The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1864-02-19

4
enemys ewn country. If | am rein.
forced all l ask he telegraphed, "and
am allowed to take my own course, ! will
myself be responsible for the safety of
/ Washington"
The reinforcement Of the array and the
forwarding Of supplies went on, however
most slowly. Clothing ordered to Iagars-
| Town On the ith of October, for instance
oid not arrive till the 18th, nor did the
ciothinS oil one corps reach that corTs TIL
the end Of the month. Hcrsas we're de-
tclent IN great numbers for both artillery
and cavalry
| The President visited Cen McClella, IN
person during this delay and reiterated
the strongest assurances OF his trust ia
him, and his confidence that all would be
done tina. could be; and Gen. Mcclellan
winds up his sketch %! the difficulties i'm
the way ct his movement with i calm ana
full assertion OF his own superior CONNIE
tency, as a commander. to determine the
FACTS Ia regarn 10 the fi:aess OF his men 10
enter upon great campaign in hostile
country over the - General lu-ChIef in his
| Office at Washington"
Late in October the advance beran. On
/ the 9th Of November the army was mass
Ell near Warrenton. in Virginia, ready 20
. :
the immediate frontal Iulpepper, jackson,
with Hi, near Chester and Ihorr .on' ;
Gap, and everything gave promise Of =
speedy and decisive Apen!Eg OF the Cam
paign.
On the night of the 7th. Gen Mcclellan
was relieved of the command Of the Army
Of the Potomac, which was transferred to
Gen. Ambrose = Burnside.
Three days afterwards Gen. Pleasanton
vas attacked by LcH.street and stuart
Geueral Mcclellan tLgs concludes his
report.
This report i. ia fact the history Of the
Army Of The Potomac During the pe.lod
occupied IA the organization q that array
u served as a barrier agaInst I q advance
OF q lately victorious enemy, while the
iortiHcat!on Of the capita! was IN progress,
ana under the discipline which It then re.
ce:yed, it acquired streagta education, and
. some Ct that experience which l. necessary
to success IN active operations, aud which
enabled IL afterwards 10 sustain itself Un-
der ciIcumstances trying 10 the n.ozt he
roic men. Frequent sklgmishes occurred
along the lines, conducted wita great gal
Iantgy. which Injured our troops 10 the re
alities OF war.
+ The army grow isto shape bu: slowly.
aud the delays which attended on the Oh
t.inlng Of arms. conuZuci late into the
! ,,;,tas oF lgfI-f, v,nr. M 80 t,',t,,., "a
. - .-,L.,.. H., =, - r.,rr.-f ~.
. o,,,,.,,, rr,, gt Tie ,l.,,a cf -. o-.,..,,,
,,t;nr cr the nor;n.,,lor l,,,,,ai.,,, s,,,.. ct
tI. fra.t rD.-rr,-rr- yver. .TItIro,+ ,iae.
nor were the utmost exertiorg on the bart
Of the military authorities adeouatc 10
overcome the obstacles 10 active service.
When i; length thA army was IN con-
dit:on 20 take the field, The peuin=ular
campaign was planned and entered upon
with enthusiasm by cfI.cers and men Had
+ this campaign teen followed up Is il was
de..gHca. cannot doubt i would have re
suited in a glorious triumph TO eur arms.
sud the permanent ys.t9latioE o, the
power Of the soreIHIent .n Nirsini- and
+ North Carolina, # lot thr1agAsJ, the re-
yolted states. II was, however, Otherwise
oT ,ereG, sad the Arar Q: the P1.oHoc
was recalled from within s:Eht oi Rich.
/ mond ana Incorporated With the Army OF
/ Virginia Inc disanTomtmentS CT the
/ campaign on the Peninsula hal 10; damp
. ed their ardor or dinlished their patriots
. ISM lhey :ousht wei, i"'tn'u!!y' gallant
/ Is. uader GeH Pope, yet were compelled
10 TAIL oach on y aenIn n2ton, dcie2icd q, aud
almost deElo!;'..~ea' he enemy no
/ longer occupied IN suA'ol"S h!' o"h cap
ltal, pouret' MS troops noi'Award entered
/ Naf! landr threatened fehllrE.V%h'a' ana
! even " "a>hi-S'ca NseH. h'd'eu ry MS
recent victories ana assured that our troops
were dlsoreaalzsd and di<Pisited, he "a7
( coshdent tha' the seat oi war was no"
permanently Transferred 10 mo loya! States
and that his own sou Was 10 oe feHeved
. from tAe burden Ct supporting two hostl.e
armies. But he al nat uHdrrStaH! u G
,,e'li' "hiciI animate" '''' S',"'I,s - t"e
tn!on- snail rot, ntr can J. Nvin2' Tor
/ Get ihat WneH. rs ":'.e! ea 20 me com
maa ei the Gv'ehcs o. the capital 'he
soldiers win whom Eaa shared so lnucA
o. tho anxiety aEd PAIN ana suffering oi
the war had Let lost Their commence III
me rs their c9mInanfer. lhey s9raHG TO
nv call with al. their ancient visor, d.>ci-
pl.ne aud courage. led them rAto Mary
land. Fifteen days after they had i'i!sn
back defeated tc!ore " a>hl"cton they
vaHquiShed the enemy on the rugged
heights o! South Mountain. pursued nina
to the hard fought h-id ot Antot2m, and
drove HIM broken ava disappointed, across
tho Potomac, INTO Hg!n!a
The army had Eecd oi rest after the
terrible eXpeUieHc" u ta'tie, an" marches,
with scarcely an interval OF Fepo+e. ""ich
they had gone h'"uGn !.",h me ''H'o "l
leaving the Peninsula, the return II
a5hington. the dei"at III Hlrgtala. the
victory oi South MVHniain, ahd a=ain nj
AEtIetam. twas 40! surprising that IN y
were in large degree destitute Of tao
absolute necrSsaries to effective duly
shoes were Worn cut and blankets were
lost; clothing was in rags: in short the
army Was unfit for active service, and az
Interval for rest and equipment was neces
iarv.
when the slowly forwarded supple
came 10 us, led the ARMY across the river
renovated, refreshed, in good order and
discipline, and followed the :etreating to,
70 q position where | was confident OF de-