Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1910-02-01

repeat this enthusiastic slogan, but quite
another thing for the president and the
army commanders to carry 1t out
Early In 1862 General Mcclellan pre-
pared to march upon Richmond. Be-
tween him and the southern capital
lay fewer than $4,000 Confederate SOL
diers. Had the attack begun sooner
there might possibly have been dif-
ferent story to tell. But a series Of
disastrous delays postponed the start.
Mcclellan fell I'LL; be was hindered by
mass of official incompetence: bis
scouts and spies were deceived as to
the size and whereabouts Of the south
ern forces. So It was not until April
that the actual advance was made.
By that time the Confederate generals
were ready to meet the invasion.
E AS the Union troops advanced along
the peninsula a Confederate army un-
der General McGruder continually out
Unanswered and thwarted the larger
force Of invaders. Mcclellan intend
ed to cooperate with northern feet
that sailed up the James river to with
In a few miles of Richmond. but con-
fiicting orders from the war depart
ment prevented him. Other Union
generals-Fremont. Ewell. Banks and
Mcdowell meantime trying to
capture the army of General "Stone-
wall" Jackson In the Virginia noun.
tains. But Jefferson Davis planned a
set of brilliant countermoves, thanks
to which the scheme utterly failed.
Jackson broke the line of communica-
ton between Banks and Fremont and
defeated Banks in pitched battle. he
then made a series of demonstrations
against Washington which so worried
the government authorities that they
dared not send re-enforcements from
the national capital to help Mcclellan
in bis peninsula campaign.
On May 81 a decisive battle was
fought mt Chickahominy creek, near
Richmond. The Federals won an over
whelmiug victory and sent their enc
mics flying pellmell into the city. Had
Mcclellan followed close on the fugi-
tives' heels he might possibly have tax
en- Richmond. Instead he went into
camp on the Chlckahominy. a malariai.
swamp infested spot. where In the ter
rible heat Of summer thousands Of Un-
ion soldiers sickened and died like so
many flies. Thousands more fell In
fruitless conflict.
When Mcclellan was ready to ad'
vance once more upon Richmond the
Confederate generals. Lee and Jack
son. kept him so busily engaged In
battle after battle that be could make
no Roadway. At last. on Aug. 4, the war
department ordered the expedition
abandoned. 1t had proved one OF the
most pitiably disastrous campaigns In
the modern annals Of war.
On Sept. II Mcclellan and Lee met
ut Antietam In battle where 10000
men In all were engaged. Lee was de-
feated. In this fight and in the battle
of South Mountain. which came just
before It, the Union losses were $4,000
as against about 1900 on the Con-
federate side. During the night Of
Sept. II the defeated Lee removed bis
troops In safety across the Potomac.
escaping cleverly from the trap In
which 1t was thought Mcclellan had
caught him and his army. This es-
cape. coupled with the peninsula fiasco'
wilted McClellan's laurels. He was
deposed from his post Of commander
in chief. being superseded by Burnside.
But while a series Of misfortunes
had followed the Union armies In Viz
ginia during 1862 the Federal forces
IN the west and the far south had had
decidedly better fortune. In the SOUTH
west the northern generals. Grant,
Sherman. Foote. Thomas. Garfield aud
Curtis. with far smaller armies than
those In the east. $50