Delaware State journal and statesman., 1862-11-11
Letter from General Halleck to the
Secretary of War
rnE GROUND FOR GEN. McCLELLAN,s
REMOVAL.
WAslIINeroS. NoHemhcr y.


t. 'ur War Department in recommending the presi
lent to make change ia The command Of III,
E Army of the Potomac:
e LETTER FROM GENERAL lALLGcE
ilrApQ, ARTERs Of Tnr AMY.
Washington, Oct 2s, 1856.
Ho~ t. w. Stanton, .Secreia1g of Wlr.
-iH In reply to the general interroeatorie- con
@ined In your letter cf yesterday. have ibe
honor TO report
fits'. That requisitioas for snpp.ie. 10 The
army under General Mcclellan are made ty his
'.aif officers on the chiefa If bureaus here tsai
The eufr'ermaster applies hy his Chief
Vqlnermss'cr on Qaartermastcr General fer
'nmissary supplies by his Chief Commissary ca
1mm'ssary General, SC
No such acquisitions have been ia NV Aa5w
oi9o' made upon the Secretary Of War. and none
npon the Gsnersl-iu-Chef
Second. On several oocaston., General Nc
eeIlsn has teiosraphed me that his army was
efficient IN certain supplies An ,hsse kilograms
acre Immediately referred 10 lhe hends of
o0reans with oileis 10 report IL was ascer-
aoel tiit in every instance tile reouisiriaus
"''e been Immediately Gllel, except where tile
Qartermasier General had been obliged to .end
if'm Philadelphia ccr,ain aftic.cs ol cl1tb.np.
pats' etc, nat having fa'l supply here.
There has not been, 81 far as could ascertain
a'y neglect or delay. ia any deparmep, or
aeteaa, ia issing all the supplies asked for by
General Mcclellan, or ty the officers Of his .taf
Delays have occasionally occurred in forward.
'hi supplies by railroad ou account Of the crowl
eleendition Of the railroad depois, or of a want
'l' suiic'ent number Of cars; lut, whenever
"ouhed Of this fact, agents have becn sent out
10 remove the difficulty unl,r tie excellent sn-
perin'endenee Of Geu. Ilaupt ,hiuk those
delays have hcen less frequent and of sbnr,er
duration thah is usually the case with freisbt
ralns Anarmy Of the size Of that under Cen
'FAs Mcclellan will frequently be for some days
"''uout tue supplies it has asked for, on acooun'
'' neglect in making timely reQuisitions for
them, and unavoidable delays in forwarding them
anu distributing them to the different brigades
and regiments.
From all the information that can obtain,
mn OF the opinion that the acquisitions from tba,
army have been filled more promptly, and that
'he men, as general rule, have been better
supplied, that in the case of onr armies operatinc
ia the West. The latter have operated Mt
iauen greater distance from the sources of sup.
plies, and have had far less facilities for trans
Pvraiion ln iiue, believe that no armies in
th' world in campaigning have been more
r'mp'y or better supplied than ours.
lhird- Soon after the battle of Antietan.
General Mcclellan was urged to give me in
formation Of his intended movements. in order
'ha' II he moved between the enemy and Wash
'uR'on The relpiorcements could be sent from this
Place 90 the iirst of October, fading that be
P'FPosed to operate from lIarper'a Ferry, l
urged him to cross the river at once md give
pa'tl' to the enemy, pointing out to him the dis
advantages Ct delaying til tho autumn rains had
swollen The Potomac and impaired the roads.
On the 9Th of October he was premptorily Ordered
no cross NE Potomac and gipe bathe 10 HE s,is,py.
'' d"re din South. | said to him: "Four armv
"as' mare noie, while tho roads are in good con
a'nont' twill he observed that three weeks
have elapsed since that order was given.
temih, In my opinion Mtre has 5een no sueA
aaN @sPPaes il he army under General Me-
c8e''en rs 10 preeeat his compliance ,cil my ordcrs
~ odraace upon he enemy
i'Hd he moved his army to the south side of
tile Potomac he could have received his supplies
almost as readily as BY remaining inae,ipc on the
north side.
i4'th. ia the seventh Of October, ia a telegram
1 regard to his intended movements, Gen. Me
tlin stated that he would require at least
thIeedaysl supply the frst fifth. and sixth corps;
'nat they needed shoes, and other indispensable
ar'icles OF clothing, as well as shelter tents. No
complaint was made that his army requsitions
had Lol been filed, and il Was inferred from his
Naguaee that he was only waiting for the dis
''onuon OF his supplies.
On the eleventh of October lie telegraphed to
me ihat portion Of his supplies sent by railroad
hnd beeu delayed. As already stated, agents
were Immediately sent from here to investigate
tnis compliant. and they reported that every
thing had gene forward on the same date, the
1lth.
General Mcclellan spoke Of many Of his horses
being broken down by fatigue. On the l2ih Of
October he complained that the rat of supply
was only one hundred and fifty horses per week
Tor his entire army there and in fl.ont Of Wash
ington
Immediately directed the Quartermaser
General to inquire into this matter. and report
why larger supply was not furnished to Gene
raj Mcclellan.
General Meigs reported to me, on the 18th of
October, that the average issue Of horses TO
General McClellan's army iu the field and in front
OF Washington, for the previous six weeks, had
been ,459 per week, or S,G54 in all
In addition. he reported to me that a large
number of fmnles had been supplied, and that the
number of these animals with General Me-
o'ellans army on the Upper Potomac was over
] 100
lie also reported to me that he was then send.
ing that army all the horses he could procure.
On the 18th of October, General Mcclellan
stated, in Fegard to Gen. Meigs' report that he
had filled every requisitiOn for shoes and cloth
ing General Meigs may have ordered these
articles to be forwarded; but they might as we'll