The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1888-01-22
STANTON AND MCCLELLAN.
NEW LIGHT ON TIE oAUsEs or xpoLKD,
JANS REMOVAL

stsnten's Frs.h a.a virer.ss Exp,a.atas.
Of his Ceurso-An Istsrestin~ Chapter er
the Insiae Histery or the War.
Tho following letter, written by Edwin M.
Stanton to his personal friend and conndant,
the Rev. Herman Dyer, has Just been printed in
indianapolis. II Ia Q very important contribu.
ton to the literature Of the controversy crow.
ing out Of the removal Of Gen. Mcclellan from
the command Of the Army Of the Potomac.
WASHINGTON. May 10, 1861.
MY DEAR fnIrNp, Yours Of tho 10th ia well
gard Of one whose esteem I hsys sfvsy:
lated aztec again against q me M p ias,s9 Yofs s Ss' .E,.s slssT,
I am compelled Tor puSllo copsidsrations. to
iIyss IS A, q , sas ssSs. SSS S. ! ' D III, Sss s,s ~:
es: first, plunderers who have been driven from
the tInn depsrtmsnt where they we're eorstns NIL
Observation-Disclosures nps Snahpei pSSss 81 IL '% a esis S sssci sss
been, the sincere and devoted friend 81 Cen
m Mishs I'D s a9d a IS :sR gl% II h bHln :PS e ss e: u. {: 4
q close, was q sufficient inducemsnt for me TO
s%acrlfice my personal happiness to q sense Of
JInS went Into 5n ts The s1 Gs1 ,ss p: .s9gs III. n9 sS:h Il
tomas tom SsS e move SS; ! ifs III NOT n ses ss9! Of 8. p esa Is;
proper, to state all the causes that. ledto that
1 %ent T SSs i os e shs ysas e eP2 Bsn se1s to- a snd e.
The rate Of expenditure the army must move or
s sasne Gav: :onns9sst{ Rsr,'hf. ba MaSn %itS s' SsD. m MS.
Clellan to Impress him with tho absolute me-
s sesmsn q S sst1yi f SpierSS ssanss % 3, t ioss,s the ,S Ssx:
ef1 f ! sns s ana e6s. s aSC 81 M Rssa'f e. II Yrs szc
VIM %ino hoS sFa and 'p to cissr thu fs0 bio @Hsd. q t e
S Do 1sI.. Tao circumstances cannot at present.
Or ths Oh Of March the President again in:
Two lines OF operation were opened. First.
s Sns affG ossInys 4SSix m BBs Oh 'e On 'hRi IoRzm 81 aaH bsssins;
him and destroying him by superior force. and
s eIl sai It t nns t hhsse ensm the f fhhRit Ras ss thu fTa 81.
dents plan. Second, the other plan was to
transfer the troops BY water to some, point on
k 4 NTffhfi ss was Cen. .I Msclei ilaHtHG pls IN
The President reluctantly yielded his own
the best military men in the country. and con-
scented that the General should pursue his oXn
special slsei Pee Condition Sg / ~r thst the Ssu srm ns s i%SHsI not sb 80
moved without leaving sufficient force IN and
around Washington to make the capital per-
force desired should DO determined BY the
Judgment of all the commanders Of army corps.
~ VI ~ Hcus uACSlctldu T. uONoUSu III
whole energy to the movement, OF his whole
army.which was quite enough to tax the ability
relieved Of tho charge Of the other military de-
RRa ar m osI It libel 1t being sup Pcs % that that the rssPsS:
In their " departments.
When a part Of bis force had been trans.
EVEN EVEN to 90 m 81 BY IN ya q eSS p pelson isi thaa there WAS
boon left to defend the capital In case Of sud
dan fhnf Ia anamv oil HAfnnh n
large force and seize 1t at a time whom 1t would
be impossible to render, any assistance. Seri;
many warnings given me which 1 could not
neglect: ordered a report OF the force left
eo@ aslsna aMas so &c less t th was ! s%s'SS9 raw W 1 n.
cruits; WITH not tto a single organized Sa;asa b ut SSf6.
Of the nation. The report of the force left to
f$stsndd Washington hans rsf and the 70 order Mpio OF the
eraI Hitchcock to reportShrst. .whetSsr
the Presidents orders bud been complied With:
city was sufficient. He reported in Tie mega
a @itt'a r tS the Gsn. fnyio %h GEN. n!a9 M sG9su ass
capital was not safe, The President then by
either Summers or McDoxeli's., As part 9t
re ted Mcdowell to emain Will. his command.
and the reasons 1Si were approved 6y the r resi-
OenC. DOWN TO tnlS perlOu LnNro nuu never Ueeu
Inn + sh aad m oy eliiefense 0V WIZ any ys man me Sues.
tdsP F %ss sSSns MAS ny to sa IN. % %sSis,l a.
It Of course provoked his wrath. and tho wrath
Of his friends was directed upon me because
had gone forward as he had designed 1 believe
that WashingtGn would this day be- IN the
over. there was never tho slightest difference
setTssaIes ta os d RresMl1 sGIs,j and in %gysslf: the sq prs she
hanf fn mnljfy bia nr1ar IN tho aYfant that
FrankIin's division, being part Of McpowslTs
corps that had been retained, vas detas %hE;d
E fEs E sfEe1eSi io %s ' u se6eSs SHe sSssld ! fba 3 RsPs
s ]sbSs!sst route s'a a5 '9 Risnnon a. ! thus On sid Inc
Mcclellan, but at the same time cover
Ing and p, r.l protecting nGd washington a nssm by ks sSgs
opinion Gen. Hitchcock and Adjatant General
TnS%as t fhss'sda Gen. DS Met III PFs sfdsIa h Sss s sS
to be sent by water. although that route was
opinion eT2n to the p Presidents order. but befweenn
him ~ ad and me \ there has never YER 6 EsbII the slightest G6 ss
mentioned, Cen; Mcclellan had never made
with Il in the pow:r Of the Government. 70
me personally he has repeatedly expressed
,, HSE: one one H S%d. as 81 to ,6 %polit,csai a moves Sso,o %Y}hnst
/ am not now, never hava been, and never will
DO 2 candidate for any Office; hold my present
from the 4th OF March, 1861. until tho day, he
everything l cherished and held dear would bs
sacrificed by accepting onics. but. l thought
might help to save the country, and for that
/ was willing to perish; II I wanted to
be a politician or q candidate for any ofee
would l stand between the Treasury and the
robbers who are bowling around mey was
greater madness than for Il man to encounter
what | do for anything, else thsn motives that
believe that God Almighty founded the Gov
ernment. and for my acts In the effort to main
ment. You will pardon this long explanation
which has boen. made to you. 1t Is due to you,
who was my friend when a poor boy, and hgd
no claim on your confidence or Kindness. II
cannot be made public for obvious reasons:
army: he must have every conhdsnce and
support, and / I'M willing that tho whole
herd should. rebel against me rather
than diminish one grain OF the strength