Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1862-12-17
Gen. Halleck's Report.
HISTORY OF THE WAR pUR,NG THE PAST SIX
MONTHS.

HISTORY OF THE WAR pUR,NG THE PAST SIX
MONTHS
HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY
WASHINGTON, DEC I'd, 1852. I
SIR: In compliance with your orders,
have the honor to submit the following
report of military Operations since the
23d of July last, when, in compliance
with the Presidents S order, | assumed the
command as General-in-Chief
THE CAMPAIGN on THE PENINSULA
The first thing to which my attention
was called on my arrival here was the
condition of the army at Harrison's Lands
ing, on the james River. | immediately
visited Gen McClellans headq uarters
for consultation. Left Washington on
the Oath and returned on the 9th The
main object OF this consultation was to
ascertain if thcre was a possibility of an
advance upon Richmond from Harrison S
Landing, and if not, to favor some plan
of uniting the armies of Gen Mcclellan
and Gen. Pope on some other liue Not
being familiar with the position and mum
bers of the troops in Virginia, and on
the coast, l took the Presidents estimate
of the largest number of reinforcements
that could be sent to the army of the Po-
tomac. On the day OF my arrival at Har-
risons Landing Gen. Mcclellan was of
opinion that he would require at least
$4,000 additional troops. | informed him
that this number could not possibly be
sent, that ] was not authorized to promise
him over 10000, and that | could not well
see how even that number could be safe
" withdrawn from other places. He took
the night for consideration, and informed
me the next morning that he would make
the attempt upon Richmond with The ad-
ditional 10000, but Immediately on my
return to Washington he telegraph that
he would require $4,000, a force which it
was impossible to send him without leav-
ing Washington and Baltimore almost
defencelcss The only alternative now
left was to withdraw the army of the
Potomac to some position where it could
unite with that OF Gen. Pope, and cover
Washington at the same time that it op-
perated against the my. After full
consultat ;onwith my officers, determined
to attempt this junction on the Rappan-
mock, by bringing McCleIlan's force to
Aqua Creek Accordingly, on the 30th
OF July ! telegraphed to him to send away
his sick as quickly as possible, prepara-
tory to a movement Of his troops. This
WAS preliminary 10 tue WltluTaNaI OF MS
entire army, which was ordered by tele-
graph on the Sd of August In order
that the transfer to Aqua Creek might be
made as rapidly as possible, l authoriz-
ed Gen Mcclellan to assume control OF
all the vessels in the James River and
Chesapeake Bay, of which there was
then a vast fleet The Quartermaster
General was also requested to send to that
point all the transports that could be
procured On the 9TH | received a pro
test from Gen Mcclellan, dated the 4th,
against the removal of the army from
Harrison's Landing. a copy of which is
annexed, marked Exhibit No. ], with
my reply on the 9th, marked exhibit No
= On the lst Of August ordered Gen.
Burnside to immediately embark his
troops at Newport News, transfer them
to Aqua Creek, and take position OPP
posite Fredericksburg. This officer NOV
ed with great promptness, and reached
Aqua Creek on the night Of the third
His troops were Immediately landed,
and the transports sent back to Gen. Nc
Clellan-
DELAY OF GEN. Mcclellan IN MOVING TO
AQUA CREEK
About this time | received informal
ton that the enemy was preparing a
| large force to drive back Gen. Pope,
and attack either Washington or Balti-
more The information was so direct
and trustworthy that 1 could not doubt
its correctness This gave me serious
uneasiness for the safety of the capital
and Maryland, and ! repeatedly urged
upon Gen Mcclellan the necessity OF
promptly NOV ing his army so as to form
a junction with that of Gen. Pope The
evacuation of Harrison's Landing, how
ever, was not commenced till the I4th,
eleven days after it was ordered
GEN. PoPE's CAMPAIGN
Greatly discouraged at the prospect OF
timely aid from that quarter, | author
lied Gen. Pope to order the main forces
of Gen Cox in Western Virginia with
all possible dispatch by railroad to join
| him via Washington. To facilitate the
withdrawal of the army Of the Potomac,
from the peninsula and to gain time b.
/ demonstration against the enemy, Gen.
| Pope pushed his forces across the Rap
pahannock, occupied Culpepper, and
| threatened Gordonsville. Jackson's and
! Ewelis forces were hurried to the Rapi-
/ dam, and on the 9th of August encoun-
| tered Banks corps at Cedar Mountain.
/ A hard-fought battle ensued, and on the
arrival of reinforcenents from the corps
of Gems. Mcdowell and Sigel, the enemy
fell back upon the Rapidan and Gordons-
Vile
On the 18th our cavalry surprised a
party of the enemy near Louisa Court
House, and captured important dispatch
es, showing that Lee was moving by fore
ed marches and the main body of the reb-
el army to attack Pope, before a junction
could be formed between him and the ar
my Of the Potomac On the 10th, | tel
egraphed to Gen. Pope not to cross the
Rapidan, and advised him to take position
in rear of the Rappahannock, where be
could be more easily reinforced. lie com
mcnced this movement on the 18th, and
by the morning of the 18th had most Ul
his forces behind that river, prepared TO
hold its passes as long as possible. He
had been reinforced by Kings division
and part of Burnside's corps, under
Gen Reno, from Fredericksburg. | also
directed Gen Burnside to occupy Rich
ards and Barnett's Fords, which were
between him and Gen, Pope's main ar
my
The enemy made several attempts to