The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-01-15
THE WEEKLY PIONEER.AND DEMOCRAT

subordinate served superior, l may be on the
brink Of eternity, and, as hope forgiveness
from my Maker, have written this letter
with sincerity toward you and from love of my
country.
(Signed) GEO. B. MCCLELLAN.
Early in August and army was ordered
to Aqua. The condition of affairs at
Washington during the campaign of Pope
is graphically described. September Q,
the President directed General Mcclellan
to take command of his own and General
POpe's armies, and find the enemy. On
the 18th of September, Antietam was
fought, South Mountain and Champions
Gap having been already won by US. Not
a single gun or color was lost by US in
these battles, and our total loss in men at
Antietam is stated by Gen Mcclellan at
12,469. The advance into Virginia after
Antietam is related, with an account of
the causes by which that advance was de-
layed. On the night of Nov. z, Gen. Nc
Clellan was relieved, and the command
transferred to Gen. Burnside.
Gen. Mcclellan thus describes his own
report:
"This report is in fact the history of
the Army of the Potomac. During the
period occupied in the organization of that
army it served as barrier against the adj
vance of lately victorious enemy, while
the forti6cation of the capital was in pro-
gress, and under the patronage which it
then received it acquired strength, educa-
ton and some of that experience which is
necessary to success in active operations,
and which enabled it afterward to sustain
itself under circumstances trying to the
most heroic men. Frequent skirmishes
occurred along the lines, conducted with
great gallantry, which Injured our troops
to the realities of war. The army grew
into shape but slowly, and the delays
which attended on the obtaining of arms,
continued late into the winter Of 1S61-62,
were no less trying to the soldiers than to
the people of the country. Even at the
time of the organization of the Peninsula
campaign, some of the finest regiments
were without rifles, nor were the utmost
exertiOns on the part Of the military au-
thorities adequate to overcome the OBJ
stacles to active service
"When at length the army was in con-
dition to take the field, the Peninsular
campaign was planned and entered upon
with enthusiasm by officers and men.
Had this campaign been followed up as
it was designed, l cannot doubt that it
would have resulted in a glorious triumph
to our arms, and the permanent restoraA
ton of the power of the government in
Virginia and North Carolina, if not
throughout the revolted States. 1t was,
however, otherwise ordered, and the
Army of the Potomac was recalled from
within sight Of Richmond and Incorporated
with the Army of Virginia. The disap-
pointments of the campaign on the PENN
sula had not damped their ardor or dimin-
ished their Patriotism. They fought
well, faithfully, CALAMITY under General
Pope; yet were compelled to fall back on
Washington, defeated and almost demon
allied.
THE enemy, no longer occupied in
guarding his own capital, poured his
troops nOrthward, entered Maryland,
threatened Pennsylvania, and even WASH
ington itself Elated by his recent VIC
tories, and assured that our troops were
disorganized and dispirited, he was conf
dent that the seat of war was now perma-
nently transferred to the loyal States, and
his own exhausted soil was to be relieved
from the burden of supporting two hos
tile armies. But he did not understand
the spirit which animated the soldiers of
the Union.
''l shall not, nor can /, living forget
that when was ordered to the command
of the troops for the defence of the CAPT.
tai, the soldiers, with whom l had shared
go much of the anxiety and pain and suff-
ering of the war, had not lost their conf
dence in me as their commander. They
sprang to my call with all their ancient
vigor, discipline and courage led them
into Maryland. Fifteen days after they
had fallen back defeated before Washing
ton, they vanquished the enemy on the
rugged heights of South Mountain, pur-
sued to the hard fought field of Antietam,
and drove him, broken and disappointed,
across the Potomac into Virginia. The
army had need of rest after the terrible
experience of battles and marches with
scarcely an interval of repose, which they
had gone through from the time of leav.
ing the Peninsula, the return to Wash
ington, the defeat in Virginia, the victory
at South Mountain, and again at Antie-
tam. 1t was not surprising that they were
in large degree destitute of the absolute
necessaries to effective duty. Shoes were
worn out, and blankets were lost cloth
ing was in rags in short, the army was
unfit for active service, and an interval
for rest and equipment was necessary.
When the slowly-forwarded supplies, came
up to us, l led the army across the river,
renovated, refreshed, in good order and
discipline, and followed the retreating foe
to position where I was confident of de-
cisive victory; when, in the midst of the
movement, while my advance guard was
actually in conflict with the enemy, was
removed from the command. = =
"Instead Of reporting victorious cam
paign, it has been my duty to relate the
herOism of reduced army, sent upon an
expedition iuto an enemy's country, there
to abandon one and to originate another
new plan Of campaign, which might and
would have been successful if supported
with appreciation Of its necessities, but
which failed because of the repeated fail