The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1880-01-23
GEN. BURNSIDE on HIS OWN AND McCLEL.
LAN'S THREATENED RESERVATIONS.

H. j. Raymond, Esq, Of the Times, visited
the Army Of the Potomac pending the pre-
meditated second attack on Gettysburg. Ex.
tracts from his journal, published in iScrib-
ner for January, shed new light on the his
tory Of the disastrous Fredericksburg cam
paign Of 1923. Gen. Burnside's plans, it
will be remembered, were stoutly opposed by
Hooker, Franklin, Smith and Others Of his
subordinates, and were treated with indiffer-
ence by his superior officers
1--WE returned to headquarters at FIVE, aud
found General Burnside there already. After
we had joked him little about the rapidity
of his journey to Washington, he told us
he had been only to Aoquia Creek. Before
leaving camp he had telegraphed to General
Halleck as follows; 4 wish very much to
see you for an hour. Will you come down
to Acquia, or shall l go to Washington p
On reaching Acquia Creek he found reply:
Use your own judgment about coming up
to which he answered at once: Yours re-
ceived. shall not come He seemed great
ly annoyed and vexed at the apparent indif-
ference of General Halleck to the movement
of the army and to his wishes, and said he
should not go to Washington to see him.
While we were talking Lieutenant Bowen
came down from General Hooker s::headquar
tiers and said that Hooker was denouncing
the attempted movement very freely and
without the slightest restraint even if the
weather had been perfectly good, he said,
the attempt to cross would have preoved a
failure. General Burnside said he would
send to the President his unconditional res.
nation of his command-sendng at the
same time the removal of several of his field
officers. made no remark at the time, see
ing that he was too much disturbed and ex.
cited to give the matter proper consideration.
"Friday, January 23d.-In the morning
after breakfast Gen. Burnside told me he had
changed his mind about accompanying his
letter of resignation with the removal of Off
GERS. He feared this would look too much
like attempting to make conditions with the
government, which he said he had no right
to do. He had determined to resign and send
his letter to Washington by special messen-
ger. After Pope's repulse, when Washing
ton was thought to be in great danger when
the rebels were pushing into Maryland, Gen
eral Mcclellan had refused to resume com.
mand of the Army of the Potomac unless
Mr.. Stanton or General Halleck should first
be removed. He had not done this formally
but had told his friends he should insist on
these conditions. Generel Burnside said he
talked with him until three o'clock in the
morning to dissuade him from making any
such conditions. He found him excessively
stubborn1about it, and finally told him that
he had no right to take such course, and
that he could not possibly maintain his posi-
tion before the country as loyal man if,
when the Capital was in danger, and the
North invaded, he were to refuse the com
mand except on such terms as he might pre-
scribe. General Mcclellan finally yielded to
these representations, resumed his command
and achieved by far the most considerable
success Of his whole campaign. General
Burnside said that half dozen Of the officers
had also resolved to resign unless Pope was
removed. He heard of it, got them together,
demonstrated with them, and finally de-
nounced them as disloyal for entertaining
such purpose, and in the end induced them
to forget it. When they had come to theiI
conclusion he told them General Pope had
been removed