Report of Major-General B. McClellan: Upon the Organization of the Army of the Potomac, and Its Campaigns in Virginia and Maryland, from July 26, 1861, to November 7, 1862 |
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Page 3
... battles and occurrences of the campaigns , and important documents connected with its organization , supply , and ... battle of Manassas , fought on that day . On the 22d I received an order by telegraph , directing me to turn over my ...
... battles and occurrences of the campaigns , and important documents connected with its organization , supply , and ... battle of Manassas , fought on that day . On the 22d I received an order by telegraph , directing me to turn over my ...
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... battle , ( Manassas , ) it is possi- ble that we might have been spared the labor and expenses of a great effort . Now we have no alternative . Their success will enable the political leaders of the rebels to convince the mass of their ...
... battle , ( Manassas , ) it is possi- ble that we might have been spared the labor and expenses of a great effort . Now we have no alternative . Their success will enable the political leaders of the rebels to convince the mass of their ...
Page 5
... battle of Manassas had been almost to destroy the morale and organi- zation of our army , and to alarm government and people . The national capital was in dan- ger ; it was necessary , besides holding the enemy in check , to build works ...
... battle of Manassas had been almost to destroy the morale and organi- zation of our army , and to alarm government and people . The national capital was in dan- ger ; it was necessary , besides holding the enemy in check , to build works ...
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... battle will be so im- portant throughout the future , as well as the present , that I continue to urge , as I have ever done since I entered upon the command of this army , upon the government to devote its ener- gies and its available ...
... battle will be so im- portant throughout the future , as well as the present , that I continue to urge , as I have ever done since I entered upon the command of this army , upon the government to devote its ener- gies and its available ...
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... battle in front of us . Fifth , that every nerve be strained to hasten the enrolment , organization and armament of new batteries and regiments of infantry . Sixth , that all the battalions now raised for new regiments of regular ...
... battle in front of us . Fifth , that every nerve be strained to hasten the enrolment , organization and armament of new batteries and regiments of infantry . Sixth , that all the battalions now raised for new regiments of regular ...
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Common terms and phrases
10-pounder Parrott advance Alexandria Antietam arrived artillery attack bank battery battle Boonsboro Bottom's bridge bridge brigade Burnside camp campaign Captain cavalry Chickahominy Colonel column command corps creek cross defence despatch direction enemy enemy's eral field fire flank Fort Magruder Fort Monroe forward Franklin front G. B. MCCLELLAN garrison general-in-chief guard guns H. W. HALLECK Hagerstown Harper's Ferry HEADQUARTERS ARMY Heintzelman hill Hooker infantry intrenched James river land Lieutenant Major General H. W. Major General MCCLELLAN Manassas Maryland ment miles Monroe morning move movement necessary night occupied officers operations Parrott guns Peninsula Pope Porter position possible Potomac President quartermaster railroad rear rebels received reconnoissances regiments reinforce Richmond road Rohrersville Savage's station Secretary Secretary of War sent Sharpsburg soon Sumner supplies telegram telegraphed tion transportation troops United States cavalry vicinity Virginia wagons Warrenton Washington Williamsburg York volunteers Yorktown
Popular passages
Page 90 - Military power should not be allowed to interfere with the relations of servitude, either by supporting or impairing the authority of the master, except for repressing disorder, as in other cases. Slaves, contraband, under the act of Congress, seeking military protection, should receive it.
Page 81 - In addition to what I have already said, I only wish to say to the President that I think he is wrong in regarding me as ungenerous when I said that my force was too weak.
Page 27 - That the heads of departments, and especially the Secretaries of War and of the Navy, with all their subordinates, and the general-in-chief, with all other commanders and subordinates of land and naval forces, will severally be held to their strict and full responsibilities for prompt execution of this order.
Page 38 - That the force to be left to cover Washington shall be such as to give an entire feeling of security for its safety from menace. (Unanimous.) " II. If the foregoing cannot be, the army should then be moved against the enemy, behind the Rappahannock, at the earliest possible moment...
Page 81 - I now know the full history of the day. On this side of the river (the right bank) we repulsed several strong attacks. On the left bank our men did all that men could do, all that soldiers could accomplish, but they were overwhelmed by vastly superior numbers, even after I brought my last reserves into action. The loss on both sides is terrible. I believe it will prove to be the most desperate battle of the war. The sad remnants of my men behave as men.
Page 30 - West Point, the key of that region, and thence but two marches to Richmond. A rapid movement from Urbana would probably cut off Magruder in the Peninsula, and enable us to occupy Richmond before it could be strongly reenforced.
Page 34 - That no more than two army corps (about fifty thousand troops) of said Army of the Potomac shall be moved en route for a new base of operations, until the navigation of the Potomac from Washington to the Chesapeake Bay shall be freed from the enemy's batteries and other obstructions, or until the President shall hereafter give express permission.
Page 3 - We have not only to defeat their armed and organized forces in the field, but to display such an overwhelming strength as will convince all our antagonists, especially those of the governing aristocratic class, of the utter impossibility of resistance.
Page 110 - It will be seen from what has preceded that I lost no time that could be avoided in moving the Army of the Potomac from the Peninsula to the support of the Army of Virginia ; that I spared no effort to hasten the embarkation of the troops at Fort Monroe, Newport News, and Yorktown, remaining at Fort Monroe myself until the mass of the army had sailed ; and that after my arrival at Alexandria, I left nothing in my power undone to forward supplies and re-enforcements to General Pope.
Page 96 - General, certainly could not have been more pained at receiving my order than I was at the necessity of issuing it. I was advised by high officers, in whose judgment I had great confidence, to make the order immediately on my arrival here, but I determined not to do so until I could learn your wishes from a personal interview. And even after that interview I tried every means in my power to avoid withdrawing your army, and delayed my decision as long as I dared to delay it. I assure you, General,...