The Portland daily press., 1862-12-06
Major Gen. Halleck,s Report.


cial source, its statements will do mnch to cor
rect public opinion, and to disabuse the pub
lie mind of mass of false impressions in re-
lation to the disposition Of the Executive, and
the Department, towards the Army of the Pc
ninsuia, and the promptness with which the
orders of the General-in-chief have been re-
sponded to. Gen. Halleck refers to his being
called by the President to assume the duties
of General-in-chief and says:
The first thing to which my attention was
called on my arrival here, was the condition
of the army at Harrisons Landing, on the
James river. | Immediately visited Gen. Nc
Cleans headquarters for consultation.
left Washington on the oath and returned
on the 9th. The main object of this consul
tation was to ascertain if there was possibil-
ity of an advance upon Richmond from Harli
sons Landing, and If not, to favor some plan
of uniting the armies of Gen. Mcclellan and
Gen. Pope on some other line. Not being IA
miliar with the position and numbers of the
troops in Virginia and on the coast | took
the Presidents estimate of the largest lumber
of renforcernents that could be sent to the
! Army OF the Potomac. On the day of my ar
rival at Harrisons Landing, Gen. Mcclellan
was of the opinion that he would require at
least $4,000 additional troops. l 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that number could be safely withdrawn from
| other places.
He took the night for considering the mat
ter, and informed me the next morning that
he would make the attempt upon Richmond
with the 10000, but, Immediately on my return
to Washington, he telegraphed that he would
require 81, ZOO, force which it was impossible
IN send him uithont Iaavipr Washipnfnp aud
Baltimore almost deienseless. The only alter
native now left was to withdraw the Army of
| the Potomac to some position where it could
unite with that of Gen. Pope, and cover Wash
ington at the same that it operated against
the enemy. After full consultation with my
officers, l determined to attempt this junction
on the Rappahannock, by bringing McClellan's
forces to Aqua Creek. Accordingly, on the
Both of July, l telegraphed to him to send
away his sick as quickly as possible, prepara-
tory to movement of his troops. This was
preliminary to a withdrawal of his entire
army, which was ordered by telegraph on the
Sd of August.
In order that the transfer to Aqua Creek
might be made as rapidly as possible, author
lied 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 Quarfermaster-G General was also request
ed TO send to that point all the transports that
couldbe procured. On the 5th received
protest from Gen. Mcclellan, dated the 4th,
against the removal of the army from Harri
sons Landing, a copy of which is annexed,
marked Exhibit No. l. with my reply on the
9th, marked Exhibit No. 2. On the 1st of
August ordered Gen. Burnside to immedi-
ately embark his troops at Newport News,
transfer them to Aquia Creek, and make posi-
ton opposite Fredericksburg. This officer
moved with great promptness, and reached
Aqua Creek on the night of the Sd. His
troops were Immediately landed, and the tram
sports sent back to Gen. Mcclellan.
| About this time / received Information that
the enemy was preparing large force to drive
back Gen. Pope, and attack either Washing
ton or Baltimore. The information was so d.
rect and trustworthy that could not doubt its
correctness. This gave me serious uneasiness
for the safety OF the capital and Maryland, and
/ repeatedly urged upon Mcclellan the neces-
sity of promptly moving his army SO as to
form junction with that of Gen. Pope. The
evacuation of Harrson's Landing, however,
was not commenced till the 18th, eleven days
after it was ordered.
Gen. Halleck speaks in detail of the effects
of McClelan's delay upon Pope's arrange
ments and dispositions which he says were
"well planned" He says:
On the evening of the 27th Gen. Pope or
dered Gen. Porter to be at Bristow's Station
by daylight on the morning of the 2Sth, with
Morell's, and also directed him TO communi-
cate to Bank, the order to move forward to
Warrenton junction. All trains were ordered
this side of Cedar Run, and to be protected
by regiment OF infantry, and section of ar
tlllery. For some unexplained reason Porter
did not comply with this order, and his corps
was not in the battles OF the 18th and 29th.
Helntzelman's corps pressed forward to
Manassas on the morning of the 2Sth, and
forced jackson to retreat across Bull Run by
tue Centrevie turnpike Mcdowell had sue
ceeded in checking Lee at Thoroughfare Gap,
but the latter took the road from Hopeville to
Newmarket and hastened to the relief of Jack
son, who was already in rapid retreat. A por-
tion OF McDowells corps encountered the re-
treating column on the afternoon of the 21th,
near Warrenton turnpike, and severe but
successful engagement ensued. jackson was
again attacked on the 29th, near the old battle
ground of July, 1861. Knowing that Long
street was not distant, he made most desper-
ate stand. The fight continued nearly all day,
and was terminated only by darkness. We had
gained considerable ground, but nothing was
decided when the battle closed.
1t was renewed the next morning, and after
another days hard fighting our forces fell back
behind Ball Run, the enemy not attempting
any pursuit. Two days later, however, he
threw considerable force between Chantilly
and Germantown to turn Pope's right. Hook
er dslodged them after short but severe en-
gagemeut, in which Brig. Gems. Kearney and
Stevens, two of our very best officers, were
killed. Popes army had been Reinforced by the
corps of Franklin and Sumner, and no further
apprehensions were felt for its safety.
During the operations of the previous week,
of which we received very favorable, but not
trustworthy accounts, every effort was made
to push forward supplies and reinforcements
TO Gen. Pope's army. The troops from the
peninsula were ordered not to wait for trans
portation, but to march Immediately to the
field of battle.
Some of the corps moved with becoming ac-
tiyity but the delays of others were neither
creditable nor excusable
In order to recognize the different corps, get
stragglers back into the ranks, and to supply
deficiencies of ammunition, clothing, etc,
caused by recent losses, General Pope request
ed, and received directions to bring his army
within the dcfenses of Washington, which
were then under the command of Gen. Nc
Clellan. This movement was effected on the
night of the 4th, without loss. Gen. Pope be-
ing now second in command of the united for
ces, applied to be relieved, and was transferred
to another department. Although this short
and active campaign was, from causes already
referred to, less successful than we had reason
to expect, it had accomplished the great and
important object of covering the capital tll
troops could be collected for its defense. Had
the army of the Potomac arrived few days
earlier the rebel army could have been easily
defeated and perhaps destroyed.
After giving an account of the disgraceful