The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1862-12-11


The following is the dispatch of
Gen. Pope to Gen. HalIeck, upon
which Gen. .Seigel has based court
martial, and also the order from Gen.
Halleck directing Mcclellan to cross
the Potomac, after the battle of Ante
tam, which Gen. Nc Clellan Disregard,
and for which he was removed:
GEN. POPE TO GEN. HALLECK.
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF VIRGINIA,
August 25-9 p. M. i
Major General Halleck, Comnsander-in- Chief:
The columns of the enemy alluded
to in my dispatch of 1890 P. M. to-
day, passed Gaines Cross Roads, and
when last seen near sunset was passing
to the northeast, under the cast base
of Buck Mountain, in the direction of
Salem and Rectortown. l am inclined
to believe that this column is only COW
ering the flank of the main body, which
is moving towards Front Royal and
Thornton's Gap, though of this / am
not certain. ! shall push strong re-
connoissance across the river at Wa
terloo bridge and Sulphur Springs
early in the morning, to ascertain
whether the main body of the enemy
has really left, and if so, to push for
ward in their rear. There is certainly
no force opposite Rappahannock Sta
ton. McDowell's is the only corps
that is at all reliable, that 1 have.
Sigel, as you know, is perfectly un-
reliable, and l suggest that some Off
Ger of superior rank be sent to com.
mand his army corps. His conduct to-
day has occasioned me great dissatis-
faction. Banks corps is very weak,
not amounting to more than 5000 men,
and is much demoralized. Kearney's
division is the only one that has vet
reached me from Alexandria. / shall
at all events, push McDowell's corps
and Kearney's division upon the ene-
my's rear. fl find my suspicious con-
6rmed in the morning, l shall also put
Reno across the river at Rappahan-
mock Station, and direct him to move
forward cautiously upon Culpepper.
Banks corps must be left somewhere
in the rear, to be sent up again. ST.
gels corps, although composed of some
of the best fighting material we have,
will never do much service under that
officer. l will communicate further
with you in the morning.
JOHN POPE, Major 6 eneral.
CEN uAIIFcK To GEN. M'crErIAN
WASHINGTON, d. c., Oct. 6, 1862.
Major-GeneraI Mcclellan:
am instructed TO telegraph you as
follows: The President directs that
you cross the Potomac and give bat
tie to the enemy or drive him South.
Your army must move now; the roads
are good. you cross the river be-
tween the enemy and Washington, and
cover the latter by your line of opera
tons, you will be reinforced by 10000
men. you move up the valley of
the Shenandoah, not more than $4,000
or 5000 can be sent you. The Presi-
dent advises the interior line between
w ashinton and the enemy, but does
not order it. He is very DESTROYS that
your army moye as soon as possible.
You will Immediately report what line
you adopt, and when you intend to
cross tie river. Also to what point
he reinforccments are to be sent. 1t
is necessary that the plan of your ope
ra;ions be positively determined on or
before orders arc given for building
bridges and repairing railroads. / am
directed to add that the Secretary OF
War and the General-in- Chief fully con-
cur with the President in these in
structions. III. w. HALLECK,
General-in Chief.