Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-06-12
LEES ESTIMATE OF MCCLELLAN.
Aud His Plans in the First Invasion of
Maryland.

General John G.. Walker contributes an
article on the Antietam campaign, entitled
" Harper's Ferry and Sharpsburg,n to the
June Century from which we quote as fol-
lows
The next day we reached the neighbor-
hood of Frederick. / went at once to Cen
eral Lee, who was alone. After listening to
my report, be said that as l had a division
which would often. perhaps, be ordered ON
detached service, an intelligent performance
of my duty might require a knowledge OF
the Interior purposes and objects Of the
campaign.
" Here said he tracing with his finger
on large map, is the line of our commu-
nications, from Rapidan Station 10 Ma
nassas. thence 10 Frederick. 1t is
too near the Potomac, and is
liable to be cut off any day By the
eneIuys cavalry. | have therefore given
orders to move the line back into the Val
lev of Virginia, by way of Staunton, Har-
risonburg and Winchester, entering Mary
land st Shepardstown.
Z" ! wish YOU TO return to the mouth of
the Monocacy and effectually destroy the
aqueduct of the Chesapeake and Ohio
canal. By the time that Is accomplished
YOU will receive orders to cooperate in the
capture Of Harper's Ferry, and you viii
not return here, but after the ca oture of
Harpers Ferry will rejoin us a, Hagers-
town, where the army will be concentrated.
Nv information is that there are between
10000 and 10000 men at Harpers Ferry
and 5000 al Martinsburg. The latter may
escape toward Cumberland but think the
chances are that they will take refuge at
Harper'5 Ferry and be captured.
Reside rhp men and material of war
which we shall capture at Harper's Ferry,
the position is necessary to us, not to gar
rison and hold, but in the hands of the en-
emy it would be break in our new line of
communication with Richmond.
"A few DAYS rest al Hagerstown will be
of great service 10 our men. Hundreds of
them are bare footed, and nearly all Of
them are ragged. | hope to get shoes and
clothing for the most needy. But the best
OF il will be that the short delay will enable
us 10 get up our stragglers-not stragglers
from a Sinking disposition, but simply
from inability to keep up with their COM
mands. ! believe there are not less than
from eight to ten thousand of them be-
tween here and Rapidan Station. Besides
these. we shall be able to get large Num-
Der of recruits who have been accumulat-
ing at Richmond for some weeks have
now requested that they be sent forward 10
ioin US. They ought to reach us at HaSers-
town. We shall then have very good
rnv;n and he smilingly added: "One
that / think will be able to give q good
account of ITSELF
"In ten DAYS from now," he continued,
if the military situation is then what |
confidently expect it to be after the capture
of Harper's Ferry, shall concentrate the
army at Hagerstown, effectually destroy
the Baltimore and Ohio road, and march
to this point" placing his finger at Harris
burg, Pennsylvania. THAT is the objective
point of the campaign. You remember,
no doubt, the long bridge Of the Pennsyl-
yania Railroad, over the Susquehanna, a
few miles west of Harrisburg. Well, |
wish effectually to destroy that bridge,
which will disable the Pennsylvania Rail
road for long time. With the Baltimore
and Ohio in our possession, and the Penn
svlvania Railroad broken up, there will
remain 90 the enemy but one route of COM
munication with the West. and that very
circuitous, by way of the lakes. After that
! can turn my attention to Philadelphia,
Baltimore or Washington, as may seem
best for our interests.
was very much astonished at this an
nouncement, and suppose he observed it,
for he turned to me and said:
{" You doubtless regard it hazardous to
leave Mcclellan practically on my line of
communication, and to march into the
heart OF the enemys country" | ad-
mitted that such thought had occurred to
me.
Are you acquainted with General Me-
Clellan p he replied. | replied that we
had served together in the Mexican war
under General Scott. but that / had seen
but little of him since that time.
He is an able General, but cautious
one. His enemies among his own people
think him too much SO. His army is in
very demoralized and chaotic condition.
and will not be prepared for offensive
operations-or he will not think so--for
three or four weeks. Before that time
hone to be ON the SuSnuehanna.'