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"Our place of meeting is the room of the Committee on Territories of the Senate.

"I remain, very respectfully, yours,

"B. F. WADE, Chairman.

"Major General GEORGE B. MCCLELLAN,

"General Commanding Army of United States."

On motion of Mr. Covode, it was

Ordered, That Major General John C. Frémont be summoned to appear before this committee on the 6th day of January, 1862, to testify to the conduct of the war in the department of the west.

Adjourned to 10 a. m. on Monday next.

WASHINGTON, D. C., December 23, 1861.

The committee met pursuant to adjournment. Present: The chairman, Messrs. Chandler, Gooch, Julian, and Odell.

The chairman laid before the committee the following letter, in reply to the one which we had, in pursuance to the instruction of the committee, addressed to General McClellan on Saturday last:

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"SIR: Yours of the 21st is received. I will do myself the honor of wait ing upon your committee, at their room, a few minutes after 10 to-morrow morning, (23d.)

"Very respectfully, yours,

"GEORGE B. MCCLELLAN,

"Hon. B. F. WADE, Chairman Committee."

"Major General Commanding.

Mr. Chandler, from the sub-committee appointed on Saturday last, reported

That, as directed, they had visited the War Department, and obtained the following information from the adjutant general United States army:

That there were now in the field 60,000 cavalry, whereas Major General McClellan himself had stated that he wanted but 40,000.

Also, a consolidated morning report of troops serving in the army of the Potomac, commanded by Major General George B. McClellan, of date December 10, 1861, the footings of which are as follows:

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Ordered, That the clerk of this committee be directed to obtain, for the use of this committee, the best maps to be had representing the location of troops throughout the country.

General McClellan did not appear in attendance upon the committee this morning.

Adjourned to 10 a. m. to-morrow, unless sooner called together by the chairman.

WASHINGTON, D. C., December 24, 1861.

The committee met pursuant to adjournment. Present: The chairman, Messrs. Chandler, Johnson, and Julian.

The chairman laid before the committee the following communication:

"HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
"Washington, December 23, 1861.

"DEAR SIR: General McClellan is so unwell that he will be unable to perform his engagement with you to-day. I do not think that he will leave his house at all.

"Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

"Hon. B. F. WADE."

"THOMAS McKEY.

The following witnesses were examined: General J. P. Richardson and General S. B. Heintzelman.

Adjourned to 10 a. m. on Thursday next.

WASHINGTON, D. C., December 26, 1861. The committee met pursuant to adjournment. Present: The chairman, Messrs. Chandler, Johnson, and Julian.

The following witnesses were examined: General William B. Franklin, General Irvin McDowell, and General James S. Wadsworth.

Adjourned to 10 a. m. to-morrow.

WASHINGTON, D. C., December 27, 1861.

The committee met pursuant to adjournment. Present: The chairman, Messrs. Chandler, Johnson, and Julian.

The following witness was examined: Quartermaster General M. C. Meigs. Mr. Chandler, from the sub-committee to procure certain information, made a still further report to the committee of sundry papers obtained from the adjutant general's office.

The following witness was examined: General F. W. Lander.

On motion of Mr. Chandler, it was

Ordered, That for the purpose of taking testimony less than a quorum of this committee shall be deemed sufficient.

On motion of Mr. Chandler, it was

Ordered, That the chairman of this committee be authorized to employ a clerk in addition to the stenographer now employed. Adjourned to 10 a. m. to-morrow.

WASHINGTON, D. C., December 28, 1861.

The committee met pursuant to adjournment. Present: The chairman, Messrs. Chandler, Johnson, Julian, and Odell.

The following witnesses were examined: General George A. McCall, General Fitz-John Porter, General George W. Morell, and General H. W. Slocum. Adjourned to Monday next at 10 a. m.

WASHINGTON, D. C., December 30, 1861.

The committee met pursuant to adjournment. Present: The chairman, Messrs. Chandler, Johnson, Gooch, Julian, and Odell.

The following witnesses were examined: General William F. Smith and Colonel Stephen G. Champlin.

Adjourned to 10 a. m. to-morrow.

WASHINGTON, December 31, 1861.

The committee met pursuant to adjournment. Present: The chairman, Messrs. Chandler, Johnson, Gooch, Julian, and Odell.

The chairman laid before the committee the response of the War Department to resolution of the Senate calling for the correspondence between Generals Scott and Patterson, referred to this committee by the Senate.

The following witnesses were examined: General W. S. Rosecrans and General Charles W. Sanford.

On motion of Mr. Gooch, it was

Resolved, (unanimously,) That this committee request an interview with the President at such time as shall be agreeable to him, and that the chairman be instructed to inform the President of the desire of the committee. Adjourned to Thursday next at 10 a. m.

WASHINGTON, D. C., January 2, 1862.

The committee met pursuant to adjournment. Present: The chairman, Messrs. Johnson, Gooch, Julian, and Odell.

The folloming witnesses were examined: General B. F. Larned and Mr. E. H. Brooks.

Adjourned to to-morrow at 10 a. m.

WASHINGTON, D. C., January 3, 1862.

The committee met pursuant to adjournment. Present: The chairman, Messrs. Chandler, Johnson, Gooch, Julian, and Odell.

[The clerk of the committee was directed to enter upon its journal that, in reply to the resolution of the committee of December 31, 1861, the President named 8 o'clock the same evening, at which time he would be pleased to receive the committee. Accordingly the committee waited upon him at that time; all the members being present at the interview, except Messrs. Covode and Julian.]

The following witness was examined: Major Abner Doubleday.
Adjourned to 10 a. m. to-morrow.

WASHINGTON, January 4, 1862.

The committee met pursuant to adjournment. Present: The chairman, Messrs. Chandler, Gooch, Julian, and Odell.

On motion of Mr. Gooch, it was

Resolved, (unanimously,) That a sub-committee of three members be appointed to confer with the President and the Secretary of War in relation to an interview between the President and his cabinet and this committee. The chairman appointed as such sub-committee Messrs. Gooch, Chandler, and Odell.

Adjourned to Monday next, 10 a. m.

WASHINGTON, January 5, 1862.

The committee met pursuant to call of its chairman. Present: The chairman, Messrs. Chandler, Johnson, Gooch, Julian, and Odell.

The chairman stated that he had called a meeting of the committee to-day for the reason that Genera! Charles P. Stone, whom the committee desired to examine, was now in the city, and he desired to be examined to-day if convenient to the committee, as he should feel compelled to return to his command to-morrow as soon as he could transact at headquarters the business upon which he came here.

Mr. Gooch, from the sub-committee appointed yesterday, (see journal of yesterday,) reported:

That, in pursuance to the instructions of this committee, they had called upon the Secretary of War and stated to him the object of their visit. The Secretary informed them that, having learned informally that an interview with the President and his cabinet would be agreeable to the committee, he had called upon the President in relation to that matter, and the President had already appointed Monday evening, January 6, at 7 o'clock, for the committee to meet the President and his cabinet.

The following witness was examined: General Charles P. Stone.
Adjourned to to-morrow at 10 a. m.

WASHINGTON, January 6, 1862.

The committee met pursuant to adjournment; all the members present. The following witnesses were examined: General Louis Blenker, General Silas Casey, General Robert Patterson.

The examination of the last witness was not concluded.
Adjourned to 10 a. m. to-morrow.

WASHINGTON, January 7, 1862.

The committee met pursuant to adjournment; all the members present. Ordered to be entered upon the journal that the full committee met the President and his whole cabinet at 7 p. m. yesterday, according to previous arrangement.

The following resolution was received from the House of Representatives:

"On motion of Mr. S. S. Blair,

"DECEMBER 23, 1861.

Resolved, That the select committee on the conduct of the war be requested to direct their attention without delay to the condition of the army at Port Royal, South Carolina, with respect to hospital accommodations, and report the result of their inquiries as soon as practicable.

"Attest:

EM. ETHERIDGE, Clerk."

The following witnesses were examined: General William Barry, General Robert Patterson, resumed.

Adjourned to 10 a. m., to-morrow.

WASHINGTON, January 8, 1862.

The committee met pursuant to adjournment; all the members present. The following witnesses were examined: General John A. Dix, General E. D. Keyes, and General R. Patterson, (concluded.)

Adjourned to 10 a. m. to-morrow.

WASHINGTON, January 9, 1862.

The committee met pursuant to adjournment; all the members present. The following witnesses were examined: Colonel Joseph B. Plummer and Major Dwight Bannister.

Adjourned to 10 a. m. to-morrow.

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