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.


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