Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1862-11-13
Gen. McCleiIan.-Gen. HaIleck,s Letter
To Secretary stanton,

~ -" """'HVi NN'uihh upou' pen MCIlel-
ian's removal was written, goes far to ex-
plain the immediate reasons for the removal.
and to show that it did not take place too
soon. 1t appears from the letter that Gen.
Mcclellan was peremptoriy ordered by Gen.
Halleck on the sixth of October, to cross the
Potomac and give battle to the enemy or drive
hlm south, and that for three weeks this order
was not obeyed, while the only excuse given
Tor dlsobedience to it, so far as it appears, viz:
the want of supplies--was unfounded.
Official Correspondence
HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY.
Washington, Oct %, 1862
Hon. Il. NJ. STANTON, Secretary Of Wart
SIR: In reply TO the general interrogatories
contained in your letter of yesterday, / have
to report:
L. That reqsisitions for supplies to the ar
my nnder Gea, Mcclellan are made by his
fstaf officers on the Chief of Bureaus here
that is, for Quartermaster's supplies, by his
Chief Quartermaster of the Quar.ermaster.
General; for Commissary supplies, by his
Chief Commssary on the Commissary- Gener
al, &c. No such acquisitions have been to
my knowledge made upon the Secretary of
War, and none upon the General-in Chief.
2. On several occasions Gen. Mcclellan
has telegraphed to me that his Army was de-
hclent IN certain supplies. All these tele-
grams were Immediately referred to the Heads
OF Bureaus with orders to report 1t was
ascertaIned that in every instance the reousi-
tons mad been Immediately filed, except one.
where the Quartermaster General had been
been obliged to send from Philadelphia GER
tain articles of clothing, tents, &C., not having
full supply here. There has not been. so
far as | could ascertain, any neglect or de-
lay IN any Department or Burean, in issuing
all supplies asked for by Gen. Mcclellan or bv
any officers of his staff. Delays have coca
sionaliy occurred in forwarding supplies by
rail- on account Of the crowded condition of
the depots or of a want of cars but whenever
notified ofthls, agents have been sent out to
remove the difficulty, Under the excellent su-
perlntendence ofGen. Haupt i think these de-
lays have been less frequent and of shorter du-
ration than is usual with freight trains. An
army Of the size of that under Gen. Mcclellan
VIII iequvn.a, to onnnA dayrs --..L-~-. ,i.D sup-
plies asked on account of neglect in making
timely acquisitions and unavoidable DELAYS in
forwarding them, and in distributing them to
the different brigades and regiments.
From all the information | can obtain, am
of opinion that the requsitions from that army
have been filed more promptly, and that the
m en- as general rule, ave been better supplied
than our armies operating in the West. The
latter have operated at anch greater distances
from the sources of supply and have had far
less facilities for transportation. In fine. be-
lieve no armies in the werld, while in cam
paigu, have been more promptly or better sup
piled thaa ours. .
3. Soen after the hatte of Antetam.
Gen., Mcclellan was urged to give information
OF his intended movements, in order that if
he moved between the enemy and Washing
ton, reinfacements could be sent from this
place. Ongthe first of October finding that
he purpsed to operate from Harper's Ferry i
srged him to cross the river at once, and give
battle to theenemy, pointing out to him the
disadvantages of delaying till the Autumn
rains had swollen the Potomac and impaired
the roads. Qn the sixth of October, he was
peemptorily ordered to "cross the Potomac.
and give battle to- the enemy or drive him
Sorth. Your army must move now Awhilethe
roads are good.a' 1t will be observed that
three weeks have elapsed since this order.
A. .inmy opinion here has been no such want
ofsupflies in the army under Gen. Mcclellan. as
to prevent his compliance with the orders to
advance upon the enemy And if he moved 10
the south side of the Potomac, he could have
received .hls supplies almost as readily as by
inactive or the north
5. On the 7th of October, in a telegram in
regard to- his movements, Gen. Mcclellan sta
ted that it,would require at least three days to-
supply the First, Fifth and Sixth Corps. that
they needed other indispensable articles of
aothing as well as shelter tents. No com
'aint was msde that any acquisitions had not |
E, untitled, ant 1t was inferred from his Ian
ua gea thathewas only waiting for fou the
st Tbntion ofhls supplies. Cn the Ilth he
leg, Fsphed that portion Of his supplies sent
y ran flbad been delayed.
AS Aready stated agents were Immediately
mt ffd ~ here to investigate. this complaint.
I'D they reported shat everything had gone |
rward. On the same date ,(the llth) he
,oke ofms uny of hislorsas being broken down |
: fatigue. On the 18th he complained that |
e rate ofsu pply was only $3.50 horses per
eek for the satire army there and in front Of |
ashingtonn ] immediately directed the
uartermaster- General to INQUIRE into this mat
r, and report Why larger supply was not
rnished. Gen 0eigs reported, on the 18th. I
at the average is. sae of horses to Gen. Nc,
lellan's army in the field and in front of
Iashington, for the previous six weeks had
cen l. ,459 per week, or 8, ,754 in all. In ad-
tion, that large NUN. s'ers of mules had been
lpplied, and that the lumber of animals with
en-. McClellan's army o u the Upper Potomac
as over thirty-one thou sand. He also re-
,rted that be was then sell ding to that army
the horses be could procure. Ia
On the 18th, General Mcclellan stated. in /,
gard to General Meigs' report that be had
led every requisition for shoes and clothing. ,
General Meigs may have ordered these arti, ].
es to be forwarded, but they have not reach !.
our depots and unless greater eEort to in
Ire prompt transmission is made by the de-
artment of which General Meigs is the hevd.
lev might as we'll rarno;u in N.ru VI =