The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1877-05-11

Into army corps or not. We unanimous.
" answered that we thought it ought TO |
be so organized. The president then
informed us that he deferred his opinion
as to the proper method OF moving the
army to ours. He asked us to use oall
our energies to help the country out of
its great dangers, and ended by saying
TO US, "lf you are faithful TO me, i on my
part will be faithful to you" He then
said that he should form army corps,
and knowing but little OF the capacities
OF the generals suitable for the command
of these corps, should assign
the commands according to rank.
The meeting was then dismissed.
General Johnson having evacuated his
position at Centrevile on the 9Th of
March the army was Immediately moved
to Fairfax court house. Here the assign
ment to corps was made, and my divis-
ion was assigned to General McD0wells
corps. Shortly afterwards, about the
middle of March, we returned to a po-
sition in front of Alexandria to await
| transportation. It was determined that
| the bulk of the army should be landed at
fortress Monroe. and move up the PEN
| insula between the York and James
rivers, and that General McDowelfs
| corps should land OH the north side of
| the York river. This arrangement re-
quired that General McUowelfs corps
| should move last. and General McCiell-
An. with his headquarters. left Alexan-
dria on April /, he supposed
that nothing could occur
to change that arrangement
On the 81 of April l was ordered to
embark my division. About III O'Clock
IN the evening l received orders to move
part of the division on the next day, and
TO call at headquarters for further in
structions. Going at ence to the war
| department found Gen. Mcdowell and
| Gen. Wadsworth there. Gen. Mcdowell
| informed me that the secretary of war
| had told him about an hour before that
| Gen. Mcclellan intended to work by
| strategy and not by fighting, add that he
| shoul not have another man from his
department. that all OF thu enemies OF
| the administration centered around
him. and the secretary accused him
also of having political aspirations.
Also that he had not left the number
of troops to defend Washington
that the president required-in other
words, that he had disobeyed the presi-
dents orders. General Mcdowell re-
monstrated against the step which was
about 10 be taken. urging that il General
would be forwarded by The very course
which the administration was taking in
this case. He used all the arguments
| which he could bring to bear TO convince
| the secretary that he was making mis-
take in ordering the attachments OF his
! corps. The result was, General Nc
| Dowell's corps was detached from the
| army Of the Potomac, and was marched
| to Catlett's station on the Orange and
| Alexandria railroad, where it could do
no possible good. General Mcclellan 8
plan OF turning Yorktown, by move
ments OF McDowells corps on the
north bank OF the York river, was utter
ly destroyed. The army OF the Poto'
mac was forced to stay whole month
on the Peninsula uselessly. and the cap
ture of Richmond. which in all human
probability would have been made in the
month of May had General Mcclellan
plan been carried out, was deferred fol
. three years.
| | Thus was consumated the first great
crime OF the war. A general had beer
, | sent from Washington in command o.
four army corps on the most important
Z command possible. Before he had beer
i absent forty-eight hours, his larges
corps. commanded by his second com
" mand. containing more than ODe-tourtl
a of his army. detailed for duty which wa
n vital TO the success of his campaign. wa
n detached from his command. withou
in consultation with him and without IA
:. knowledge do not know wheth'
Of the perpetrators OF this crime were pun
a ished for IL in this life. but the ghastl
n account OF bloodshed in Virginia for Il
h next three years shows that the innocer
country was punished in a way that Wi
be remembered by widows and orphan
: for q generation.