Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1862-11-21
fhe Removal Of Gen. Mcclellan.
Ges,. xsaiicck's Letter.

sent forward. to which Gen. Halleck made
he following reply -
HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY,
Washington, Oct. %. 1862.
Hon. f. NJ. Stanton, Secretary of War.
.Sir:-In reply to the general interosa-
iions conained in you letter of yesterday,
l have to report
/. That requisilions for supplies to the
army under Gen. Mcclellan are made by
his staff officers on the Chiefs Of Bureaus
here; that is, for Quarermaster's supplies,
by his Chief Quartermaster on the Quar-
tern aster- General; for Commissary sup
plies, by his Chief Commissary on the
Commisssry- General, &cc. No such requi- |
siions have been to my knowledge made
upon the Secretary of War, and none upon
the Genera-in-C
2. On several occasions Gen. Mcclellan
has telegraphed to me that his army was
deficient in certain supplies. All these
telegrsms were Immediately referred to the
Heads of Bureaus with orders to report
1t was ascertained that in every instance
the resuisitions had been Immediately filled,
except one, weere the Quartermaster Gem
eral hsd been obliged to send from Phila-
delphia certain articles of clothing, tents,
&c, not having full supply here. There
has not been, SO far as I could ascertain,
any neglect or delay in any Department or
Bureau, in issuing all supplies asked for by
Gen. Mcclellan or by the officers Of his
STAG. Delays have occasionally occurred
in forwarding supplies by rail, on account
of the crowded condition Of the depots or
want of cars; but whenever notified Of
4 this, agents have been sent cut 10 remove
the difficulty. Under the excellent super
intendence eff Gen. Ilaupt, think these
delays have been less frequent snd cf short
er duration ttan is usual with freight trains.
Any array of the size Of that under Gen,
Mcclellan win frequently be for some days
without the supplies asked on account OF
neglect in making timely acquisitions and
unavoidable delays ia forwarding them, and
in distributing tlrena tc The Different brigades
and regiments.
From all the information / can obtain, ]
am of opinion that the acquisitions from thai
ARMY have beed tiled more promptly. and
: that the men, as a general rule, have beer
bettee supplied than oar armies operating
5 in the West. The latter have operated a
] much greater distances from the sources o
) supply, and have had far less facilities fo
j transportation. In fine, believe no armie
in the world, while in campaign, have beer
i more promptly or better supplied than ours
h 3. Soon after the battle of Antietam
d Gen. Mcclellan was urged to give me in
I; formation of his intended movements, il
h order that if he moved between the enem,
: and Washington, reenforcements could b
: sent from this place. On the first of Octo
: Der, finding that he purposed to operat
:, from Harper's Ferry, urged him TO eros
# the river at once and give battle to the en-
r emy, pointing out TO him the disadvantage
o of delaying till the Autumn rains had swol
y len the Potomac and impaired the roads
r On the 9th of Octobep he was perempto
e rialy ordered 10 " cross she Potomac, an
d give battle to the enemy or drive him South
Your army must move now while the road
: are good" 1t will be observed that thre
e weeks have elapsed since this order wa
II given
, A. In my opinion there has been no sue
e want of supplies in the arm under GeI
+ Mcclellan as to prevent his complianc
e with the orders to advance sgainst the enc
al my. Had he moved TO the south side
Of the Potomac, he could have received h
y supplies almost as readily as by remainin
v inactive on the north.
't s. On the 9TH of October, in telegral
9. in regard TO his intended movements, Gel
p Mcclellan stated that it would require
y least three days to supply the First. Fifi
is and Sixth Corps, that they needed sho'
y and other indispensable articles of clothn
he as well as shelter tents. No complaint wi
OF made that any requisitiens had not bee
IS, filed, and it was inferred from his langua;
er that he was only waiting for the distribute
re Of his supplies. On the llth he telegrap
'n ed that portion Of his supplies sent
ly rail had been delayed.
si As already stated, agents were immed
1t. ately sent from here TO investigate this con
On plant, and the reported that everything hs
'g gone forward. On the same date lthe l Ill
RI he spoke of many of his horses being bro
ur en- down by fatigue. On the 18th he cor
IS, planned that the rate of supply was on
er . $50 horses per week for the entire arm
IN there and in front of Washington" / il
III mediately directed the Quartermaster-Ge
h eral to inquire into this matter, and repo
re why larger supply was not furnished
IL Gen. Meigs reported, on the l4th, that Il
IN average issue of horses to Gen. Mcclellan
p army in the field and in front of Washin
ar ton for the previous six weeks bad bee
Mt 1859 per week, or 1874 in all. In add
on -. a.. L., .,...,.,>srz - rn,la. had haf