The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1878-04-12
7ICHTINGIT OVER AGAIN
, WEST VIRGINIA CAMPAIGN
Th' OF 1851.
,,.resting Contribution TO 'he
Az uistory of That Iime'
nv General POrterteld.
..lonce ot the Registe".

We. ~ ibis srticle is an old sceusint-
S-'-' former friend, Of General Henry
So P"nbsm. U. 5. Army. The object
". w. writer was obviously TO commend
OIL o. ~ TO General U. 5. Grant, then
B.-,IpDt of the United States. Tins
IT, Es sought by Dragging OF his own
eI~ -, and bY fulsome praise of
SAPSI Grant also by slurring
09uSI Mcclellan. The author seems
u'rs' 80 supposed that General Grant
" % "a bs "a much grahaed by assaults
ca,ersl Mcclellan, rs by praise OF
W. The spirit OF the article Is to
',ov that the credit OF the success OF
~, c,npsign, which be regards as Won
s-.lT ~ wss largely due to the writer
ms, t.,' /, had been uujustly attributed
~. s;a,.,r, hy General Mcclellan; and he
-. bim As babltuslly "kicRing down |
..o 7ssders by which he rose;" while he
-, - of General Grant, Ito whom the
s,:,a- wss endesvoring to commend !
s;.,.sIo thst "he hiss chung to J
.r-,r GOOD man about him,
who sided bin. as be rose, as every such |
ms1 has clung 20 hlm."
Though 1 was sorry to see one who !
I'D ba.r 8 friend descend TO such means |
-T,5,sf-iay favor with the tGen Presi- |
4,,tof me United States, yet l shall |
,,ga,o notice OF what ! believe TO be |
,-,n6ers upon Gel lersl Mcclellan, be-
c.r.s he needs no defense against such |
c7srge., snd because these charges IN no |
rr.rSsr src NV concern. | would have |
,.ssr no notice of this article, had the |
writer no. slsadeIed NE. These |
-,i.,snres. D..u0Ls of me were /
c,s,r.y made with view of enhancing |
tsa .gpp9sei merits the writer in his /
c,rtyct during this campaign. The |
truth is. ~ every one OF Intelligence /
knows. who knows anything Of the |
IVES. Virgins campaign al 1861, that It
reflected no special credit on any officer, |
Confederate or Fedora except on Gen. |
Mgy.eI.an, for the skilLiul manner II |
v5r,1 aa surprised and defeated the com .
msrd Of Gen. Gam ~.
TIE State ". West Virginia, and espe- |
c,ly the northern part OF this State, |
wss really = country hostile to the Con- |
is1era.a States. IL WAS folly u expect |
force to De raised In that section suti-
cent, even, 70 keep the open field, much |
more to hold the country; and II was
impossible for the forces sent there by the |
C5pfederales 10 hold such q country |
sgsinst the largely superior forces which !
the Federal Government could, and did /
ssnd as needed, to take pO session OF THIS .
Sa.e. The only excuse that can be !
Il o. nr
nsking so vain an effort, is that 1t was
10 the verv beginning of the war, and |
the difficulties of such al undertaking .
we're not then duly cons dCred or proper
lv appreciated The folly OF their at
.empls to hold military possession of
West Virgins, is clearly shown by the
iscl that siter the failure OF the trst et-
forts, the command of the army intended
to effect this purpose was conferred on
Gen. K. f. Lea, bat under his command
the campsign was still an utter failure.
Hsd the campaign been begun with
sny skill 8, alI by the Federal officers, 1t
must have resulted In the capture or de-
Eruc.lor o. the small force which l was
O,gsuizug. ! DO not claim any credit tor
having escsped with this force. That
did escape with the loss Of two or three
men only w., due entirely to tEe want
o. cspscl.y on the psrt of those in COM
usni %, tie Federal troops in that vicin-
i.y: General Morris ana his five or six
C3.oDe.s, luc ,irng Colonel Benhsm.
Ny couduc, was the subject Of inves-
!jgslOH.s st the me by = Court OF Inquiry,
composed of Colonel William b. Tslla-
isrro. Leuteusut-Colonel John Pegrsm
aud Captain julius De Ltguel. The tol.
lowing Is the result OF their proceedings;
GENERAL oRDDER No. 30.
Headquarters OF THE FORCES, !
RICHMOND, July /, 1861.
The Court OF Inquiry which convened
a. Beverly on the 4UJh uitl 100, at the re.
guest OF Colonel q. 4. PO-teThsld, OF the
virginia volunteers, 10 examine into the
circumstances OF the retreat OF the Viz
gnla force, from Phihppl on the 5Gd OF
June under his command, has reported !
tAe eiol owing facts in the case:
lOECe Of Virginia troops, consisting OF
Same slN hundred effective infantry \Or
tArTgaJuuiS| and one hundred and seven
R'EFe eayar ~ .Or thereaDOuts,) INSULT
gently supplied with the necessary ac-
1Lemeuts and ammunition, was sta
No4eI 40 Fhluppi, Farbour county, Va
On Tie morning OF the 3rd OF June, ls6,
'WAe.e they LlI been Tor some six OF seven
Gaysr under the command OF Col. Geo. A.
F2iierhe q, of the Virginia volunteers
On the morning OF the day Just iudiCat-
elr al between daybTcak and sunrise, this
Command was attacked and taken by
e-EFENr. no alarm or lutimatiOn of the
tlsM! approach having been given by
.-' guard. or luluulry plCktt>, until the
enemy was within some four hundred
!af., OF the place, and had commenced
,"r .It lIpm MS artillery. BY the cX8ni-
NaaoN 10 is shown that main and picket
s1olur as strong as was consistent with
gAt infantry force present, was regularly
-..at.tN ana posted AT dlHtau Ces sutnclent-
q! .d' on, io mpllSh the object In view,
provided they knew and did their duty,
.-..a .a..rr Is strongly 10 be suspected,
..'A lAe itri iuat, although IN advance,
cue! la..ua 90 give any iufimatiOn OF the
y-5.N! approach, "a conclusion which is
,'T-@J. ta"d 10y the OthCIat report OF the
-.".Dt u.a'rT> out with the scouting
H''.g> on me night OF the 20 of June, That
."7! Ada mel her seen an infantry picket,
40. oeyl challenged by its seuIries going
~ VI returning from lue town that night.
-'f pears ludl Immediately UpOu the ar
"a %. lLe command at PnINppl, the Of
..' .A command, Col. Porter held, look
'.aaOItN To- place his force, which was
'-r a-0 new IN service, under a course OF
ISL L"s.lou and 10 select those in his Opiu-
,.L .->l hiitd To instruct the SeutInelS
a-4 guards IN their duties. The testimony
'-'A. ~ AAAt lAtEt WAS a Ger lAl N tlt- I
49,. confusion In some quarters, a pOr-
.o. 'i lDe command moved from the
- " I- good order. and tnat the whole
-. It"i.y after passing some distance
60 Gu s-r town, was reformed aud pro-
'ssded In order
ms. - SHOWN In the evidence, that an eN.
t---s'st'A OF attack, or move upon Phil
~ N.oIay TO be made, was entertained
a..y, among the officers aud others
rrf 'ur Command, and that in
s."--L'e, how well founded is not
Gs,""AJ was brought from time TO time,
-s strength ana supposed intent Of
m '-e s-e testimony sets forth, that this had
o.r". p,oIueed It's effect, IS To induce the
OTIS III command To call meeting Of
S1'-.. g-.ters; that the result OF the con-
mo. s..LN and deliberations was an al
of1+|i not unanimous, decision favor
'a-r ...l 'la't retreat, 10 which Col POT-
ME- eMeI 10th 10 acCeGe, yet deter
The 40 10 axe iurtHer examination Of
The I.''AAl uon on hand, and TO prepare
ngrr..-rE"se and train for removal al
@-SSiArni'S notice.
Tim DI1eFS 20 march at any particular
irg7S e', gwen, 80 tar as can he gathered
Thar ''1 'StlmOny, although Il appears
baT an L understanding, or IMPRESSION was
move. entertained by some that the