McClellan's Military Career Reviewed and Exposed: The Military Policy of the Administration Set Forth and Vindicated |
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action advance Alexandria artillery assume the offensive Aulic Council battle battle of Williamsburg brigades campaign Capital career cavalry Centreville Chickahominy circumstances Clellan condition conduct Confederate Corps Commanders defeat delay demoralization disaster dispatches division duty effect enemy enemy's line eral McClellan extraordinary fact fifty thousand fight Fitz John Porter Fortress Monroe Franklin Franklin's corps front garrison give Halleck Harper's Ferry hundred and fifty hundred thousand Jackson James river junction Magruder Manassas McDowell McDowell's corps Merrimac military months morning move movement Napoleon never operations opinion organization Peninsula Pope position possible Potomac President President's Prince de Joinville purpose Rappahannock reason rebel army rebel force received reinforcements retreat Richmond roads route says scrape Secretary of War secure siege of Yorktown so-called Report soldiers strength telegram telegraphs thousand troops tion Urbana victory Virginia Washington Williamsburg withdrawal York river Yorktown
Popular passages
Page 28 - Tell me what you wish me to do, and I will do all in my power to accomplish it. I wish to know what my orders and authority are. I ask for nothing, but will obey whatever orders you give. I only ask a prompt decision, that I may at once give the necessary orders. It will not do to delay longer, "GEO.
Page 5 - ... strong and capable of being held by a small force. It was necessary also to create a new army for active operations and to expedite its organization, equipment, and the accumulation of the material of war, and to this not inconsiderable labor all my energies for the next three months were constantly devoted. Time is a necessary element in the creation of armies, and I do not, therefore, think it necessary to more than mention the impatience with which many regarded the delay in the arrival of...
Page 10 - January 27, 1862. Ordered, That the 22d day of February, 1862, be the day for a general movement of all the land and naval forces of the United States against the insurgent forces. That especially the army at and about Fortress Monroe ; the Army of the Potomac; the Army of Western Virginia; the army near...
Page 22 - It will be observed, this order rendered it impossible for me to use the James River as a line of operations, and forced me to establish our depots on the Pamunkey, and to approach Richmond from the north. I had advised, and preferred, that reinforcements should be sent by water, for the reasons that their arrival would be more safe and certain...
Page 30 - Colonel Miles is at or near Harper's Ferry, as I understand, with nine thousand troops. He can do nothing where he is, but could be of great service if ordered to join me. I suggest that he be ordered to join me by the most practicable route.
Page 28 - I am clear that one of two courses should be adopted : first, to concentrate all our available forces to open communications with Pope ; second, to leave Pope to get out of his scrape, and at once use all our means to make the capital perfectly safe.
Page 16 - Point, one and a half miles. I was compelled to place in Gloucester Point, Yorktown, and Mulberry Island, fixed garrisons, amounting to six thousand men, my whole force being eleven thousand. So that it will be seen that the balance of the line, embracing a length of thirteen miles, was defended by about five thousand men.
Page 11 - In fact, would it not be less valuable in this, that it would break no great line of the enemy's communications, while mine would? Fifth. In case of disaster, would not a retreat be more difficult by your plan than mine?
Page 13 - 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 27 - General Franklin is with me here. I will know in a few minutes the condition of artillery and cavalry. We are not yet in condition to move, may be by to-morrow morning.