The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1885-05-14
,MroLELLAN AND STANTON.

General McClellan's Century paper on
the Peninsula campaign of 1869, makes
plain its disastrous result was due more
TO the interference Of Secretary Stanton
with the movements Of the army than
TO the operations Of the Confederates' IL
10 shown too that Stanton In an under
hand and treacherois way, was q NAL
ignant enemy Of the Union General.
aud brought about serious diaagree'
ment between Mcclellan and President
Lincoln. When Mcclellan had fairly
entered In the Peninsula campaign, he
advised that the James river should be
made th base Of operations, pref ring
the southern bank. This was after the
Merrimac had been destroyed, and the
river was open TO naval cooperation
But the plan was changed from Wash
ington. by order Of Stanton. and the
right of McClellan's army was extend
cd TO the north Of Richmond, with the
assurance McDowells corps would ad'
vance from Fredericksburg TO j)in IT,
Mcdowell failed at tho critical time,
because Of stanton's continued inter-
ference, and then came the sweep OF
Stonewall jackson on McClellan's right.
the Seven Days battles. and Nc
Clellan's brilliant and skillful flank
m fch TO the banks Of the James, which
placed the army Of the Potomac on Its
true line of operations, with its trains
and lts war material substantially In
tact, and the troops flushed and In
spirited by the brilliant victory at NAL
yern Hill. This base Of operations
Grant secured two years later at fear
ful cost But again Stanton interfered,
and the army was transferred from the
James 10 the Potomac, against MeCiel-
lan's Earnest remonstrances." Poes
disastrous campaign fol owed and no
wonder scape.goat for such fearful
blunderipg was sought In Fitz John
Porter. "The army Of the Potomac"
says General Mcclellan In conclusion,
twas accordingly withdrawn, aud II
twas not until two years later that II
"found itself under its last commander
"at substantially the same point on the
"bank OF the James, II was evident In
1852 as In 1855 that II was on the bank
"Of the James that the fate Of the Union
twas to be decided" In the interval,
however, came. Pope's blunderlng and
bloody work. Antietam. Gettysburg and
Grants campaign In the Wilderness TO
reach base on the James, In which h0
loat more men than Lee had 10 his army
ut its outset.
General McClellan's statement OF the
Union and Confederate losses during
the "Seyen Days" from June % to July
2, shows the enemy lost more 10 killed
and wounded In these aercely contested
battles, than the army OF the Potomac
In killed, wounded and missing, The
figures are interesting-the Cvnfedrr
ates lost 2.S23 killed, i3,703 wounned,
and sees missing, or total OF 1910,
while the Union army lost 1874 killed.
S.069 wounded, and 6,063 misIng. or
total Of 1880. This paper OF General
McClellan's on q campaign that has
created great controversy 10 ioretaste
OF the more extended work he has In pre-
paration, 10 be published soon. The
American poop have before them dis
closures that will open their eyes 10 the
true history Of the war, and especially
the responsibility OF Stanton for its pro.
longation, and for reyorses more serious
than anything the Coniederates we're
able To bring about. II Is not probable
that General Mcclellan will make q
single statement he 10 not fully pre-
pared 10 anbetantiate.