The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1862-12-18
Gen. Halleck's Report.
History OF the War During the Past SIX
Months.
HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY,
WASHINGTON, Dec. 2, 1862.

| SIR: In compliance with your orders, haN
| the honor to submit the following report OF mi
! itary operations since the 23d of July last,whe
! in compliance with the Presidents order, al
sumed the command of the army as GeneraI>ir
Chief
| The Campaign on the Peninsula.
| The first thing to which my attention ws
called on my arrival here was the condition {
the army at Harrison's Landing, on the Jane
River | Immediately visited Gen. McClel
Ian's headquarters for consultation. l lei
Washington on the oath and returned on Sd
9th The main object ofthis consultation wa
to ascertain if there was a possibility Of an ad
vance upon Richmond from Harrison's Lane
ing, and if no. TO favor some plan of uniting tn
armies OF Gen Mcclellan and Gen. Pope o
some other line Not being familiar with tn
position and numbers of the troops IN Virginia
and on the coast, l took the Presidents estl
mate OF the largest number of reinforcement
that could be sent to the army of the Potomac
On the day of my arrival at Harrison's Laudin
Gen. Mcclellan was of opinion that he woul
require at least 50, 900 additional troops. lin
formed him that this number could not posi-
bly, be sent, that / was not authorized to pro
mise him over 81, 900, and that could be safe
ly withdrawn from other places He took Ih
night for considering the matter, and INFORMED
me the next morning that he would make thu
attempt upon Richmond with the additlona
1000, hut Immediately on my return to w ash
ington he telegraphed that he would require
IS, 600, force which it was impossible to sent
him without leaving Washington and Baltl>
more almost defenseless. The only alternative
now left was to Withdraw the army OF the Poto
mac to some position where it could unite will
that of Gen Pope, and cover Washington a,
Al IL, - no
my. After full consultation with my officers, ]
determined to attempt this junction ON the
Rappahannock. by bringing McClellan's forces
to Aqua Creek. Accordingly, on the 3Oth
July telegraphed to him to send away his sick
as quickly as possible, preparatory to move~
ment of his troops. This was preliminary to
the withdrawal of his entire army which was
ordered by telegraph on the Sd of August. In
order that the transfer to Aqua CTeek might
be made as rapidly as possible, | authorized
6 IN Mcclellan to assume control OF all the
vessels in the James River and Chesapeake Bay,
of which there was then vast fleet. The Quar-
termaster General was also requested to send
to that point all the transports that cOnid be
On the 9TH | received protest
from Gen. Mcclellan, dated the 4th, against the
of the army from Harri.on's landings
copy of which is annexed, marked exhibit No.
Si ZIG 1SO VI SuoG OIuEiSN OEil' Au' 81
side 10 Immediately embark his troops az New
port News, transfer them to Aqua Creek, and
take position opposite Fredericksburg. This
officer moved with great promptness, and reach
ed Aqua Greek on the night of the Sd. Ills
troops were Immediately landed, and the trans
ports $ INT back to Gen. Mcclellan
Delay of Gen. Mcclellan IN mouing to AqWia
....a Creek.
iroa I ranaiyaA inf, III hot
the enemy was preparing a large force to drive
back Gen. Pope, and attack either Washington
or Baltimore The information was so direct
and trustworthy that could not doubt its cor
rectness This gives me serious uneaslness fol
The safety of the capital and Maryland, and
repeatedly urged upon Gen. Mcclellan the nec>
essity Of promptly moving his army so as to
form junction with thai OF Gen. Pope. The
evacuation of Harrson's Landing, however
was not commenced till the 18th. eleven days
after it was ordered.
Gen. Pope'S Campaign.
Greatly discouraged at the prospect of timely
aid from that quarter, | authorized Gen. Cox
in Western Virginia with all possible dispatch
by railroad to join him via Washington. Tc
facilitate the Withdrawal Of tie army Of the Po-
tomac from the Peninsula, and to gain time by
demonstration against the enemy, Gen. Pope
pushed his forces across the Rappahannock.o c-
cupied Culpepper and threatened Gordonsville
Jacksons and Ewell's forces were hurried e
the Rapidan, and on the 9Th of August en-.
countered Bank corps at Cedar Mountain. A
hard fought battle enSued and on tie arrival OF
re>tpforcements from the corps Of Gen. Mellow
ell and Sigel, the enemy fell back upon the
RapIdaG and Gordonsviile.
On the 10Th our cavalry surprised party o
the enemy near Louisa Court House. and cap
tured important dispa tches, showing that Lee
was moving by forced marches the main body
of the rebel army 20 attack Pope, before q juno
ton could be formed between him aud the ar
my OF the 5tomac. On the 10th. telegraph
ed to Gen. Pope not 10 cross the Rapidan, ano
advised him TO take position i'll rear of the Rap
pahann0ck, where he could be more easily re-
inforced. He commenced this movements on
the nth, and by the morning Of the 18th hat
most Of his forces behind that river prepared
to hold its passes as long as possible He hac
been reinforced by Kings division and par
of Burnsides corps, under Gen. Reno, from
Frederick sburg I also directed Gen. Burn
side to occupy Richards and Barnetts Fords
which were between him and Gen. Pope's main
army
The enemy made several attempts TO cross al
different points on the Rappahannock, but was
always repulsed, and our troops succeeded il
holding the line of the river for eight days. Ii
was hoped that duriug this time sufficient for
ces from the army of The Potomac would reach
AQUA Creek to enable us TO prevent any furth
err advance of Lee, and eventually, with the
combined armies, to drive him back upon Rich
mond. On the Oath he made flank move
ment, and crossed a portion a his forces al
Waterloo Bridge about twelve miles above the
Rappahannock Railroad station. Pope direct
L a.. l., .ah. bod aFTS5
ed the river, hoping TO cut them off, but the
enemy escaped with no great loss. The an
nexed telegram from Gen. Pope, marked Ex-
hibit No. 4, and dated the 25th, gives his Views
of the condition of affairs at that date. The
enemy, however, had not fallen back, as he sup
posed, but on being repulsed at Waterloo Bridgr
had moved further up the river, aud entered
the valley which lies between the Blue Rldg,
and Bull Run Mountains. The object of thi
movement was evidently to get IN Ropes rear
and cat off his supplies from Washington
I Anticibaing this danger had telegraphe
4 to Gen pope on the 23d "By no means ex
nose vour railroad communication with Alex
andria. 1t Is of The utmost importance in send
/ ing your supplies and reinfofcements " On th
26th, tclegraphed: If possible to attack III
enemy IN flank. do so, but the main ooject no
is to ascertain his position" From this tim
! flI tflt 1JtI naQ no COMMUNICATE WIN Ot'
Pope, the telegraph laes b ing cut at heth
Run by part Of Jackson's corps aUdcf Eve
which had marched around Pope'a right and "a
tackled his rear. . #e .as.H .-ssae.
Finding it doubtful whether we could hoI
Rappahannock long enough to effect this june
ton Of the two armies, had objected a part
the Peninsula force to land at Alexandra on
move out by railroad as rapidly as possible.
soon as had heard that the enemy had turI
ed Gen. Pope's right flank and forced him
change his front, l ordered the remainder
the army of the Potomac TO Alexandria, ar
directed Gen. Burnside to prepare to evacua
Fredericksburg and Aqua Greek. determi
ed, however, to hold this position as long
possible for base of future operations.
Gen. Pope's dispositions at this junctu
were we'll planned. The corps of McDowe
and Sigel, and the Pennsylvania reserves, u
der Reynolds, were pushed forward to Gaine
} Vile, Reno and Kearney were directed upt
i. Greenwich, while Hooker's division was Sc
against Ewell along the railroad. Unfortunar
iy, however, the moment was too late, a.
large detachment of Lees army was aireaC
east of Thoronghfare Gap. Hooker encoun
: cred the enemy near Kettle Run, and sha
;e;,