1 Bucks County Intelligencer, From the 104th Regiment, P.
V. May 12, 1863 Page 2
Col. 7 1
LETTERS FROM THE ARMY.
From the 104th Regiment, P. V.
BEAUFORT,
S. C., May 21, 1863.
Messrs. Editors : —The report of the Congressional
Committee on the Conduct of the War is being read with
great interest by the officers and men of our regiment.
Having shared the misfortunes of many of the events re-
ferred to by this committee we can bear testimony as
regards the truth of many of its statements relating to the
Peninsular campaign from actual experience. Those
who doubt these statements would do well by asking the
opinions of unprejudiced soldiers regarding their truthful-
ness. As for ourselves, it fully corroborates the opinion
we formed from observation before the battle of Fair Oaks,
that McClellan was either a traitor of incompetent to
command an army. The commentary by some of the sol-
diers upon the conduct of America’s celebrated flying
Caesar, who possessed such an extraordinary faculty to
keep away from whizzing bullets and bursting shell, and
to report the conduct of troops when miles away from the
raging battle, is amusing in the extreme; it conveys to
the mind the fact that this is an army of observers who
know by surrounding circumstances whether things are
being properly conducted or not, and that they have a
deep interest in the cause and its welfare. The idea that
McClellan, who never allowed the Army of the Potomac
to enjoy the soul-reviving fruits of victory, is popular
among his old battle-tried soldiers after reading this as-
tounding revelation of his many ridiculous mismanage-
ments and short-comings is utterly absurd. We admit
that McClellan did at one time enjoy the almost unan-
imous confidence of the Army of the Potomac. Not only
the sons of Pennsylvania loved and admired this military
pretender, but the entire army imposed trust in the prom-
ises he made through fascinating orders that he would
share the dangers and hardships of the campaign about to
be inaugurated with the common soldiers. Has this hero
of surveying many hard-fought battles barely within hear-
ing distance of the cannonade, or at the long range of his
spy glass, proven true to his word? Let the Soldiers who
have survived the many blunders of this champion of the
Chickahominy, answer!
If McClellan’s political campaign does not prove more
successful than his combined military and political did,
Dr. M. will not be in fault, as he is doing him many fa-
vors by publishing his reports, which he has a right to do;
but why not publish the Committee’s report. In this
inquiring age the people are desirous of reading both re-
ports of a two-sided subject, and then the criticisms that
Dr. M. will find in “ Wilkes’ Spirit of the Times.”
For what reasons are certain politicians clamoring to
have McClellan restored to an important command again
Dr. M., we presume can explain. What has McClellan
done to entitle him to the high sounding appellation of
General ? The rebels say, “ he fights the best of any of
our Generals ; ” this, his friends hold as a strong point in
his favor, while the rebels are laughing at their stupidity
for not possessing intelligence enough to understand them
as they mean. We admit that McClellan did fight the
rebels better to their advantage than any of the other
generals. He managed to supply their army in a great
measure with ammunition, cannon, small arms, clothing
and commissary stores. And paramount to all, he had
his army reduced by tens of thousands, thereby allowing
the enemy to become his superior in numbers, and as we
are told, defeating him only by overwhelming numbers.
While this was taking place he was asking for large re-
inforcements, and because the Government had no spare
troops to send him, his friends are finding fault with the
Administration for not properly sustaining him in the
great efforts he was about to make to get within seeing
distance of Richmond. To us it always has been a hidden
mystery what he wanted with more troops when he had
more than he knew what to do with. At times we think
he wanted them to hand over to the rebels and then have
them reported on the list of prisoners taken, as every pris-
oner would increase the rebels’ supply of muskets and
rifles, and weaken our forces.
Can a loyal man—a friend of the Government and the
best interests of our convulsed country sustain a General
who has done nothing but bring disaster and disgrace
upon the cause in which we are engaged ? Let each per-
son consider, and then decide.
A few days ago, we were much amused while listening
to a discussion of the Union league measure, by several
soldiers. The League party contended that the measure
was honorable, and that every true Union man would fol-
low the worthy example of such loyal Democrats as Gen.
Butler and Mr. Brady, and show that they are for the
Union by joining its friends. The anti-Leagueites con-
tended that it was a Knownothing arrangement to draw
the people into a snare, and then to take an oath to sup-
port every measure of the Administration, though they
might think that certain of its measures were wrong.
The Leagueites became indignant at this, and demanded
their authority for making such confounded assertions.
The Doylestown Democrat, not to our surprise, was re-
ferred to as the authority, which the Leagueites said they
did not recognize. Were we to quote their reasons, Dr.
M. and his defendants might charge us with indulging in
“ low personalities.” This is one instance to illustrate
the poisoning effects of the Doylestown Democrat in this
regiment, and apparently it meets the hearty concur-
rence of Col. Davis.
That dull sameness, so characteristic of camp life, is
upon us again, and if surrounding circumstances are in-
dicative of anything, we infer that we will be here for
some time, though this is very uncertain. While here,
the men have enjoyed many privileges, as they have not
been strictly confined to the unpleasant limits of the
camp. This, we suppose will be continued until abused
by some evil-disposed parties, when all will be confined
to camp to maintain order, except those having proper
passes.
The bright and buoyant hopes of soon being in Charles-
ton will be borne on the score of disappointments incident
to war. The effort was made and we know that we are
not there. But this does not discourage us—neither do
we believe the non success will prolong the war. The
taking of Charleston would have had a moral effect, and
that only, though we believe that would have been great
in the North and in the army. Our people must know
that capturing cities and holding them will not end the
war. To effect this the rebel armies must be annihilated.
Let Lee’s, Bragg’s and Joe Johnson’s armies be destroyed
and the war will be at an end. Charleston and every
other place in rebeldom will take themselves. This
should have been accomplished last summer; but was not,
for the want of Generalship on the part of Buell and Mc-
Clellan. M.