Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1884-02-28

ments of iniBntry, one regiment of ar-
tillery, and one of cavalry. The troops
were fully armed aud equipped, and
were encamped in different parts of the
State: they were mustered in for "three
years or during the war; and their
muster provided that they should be
transferred to the Government of the
United States when that Government
should demand their presence in her
armies. Not once, Mr. Speaker but
constantly they were offered to. the
! service fthetiOvcrnment Of the United
States and refused. They would have
| been at Bull Run but the Government
| officially declined to receive them. You
understand what occurred there.
suppose every man on this floor realizes
all that occurred in that disastrous bat.
tie, and who knows but that the
presence of such body Of splendid
troops would have turned the tide Of
battle? About | o'clock on Monday
morning received telegram from
General Scott saying:
We learn you barc troops in Pcnusyivauls, scnd
them forward immediately. Johnston has Joined
Boauregarl
Not long after similar telegram
came from the President. These regl
ments were poured into Washington
in forty.eight hours, aud was the only
army then available for the defense of
the Capital. What might have been
the result Of Bull Run il that army had
been accepted and added TO the army
Of Mcdowell in the field? Yet who
charges any disloyalty upon tho men
who refused to take them earlier After
Bull Run and it, disasters general
! had to be misplaced. General Mcclellan
| il spoken Of to-day, on this iioorr ia not
very complimentary terms, yet | think
! that sufficient knowledge or consIdera.
| ton of the facts connected with that
! gentleman would have prevented such
remarks. He graduated with distin.
| puished honors at West point; had
served through the Mexican war ;
| had observed the Crimean war under
a commission from his Government
and had made one of the most admira.
| ble reports ever made upon war in
! this or any other country had com
| manded troops i'm West Virginia. had
there shown enterprise, energy, and &C
tiyity, and had closed the campaign
| with success. The Government made
him the General OF the Army. He
promptly obeyed the order OF the
| President; left the Army OF West Nn.
rinia. where he had won honor and
fame. and not n laurel that he there
won ever faded when placed on the
brow OF our colleague, General Rose
Grams, who succeeded him in command.
! Applause.
General Mcclellan gave to the Army
a perfect organization, All the spph
ancc necessary to make il efficient or TO
1 give as large share Of comfort TO the
men a. is possible to give to troops IN
the field. lie made his plan for the
campaign OF the coming season. That
plan has received the appreciation Of
! the military minds OF this aud foreign
countries. He proposed to transport
the larger part OF his army by water
and to approach by tho long line Of the
triangle to Richmond by way OF the
I peninsula. Mcdowell. with m army
numbering more'thAn ioTiy thou
sand men, under this plan OF the can
paign was 10 approach Richmond from
! Washington or it, dcienses 10y the snort
line Of the triangle.
When General Mcclellan had irans.
ported his army 20 the Peninsula and
had commenced his approach, stone
wall Jackson, pernaT> the most enter
prislug and energetic general Of the
/ confederate army, dashed into the
/ Shenandoah Valley. attacked in detail
three armies commanded b, lmproyiscd
generals Put there by the Govern m"nt,
/ defeated them, and after those triumph
/ he returned by rapid marches, placed
] his forces again Iu the army coumnu-
/ dad Ly General Lee and took part IA
/ Tho battle cf Gaines Mil. wher"
! General FItzJohn Porter was IN su.
/ urcme command, the very gentleman
| VINO is TO be the beneficiary oi ia"
\ legislation nos proposed. Uuior'u.
nateiy for this country, unfortunately
/ Tor the Government at Washington.
u-li more unfortunately for those who
| conteuded against the Government.
| McDowel's forces were Withdrawn into
| the deienses at Washington, though
| that officer declared az the time that he
| should proceed toward Richmond, as all
the army down IN the Shenandoah
Valley and General Jackson bad re.
turned to the army Of General Lee.
II is quite unnecessary for me to say
| that Richmond did not fall, and IT Is
an historical fact that up TO the time
they received the newspapers Of the
| North announcing that McDoweils
force was not to march in the direction
Of Richmond, the confederate govern.
ment scarcely expected to hold the
city and were prepared TO leave. When
they received the usual notice through
the papers Of the North Of this unlorIu.
nate action Of the authorities At Wash.
ington they felt they were safe. To
say the least OF it, that was a grave mis-
take on the part Of the Government
here, TO intrust n general with the
command Of armies, and then, after
full knowledge of the plans by which
he intended to conduct his campaign
to Withhold his right arm when he icten
ded to strike blow at the enemy
which might be fatal; and yet, sir, no
one then charged and no one now
charges the living or the dead with IN
fidelity or disloyAlty.
Mr Speaker, domestic war in this