The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1874-09-22
THE POLITICAL GENERALS.

poRTER-IIow HE LOST CONFIDENCE IN
TnEM-PoRTER's CONDUCT IN NOT sup
PORTING POPE.
Gen. Mcclellan had been reinstated in
the command of the army of the Potomac
in September, 1862, and Mr.. Chase in a
series of Notes on the Union Of the
Armies of the Potomac and the Army Of
Virginia" explained the cause that led to
the withdrawal of his confidence in Nc.
Clellan.
ut may have been an error Of judg-
ment but certainly it was not pcrvers.
ty Of disposition, that caused my with
drawal Of confidence from Gen. McClel-
Ian. | welcomed him to the command Of
the army at Washington with the most
unaffected satisfaction, aDd whom his de.
lays disappointed my hopes, receive with
credence, almost if not entirely absolute,
the assurances of those having the best op-
portunities 10 know that his activity was
thwartcd by the disinclination of General
Scott to give him means and opportuni.
ties. hcnored Gen, Scott to the point
of veneraton, and shared the general con-
fijence :n his military knowledge and gen.
ius but knew at what cost of physical
suffering he discharged the arduous duties
of his position, and was not surprised when
he availed himself Of tho act of Congress,
and asked to be retired. My voice was
at oDce given in concurrence with those of
other heads Of departments-wc had no
cabinot--for the placing of Gen. McClcl-
Ian in command OF the armies Of the Uni.
ted States. Tho President was disinclncd
to this, but yielded his objection, and the
order was made. Immediately wrote .
note to Col. Key-McClelan's judge ad-
vocate - Mcclellan is commander.
chief let us thank God and take courage
Subsequent events painfully convinced M
that mr confidence had not been warrant.
cd.
"At tho Presidents instance Gen Nc.
Clellan called on me in November, and
explained to me what he said was his
plan 1t was to send 10000 to Urbana
on the Rappahannock to establish them
there immediately follow this advance
by another body Of 10000 at once push
on to Richmond and capture it before the
enemy in front of Washington could move
to its defense. Nothing but great energy
and great secrecy could insure the succos,
Of such movement, but with these it,
success seemed certain. lie asked Inc
how early an advance was necessary tc
the success of the finances, and replied
that could get along under existing ar.
rangoments until about the middle of Feb.
ruary aud he assured me that the who'll
movement would be accomplished before
the first Of that month, and that he had
already begun his arrangements for gath
ering his transportation at Annapolis.
was satisfied with these explanations, and
when | went to New York soon after. cx
pressed at q large meeting Of leading cap
italists my entire confidence IN our your-
general, and my certain assurance thai
We were to have no going into Winter
quarters.
when | returned from New York
found that no steps had been taken ,owaIs
the proposed movement. Novembc,
passed away and nothing was done or eve,
begun. Mcclellan fell sick The Pres
dent called several generals to his couu
cis-McDowell Franklin and Meigs
and almost determined to put the arm
under another leader and advance O.
Manassas. Mcclellan got well Just il
tina to neutralize action, and nothing wa
done | mad now so far lost confidencr
in him that was convinced that chang
ought to be made.
I'm January Mr.. Stanton came init
the war department, and put lis Who'll
influence on the side Of vigor. The Pres
ideIt made a general order-Jan. 81
requiring all generals to put their com
mands in condition and to commence q,
outward movement at latest on the Do
of February. Time passed in istless in
action, broken only by the famous cam
paign toward Winchester. One morniu
10000 men found themselves put in mo
tion, and Mcclellan and his staff move
off in all the pomp of war to drive the re
bells from that place and seize the gate U
the Shenaudoah valley. Boats to bridg
the Potomac were provided and sent Il
the Chesapeake and Ohio canal. The gen
eral and his staff proceeded perhaps I
Weover.own-l do not know precise
how far-when, much to his disappoini
mcnt be learned that his boats were to
big for the locks ? and therefore could ~
pass from the canal into the Potomac :
the expedition was abandoned. Som
troops under Banks went over the river
but Mcclellan and his staff and the greu
body Of the army returned to Washingtoi
, The expedition, il was said, and not u
truly, died of ock.jaw
: "Deccmhcr passed and nothing W
, done.
February came, and on tie 18th Ger
! Mcclellan said to me: In ten days
: shall be in Richmond \ little surpli
ed at the near approach Of a consumm,
, ton so devoutly to be wished, aske,
What is your plan general? p Oh, sal
| he, Il mean 10 cross the river; attac
and carry their batteries, and push on n
ter the enemy Have you any gunboa
to aid in the attack on the batteries
i, No ; they are not needed; all want
t transportion and canal boats, of which
have plenty that will answer did u,
G think it worth while to reply, but made
/ note of the date and waited. The rc
/. days passed away ; no movement and II
, preparation for movement had bee
) made. The day fixed by the order of ii
4 President had passed we heard Il
r echoes of victory from the west, but Il
was quiet on the Potomac.
b AT length, about the lst ef March II
r President gave McClellen peremptoi
~ order to move ia ten days. Great eilor
G were put forth to induce him to rever
a the order Mcclellan convened counC
J. OF his generals and having inspired the
:, with his ideas sent them to the Preside
to give him the result of their deliber
n 4