Another plan of the campaign.
The Northern newspaper writers are tremendous on plans for the invasion of the
South.
The following is given by the
Baltimore correspondent of the Philadelphia Inquirer:
‘
I have learned from a semi-official source some details of a plan for an attack on
Richmond from the
West.
While at
Cincinnati a few days ago,
Gen. McClellan held a conference with several omin at Western army officers, at which he presented the following plan, which was enthusiastically approved of and agreed to by all present, namely: to organize, out of the troops now ready for the field in
Ohio,
Indiana, and the
North western States, two columns of 20,000 each, one to rendezvous at
Ashland, Ky., and the other at
Gallipolis, Ohio, both on the
Ohio river, and both accessible by railroads.
To march the first column across the western counties of
Virginia to the nearest point on the Virginia and Tennessee railroad; probably at
Abingdon, and to march the second column along the valley of the
Kanawha river, either to
Covington or Newborn.
The marching distance for either column would not be over one hundred or one hundred and fifty miles, and could easily be accomplished in a week's time.
There are excellent wagon roads on the proposed routes, which at this season were in good order.
It is the opinion of
Gen. McClellan that this demonstration can be made, and the forty thousand troops brought in this way before
Richmond by the 1st of July, in time to co-operate with the forces of
General Patterson from the
North and
General Butler from the
East.
The plan has been submitted to
General Scott, and if he approves of it, it will be carried into execution.
’
The
Washington correspondent of the same paper gives an idea of what old Fuss and Feathers thinks of these busy writers:
‘
General Scott was heard to say yesterday that he would have captured the rebels at
Harper's Ferry, and all their munitions of war, had it not been for the newspaper press (in their anxiety to give early news) keeping the rebels fully posted up in every movement of the United States troops.
He said "he said he would rather have one hundred rebel spies in his camp than one newspaper reporter."
’
