The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1911-10-27

vanguard or the Army or the Potomac
for several weeks. Their position and
intrenchments looked formidable, and
the Union troops let II so at that and
did not attack. This was during Me
Clellan's nervous weeks. when he was
writing to his wife almost daily ex-
pressons OF surprise that Beauregard
did not attack him. Finally when the
small force of Confederates at Mum
sons hill and other points roundabout
withdrew of their own motion their
positions were occupied by the Fed
erals.
An incident ut about this time
throws n rather luminous side light on
the situation and reveals something OF
MeClellans military tactics 1t was
reported that the Confederates We're
again fortifying Matthias point, on the
Potomac. and were threatening nayi.
cation TO dislodge them n combined
naval and military movement was
planned, Mcclellan agreed TO furnish
the troops, and the Potomac fotilla of
gunboats were TO land these and CO.
operate in the attack. All was made
ready and the boats prepared for the
expedition. But no troops appeared.
Inquiry at army headquarters ELECTED
the information that McClellan's en-
gineers had reported against the plan
and said 1t would be impracticable to
land the troops in the manner pro-
posed. The navy replied that it as
sumed all responsibility for landing
the troops.
Two Logs and a Stovepipe.
Another promise was thereupon
made that the land forces would be
ready the next night, and once more
the boats got in position. Again the
troops failed to show up On a second
inquiry being made the most satisfac-
ton the naval officers could get was
that Mcclellan opposed the movement,
fearing it would bring on a general
enga cement, for which he was not then
ready President Lincoln, who had
urged the taking Of Matthias point.
was chagrined by the incident but de-
ferred to the wishes of the general.
Navigation in the Potomac was closed,
and the administration came in for
general censure in consequence. The
chief naval officer in command OF the
Potomac fotilla asked to be transfer
red, feeling that he was losing repu-
tation because of inaction for which
he was not responsible. Possibly the
Munsons hill Quaker gun affair was
due TO the same unwillingness to bring
on a general engagement. Subsequent
events proved, by the way, that a
Union attack at neither point would !
have brought on a general engage
ment. In the case of Munson's hill it |
probably would have occasioned no
engagement at all, general or other |
wise. at the slightest show of an at |
tack the Confederates would doubt |
less have withdrawn without firing a |
gun.
On Oct. 8 the advance guard of the !
Union army moved northwest toward |
the village Of Townsville. Va, occu-
pying it the next day. At about the
same time General G. A. NIcCall's di-
vision went forward to Langley, five
miles up the Potomac from AeXan
dria. Other advances occurred which |
placed the Union front to Il line ex-
tending from a point near Great Falls
on the Potomac. ten miles above
to a position south of the
Little River turnpike and the Orange |
and Alexandria turnpike, west Of Alex
lndria. At the end of the week the
divisions and detachment under Gen
eral George B. Mcclellan in and
around Washington and Alexandria
the following positions:
General Joseph Hooker's division
vas at Budd's Ferry. Nd, on the
over Potomac, twenty-five miles from
General Heintzelman's
1t Fort Lyon and vicinity, General w.
3. Franklin's near the Theological
seminary, General Blenker's near Hun
er's Chapel, General McDowell's at !
Upton Hill and Arlington, General Fitz-
Iohn Porter's at Halls and Miners
Hills and General w. r. Smiths at
dackaIPs Hill, all near Alexandria. J
'IcCall was ut Langley. General Don
Carlos Buell. was at Tennallytown,
Meridian Hill. etc, on the Maryland !
ide of the river. close to Washington
General Stoneman's cavalry and Cen \
raj Hunts artillery were in Washing \
on General n =. Banks division !
vas at Jamestown. Md. with detach-
nents at Point of Rocks and else
where, as far up the river as Williams !
ort, fifty miles from Washington
General c. T. Stones division was at
'oolesviIle, Md. thirty miles from
Washington and General dix at Bal
more.
Washington Safe.
Thus the Army of the Potomac al;
his time extended in a long arc witt
is wings resting on the river abov e
nd below Washington, its center in
7irginia, west of the capital, with. a