National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-02-06
A Sketch Of Con. MoClollanS Campaign in
West Virginia in 1861.
The BIuster and Buncombe OF Mar
row Gauge Man Of Large Ambition
Fz-JOhn Porier's Model Commander Shown Up
in His True Light.
What Was Actually Accomplished and
What Was Reported.


in-chief, was gained by the tenor of three or
four dispatches sent from West Virginia, July
10, IL, and 10. The first one said: ~ occu-
pied Beverly by rapid march," (Think of
Mcclellan making rapid march.) Garnet
abandoned his camp early in the morning,
leaving much of his equipage. He came
within few miles of Beverly but our rapid
march turned him back in great confusion,
and he is now retreating on the road to st.
George. / have telegraphed for tho two
Pennsylvania regiments at Cumberland to
join Gen. Hill Mt Rowlesburg. The general
is concentrating all his troops ut Rowlesburg
and he will cut off Garnet's retreat near
West Union NOW called Aurora) or, If posi-
Bile, at st. George. | may say that we
have driven out some 10000 troops, strongly
intronched, with the loss of eleven killed
and thrty-fve wounded. The provision re-
turns show Garnetts force to have been 1000
men."
The next report, July Ia, said Garnet
and his forces have been routed, and his
baggage and one gun taken His army are
completely demoralized. Gen. Garnett was
killed while attempting to rally his forces at
Carrick's ford, near st. George
I'VE have completely annihilated the enemy
in West Virginia.
Our loss is but thirteen killed and not more
than forty wounded, while the enemy's loss Is
not far from 200 killed and the number of
prisoners we have taken will amount to at
least 1000. A portion of Garnetts forces re.
treated, but | look for their capture by Gen.
Hill, who is in hot pursuit"
The immense buncombe of these reports is
manifest on their face, but is more perfectly
shown by analysis. These forces were among
tho mountains, almost impossible. Garrett
was at home, in his native state, and knew
every inch of the ground. According to
Mcclellan he is entrenched in mountain
pass, and has 10000 men to defend 1t. Mac
sends Rosecrans with less than 1000 mon to
make an attack Rosecrans attacks the en-
trenchments, routs and demoralizes the whole
rebel army with loss of only thirteen killed
and forty wounded. lie captures thousand
men. On the face of IL this is humbug.
The world never saw an army of 10000 be-
hind entertainments annihilated by an as
saulting force of 1000, and only thirteen of
the assailants killed. A man with cheek
enough to make such a statement, down to
July ~, 1861, was inconceivable.
The real fact was that Garnett was sent to
Laurel Hill with about 5000 or 5000 men to
amuse Mcclellan, who was supposed to have
1900, and prevent him from sending help to
Mcdowell in his contemplated attack on
Manassas. This is shown by the now pub
lished orders to Garnott. Ice, well knowing
McCiellan's cautious nature, thinks he can be
held to the line of the Baltimore and Ohio
railroad, and even deems it not impossible to
attack and drive him away with the aid of
Wise in Kanawha. This part of Virginia
being loyal, sends Mcclellan authentic in
formation of the number, position, and
movements of Garnett, and thus informed
Mac sees the possibility of getting behind
him with u much superior force and hemming
him in among the mountains. There arc
three outlets for Garnett-to the SOUTH to the
north, and to tho northwest. Mac posts
about 5000 and orders 1000 more under Hill
to the north outlet. He sends Morris to tho
northwest outlet with 1000, and later gives
him one moro regiment and some detached
companies. With his remaining force Of
about 1000, including Rosecrans, he goes to
the south, cuts Garnett from his base, gets
between Garnett and Pegram, and has the
entire rebel army Cooped up in the gaps.
What will he do with it2
In reading the dispatches of July IL one
gets the clear impression that McClellan's
army has attacked and routed an army of
10000 under Garnett, but later on, when the
truth comes out, it is shown that only an
outpost under Pegram, and separated from
the bulk of Garnett's army by McClcllan's
army, was attacked. Rosecrans with 1900
reached tho crest of Rich mountain and at
tackled Pegram with 1900 men. Pegram Sec
ing how hopeless the case was made but
feeble resistance, as is shown by the few
union men killed, and then surrendered 600
men. The 1000 of Mcclellan and the 5000
of Garnett did not meet atsall Garnett made
OFF toward St. George by the north outlet,
unmolested by Mac at the date Of his flaming
dispatch, or after, but tho next morning
Morris from PHILIPPE came up, and II few men
undcr Benham fired one or two volloys,
killed ten, and among them Garnctt himself.
The correspondent of the Cincinnati Gu
settc, on the field, says: Not Virginian
stood by him when he fell. Tho whole cow
ardly crew had fled. "a But why
dwell on the sickening details? May never
see another field like that There were on ii
ten corpses." On tho union side two wero
killed and ten wounded. Thus tho union
troops fired into an army Of 5000 men cross
ing o river, and killed ten and lost two.
Tremendous battle
Carrick's is reported by this correspondent
to be twelve miles south of st. George, and
Garnetts tr0aps are moving north. Nc
Clelan says "Eill is in hot pursuit" What
does he understand by hot pursuit? Evil
IDENTIFY he himself is not in hot pursuit, for
after the slight attack ut Carrick's the rebels
move away, are not seen again or pursued,
and Mac reposes on his laurels. Hills
nearest force is at West Union,
sixteen miles north of ST. George and twenty
seven miles from Carrick's. The rebels are
moving on the direct road toward Hill, az
West Union, SO it would look as though they
were pursuing Hill instead of being pursued
by him. At st, George, however, Garnett's
road veers to the right slightly SO rs to tap the
Winchester pike at the Red House, two miles
east of ChishOlm's mills, which are on the
pike, and where Hills advance 10 stationed
The rebs after passing st, George have only
the two roads--one to West Union, eight
miles from the Red House, and the other Ia
tho Red House. 1t is in the mountains, $500
feet above the sea- As they are going toward
Winchester it is certain they Will not 30 Ia
West Union, eight miles out Of their course,
where there is II largo force intrenched, thus
risking a battle with fresh troops alter Il
forced march OF over thirty miles on noun
tain road by demoralize army.
Hill has troops at RUwlesburg, which by
rail via Oakland, is rs he reports only five OF
six hours away from Red House, lie has
other troops at Oakland and West Union
each hut eight miles or three hours from Red
House, and other troops ut Chisholm's, two
miles from the Red House junetion-in all
about 5000 or 6,0O0 AS early as the eighth
Of July the contemplated movement Of the
Tobels to the east was suspected for on the
ninth Col. Irvine, sixteenth Ohio, photographed
Hill that the place to meet the forces of Gar
nett was at the Red House, and they could
not have we'll found that out unless there wa
a consideration of the probability OF Il retreat
The orders to Hill aud the whole action By
him indicate that there was NJ least an ink
ling that Garnett was about 10 move or b.
forced to move on the 81. George road.
But be this as IL may, ill knew ON The
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