New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-03-14
UNWR1rrEY HISTORY or TIE VAR.

a TALK Win FORMER TRIBUNE coRRIsPUNDtNl
HIS OPINION or FI1z JOHN PoRTER-A RI
PORTED PLOT BY SOME or WcLELLAN's GEN
ERALS-LEE's STRATEGY.
Speaking of the efforts OF the Democrats 10
egsiae General Fnz Porter back INTO the Army
Nathaniel Paige, wc.lmown Washington lawyer s"''
TO a TRIBUNE representative recently:
I was with Pope's army a CORES 1on1ent OF IhE
TRIBUNE az the second Eul Run battle Porter ga nov
intend 10 help Pope win that battle. He was no worse
than dozen other officers howeverwho belonged 10 'e
Mcclellan faction. They were all traitors at heart
After Mcclellan restored TO the command OF 'h'
Army and marched through Maryland to INTERCEPT Lee
a plot was formed TO couutermarch to Washington eN-
pei stanton from the War Office AID compel Lincoln 10
change the policy Of the war;
9" That never got into history"
"Norsad Mr. Paige cit is one Of the unwritten cbSs-
fcrs | viii tell Won how come to know ONT lhree
DAYS before the battle of Antictan had quarters one
night in a farm house JUDGE KY, OF Cincinnati. whom
Chase had got appointed Judge Advocate General on
McClclip's staff rode M about dark and toId
mo he felt III to sleep in tent or on the ground.
offered TO share nv reom with him. a headache pre-.
vented him from sleeping and he talked large part OF
the night lie told ne that plan to countermarch
10 Washington and intimdate the President had
been seriously discussed the night before by the mem
beers Of McCclia = staff, and that his opposition tof
had he thought caused It's abandonment Judge Key
who has died since, was lawyer OF un-
usual ability ana OF hlgh roci" e'""E
Cincinnati Ida not douDt the entire accuracy OF his
statement Indeed WAS not greatly surprised at the
limo for knew that the Mcclellan had gathered
around him were nearly all Copperheads who had 10
heart In the war"
"Dia Judge KEY say that Mcclellan was himself
concerned in the plot TO turn the army back upon
Washington aud allow Lee TO invade the Northi
ole did not know Mcclellan kneR OF II. The officers
who advocated il at the secret council did not claim TO
have broached the plan TO him, but seemed 10 tnmK
they could win him over to It,"
"What WIS the change OF policy they intended TO
force upon Mr. LDcoln2"
the abandonment OF all interference with the inst-
tuition OF slavery If he would guarantee the pcrpetuV
of slavery they thought the could be brought to an
end"
Were you at the battle OF AntietamT
Eyes There were three OF TRIBUNE correspon
dents there with Sumner on one WING Albert
Richardson was with Burnside on the other
and George W. smalley was with Hooker IN
the centre The failure of Mcclellan TO pursue Lee
e day after the battle seemed TO OF the time to be
n part OF monsrous conspiracy 10 prevent the sup
nression of the rebellion as long as the ldeas
| Of Edwin NJ. Stanton and the anlEslaVery men
| controlled the Government II Lee had Deeh
caucht north of the Potomac with his beaten
army his surrender would have been inevitable Fltz
Holm POrteTs failure TO go u POpes asslStauce al
Bu Run and McCellans failure TO pursue zee ~eIe
harmonious parts of that conspiracy. Time mas Only
strengthened the impression the events maze ON h'
| mind when they occurred o.-..- .
Talking about tue eveuts OF that disastrous Summer OF
| 1860 MIR Paige said ne thought General Lees hlgh
ouatles as strategist were never III AL hs career
| displayed so brilliantly rs then. . .,cu,
| AT the beginning of the Summer" he SAID. McCei-
Ian was on the James advancing toward Richmond,
| Mcdowell was at Fredericksburg, with 4O'V 100 men.
Tanks was IN the Valley. and Fremont was III the noun
| rams beyond. Our Government dccloed 10 re,
| tntorce Mcdowell, and have hun move Forward
! nv wav of Hanover Junction, from tEe rlent WIZ OF
NcC CLANS Army, and thus envelope Richmond on W.
edes 90 shields division ordered TO make RAPID
marcn Tom the Valley 10 Fredericksburg. If tue plan
haI been carried out the city would 1neytabY nave
| fallen. Lee the great peril ne was In' anG =
realized that McDOwePs movement must De prove
ar tnr impendpg disaster could not be escaped lie
| hurried StOnewa Jackson's corps on 10 the var
| lev Just what he fOresaw resulted from t,'
movement The Washington Cabinet got alarmed
| fearing tnat Jackson would iaI upon lne Odp-
| itoI which WAS then in in almost deIchceess CON
! dttion McDONell was ordered ny hdHcCh not 10
move toward Richmond, but to try to mead OH JACKSON
So shields was turned back TO the Naiey ah1 me-
| bowel followed with "A large part oil MS forces.
was with Mcdowell at the time: he saw
! that terrible mistake had been made ne Deleseu
| that Jackson's movement was purely stldueIc ony'
and thn Lee had no Intention that he should attack
WnsmpCion bat wanted only TO prevent tine cOmpihtu
| attack upon Richmond. Everything WoIkeo e1actLS
| ne lee had planned. Jackson. having shorter
| line 10 march. reached the valley before
| Mcdowell, fell upon Fremont at Cross KEYS then
retrcAtiug defeated portion or bhleluss DIVISION al
| Port ROYAL. and got safely back to GordOhsvlIe
| where he put his Oh the cars ana rtJomtd
| Lee IN time help whip Mcclellan ana iorco
! lin back To Harrson's Landing. Alter Lee had GRIP
! Med Mcclellan, lie at liberty to attack the
| iorcos gathered under Pope at Manassas Ihe Whoie
AFFAIR wns one of the striking and successful eG
tIous of military genius OF the highest order whch MS
! tory records"