force too small
l again repeat that am not responsible for this and
say it with the earnest of General who feels in his
heart the loss of every brave who has been need
lessly sacrificed to-day. l sill hope TO retrieve our
fortunes but to do this the Government view the
matter in the earnest light that do. You must
send very large reinioroemepts aid send them at
once.
shah draw back to this side of The Chivkahominy
and think | can withdraw all of material. Please
that ia ibis battle we have l. st nothing but
men, ana those the best we have
In edition TO what have already said, only wish
to say to the Presidn t that think be is wrong 10 re-
gardng uugenerous, when | said that nv force
was too weak; l merely intmated truth which to.
day has been too plainly proven IT, at this instant
could dispcsL of 10000 fresh men, could gain the
victory Tomorrow
/ know that a w thousand more would have
changed the battle from de'eat in'o victory AS it
is the government must not AID cannot hold me re-
sponsble for the result
| feel too earnestly tong ht-I have seen too many
dead ard wounded comrad to feel otherwise than that
the government has not sustained the army Ii you do
not do so now, the game is lost.
Ii I cave this aru,y now tell yoa plainly, that l
40 thanks to you or TO any other person n Wash
pgton
. You have doue you bzst to sacrifice this my.
=. B. MCCLELLAN.
TO Hon. f. nj. Stanton.