Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-02-02

dom worthy tnc HlOSt utSp tidtS Nd.c vi the |
French revolution. Should we do less?"
Were such concentration as he proposed TO |
be effected. Gen Mcclellan expressed his /
conviction that the reoel organization might |
still, by a well-planned end well-executed |
movement, be overthrow before the winter |
should set in.
While these propositions were under con-
sideratiOn, the disaster of Balls Bluff took
place OF this Gen. Mcclellan states that
the movement of Gen. Stone was ordered by
him as a demonstration which he thought 1t
possible might induce the enemy to abandon
Leesburg-being made a il was, contempt
raneously with reconnoissanceS in force toward
Drainesville under Gen. Mccall. Gen. Stone
having accomplished on the morning of De-
tober both. all that he was expected to ac-
complish, Gen. Mccall was recalled from
Drainesville to his camp at Langley. The
fact that Gen. Stones troops were in action
on the Virginia side was telegraphed to Cen
Mcclellan on the 2lst, and. reaching the
ground the next day, he learned the full ex-
tent OF the disaster which had followed from
tins movement, and by 4 A. Nj. of the oath
had caused the whole command TO recrOSs the
Potomac in safety.
Appointed to the command of the Potomac
Army, all Gen. McClellan's attempts TO get
the army actively in the field in Virginia, had
been defeated through variety of causes
enumerated by him. On the list of November.
he was appointed to the chief command of all
the forces OF the Union, and at once began
active operations.
The theatre of the war had now extended
about the whole circumference of the South;
and it became necessary as well as practicable,
to plan a large and sweeping combination of
military operations
An organization of New England troops
for occupying the coast line of the South on
the Middle Atlantic, and which had been
suggested by Gen. Mcclellan in September,
1861, took shape in January, 1862, as an ex-
petition under Gen Burnside designed to
facilitate the movement OF the main body in
Eastern Virginia by an occupation OF the
coast line of North Carolina, Gen. Burnside
being ordered when he should have seized
Newbern, to occupy and destroy the Weldon
and Wilmington Railroad as far west as
Goldsboro. and, should circumstances favor,
to push as far as Raleigh, Wilmington being
however his ultimate objective point. eau
ton about proclamation" was recommended
the General being urged $40 say as little as
possible about politics or the negro" and to
state merely THAT the true issue for which we
are fighting, is the preservation Of the Union
and upholdng the laws of the General Gov
ernment."
At the same time, letters were sent to Gen.
Halleck (appomted to the command of TIE
Department of the Missouri, to Gen. Buell.
in command of the Department of the Ohio,
to Gen. Sherman commanding in South Caio o.
lima and Georgia, and 10 Gen. Butler COM
handing the Department of the Gulf Gen.
lIalleck was charged with the duty of 'reduc-
ing chaos to order" in department which
had been wonderfully mismanaged. In re-
spect to military operations he was ordered
to hold the State by fortified posts and concen-
trate his force on the Mississippi, in readiness
for Interior operations.
Gen. Buell. was instructed as to the vast
Importance OF the military occupation of
Eastern Kentucky and Tennessee. In Ken
lucky itself he was advised 1.-The conduct of
our political affairs is perhaps more important
than that Of our military operations" and he
was urged 10 bear in mind ''that we shall most
readily suppress this rebellion and restore the
authority of the government by relIglousiy
respecting the constitutional rights OF all"
In accordance 'with the feelings and opinion
ct the President Gen. Mcclellan requested
Gen. Buell. 10 assure ''the people of Kentucky
that their domestic institutions will in no man
ner be interfered with" and Ito allow moth
ing but the dictates OF military necessity" to
cause him to ''depart from the spirit of his in
strucuons."
In respect TO Tennessee, Gen Buell. was or
dered to throw the mass OF ms troops "by
rapid marches, BY Cumberland and Walkers
Gap. on Knoxville, in order to occupy the
railroad at that point" and ''cut the con,mu-
nication between Eastern Virginia and the
Mississippi
Gen. Buell. was further counseled to avoid
widening the breach existing between us
and the rebels bv .'causclesS arrests and per-
secutions of individuals" II have always
found" adds Gen. Mcclellan, "that it is the
tendency Of subordinates to make vexatious
arrests on mere suspicion"
Gen. Sherman was advised that the favor
able moment for a coup de main against Sa-
vannah had been lost. and that the best course
before him would BE- ''to isolate and reduce
Fort Pulaski" But the reduction OF Charles
ton and its defenses" was held up as the
great moral advantage to be sought for. and
this was stated to be an object for which Gen.
Mcclellan was actively maturing his combi-
nations. Gen. Butler was instructed as TO the
obstacles to be encountered in reducing New
Orleans. and was ordered, as soon as possible
after the fall of that city. 10 ''seize all the APP
proaches leading to it from lie east" and
particularly jackson. in Mississippi" with
an ultimate view as well to the capture OF
Mobile as TO the opening OF tine Mississippi.
The instructions thus issued 20 the Generals
named comprehend the entire scope OF the
plans OF Gen. Mcclellan, of which plans the
movement of the Army Of the Potomac
under his own orders was the central tea-
ture. Ii was considered by him necessary
to the success of these plans that they
should be carried out simultaneously, or as
nearly so as possible. and the advance of
the Potomac army upon Richmond by the
Lower Rappahannock was kept in hand by
him 10 be delivered as the decisive blow in
conjunction with all the rest of the general
movement.
THE PRESIDENT ASSUMES COMMAND.
On the 27th day of January. 1862. Presi-
dent Lincoln. without consultation with Gen.
Mcclellan. assumed command of all the
armies prepared and preparing for these gen.
eral movements. He issued on that day his
WAR Order. No. L." prescribing that on the
22d OF February, 1862. general move
mcnt of all the land and naval forces of the
United States should be made against the in
surcent forces