The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1862-11-14
Gbe d0lar
The Removal of Mcclellan,
Official Explanations.
HEADQUARTERS OF TIE Army,
Washington, Oct. %.

Hon. E. NJ. Stanton, Sec. of War:
In reply to the general interrogatories con-
tanned In your letter Of yesterday, have to
report:
First-That acquisitions for supplies to the
army under Gen. Mcclellan are made by the
staff officers on the chiefs Of bureaus here
that is, for Quartermaster's supplies, by his
chief Quastermaster on the Quartcrinastei
General; for commissary supplies, by his
chief Commlssary on tho Commissary Gen.
eral, etc. No such acquisitions have been
made. to my knowledge, upon tho Secretary
of War, and none upon tho General IN
Chief.
Second-On several occasions Gen. Nc
Clellan has tolegraphed to me that his army
was deficient in certain supplies. All these
kilograms were Immediately referred to the
heads of bureaus with orders to report. II
was ascertaincd that in every instance the
acquisitions had been Immediately filed, ex.
cept one, where the Quartermaster General
had been obliged to send from Philadelphia
certain articles of clothing, tents, etc., not
having full supply here. There has not
been so far rs | could ascertain. any neglect
or delay in any Department or bureau in is
suing oil supplies asked for by Gen. McClel.
Ian, or by the officers of his Staff. Delays
have occasionally occurred by furnishing sup.
plies by rail on account Of the crowded con-
dtion Of the depOts, or want of cars; but
whenever notified of this agents have been
sent out to remove the difficulty. Under the
excellent superintendent OF Gen. Haupt,
think these delays have been less frequent,
and of shorter duration, than is usual with
freight trains. An army of the size OF that
under Gen. Mcclellan will frequently be, for
some days, without the supplies asked Tor, on
account of neglect in making timely requisi.
lions and unavoidable delays in forwarding
them, and in distributing them to the differ.
ent brigades and regiments.
From all tho information | can obtain
am OF the opinion that the acquisitions from
that army have been filed more promptly,
and that the men rs q general rule have been
better supplied than our armies operating in
the West. Tho latter have operated ut a
much greater distance from the sources OF
supplies, and have had lar less facilities OF
transportation.
Third-Soon after the battle of Antietam,
Gen. Mcclellan was urged to give mo inlor-
nation Of his intended movements in order
that IL no moved between the enemy and
Washington, achievements might BIO sent
| from this place. On the first of October,
finding that he proposed to operate from Har-
per's Ferry, urged him to cross the river at
once and give battle to the enemy, pointing
to him the disadvantages Of delaying until
Al o .,,t,,,,,,, los A. al s,ynlI,n tho pntnm AZ
and impaired the roads. On tho 9th Of DC.
tober he was peremptorily ordered to cross
the Potomac and give battle to the enemy ,or
drive him south. Your armv must move now
while the roads are good. II will be observ-
ed that three weeks have elapsed since the
order was given.
Fourtb-In my opinion. there has been no
such want of supplies in the army under
Gen. Mcclellan as n prevent his compliance
with the orders to advance against the enc
my. Had he moved to the south side OF the
Potomac, he could have received his supplies
almost as readily as If remaining inactive on
the north.
Fifth.-On the 9TH Of October, in tele-
gram in regard to his intended movements,
Gen. Mcclellan stated that il would require
at least three days to supply the LIST, 9th and
9th corps that they needed shoes and other
indispensable articles Of clothing, rs we'll as
shelter tents. No complaint was made that
any acquisitions had not been filled, and IL
was inferred from his language that he was
only waiting for the distribution OF supplies.
On tho llth no tclegraphed that portion
of supplies sent by rail had been delayed.
As already stated, agents wero Immediate
" sent from here to investigate this com.
plant and they reported that everything had
COMO forward. On the same date. the llth,
he spoke of many of his horses being broken
down by fatigue. On the 18th he complain
cd that tho rate of supply was only $50 hor.
SEES per week for the entire army here and In
front of Washington. Immediately direct
ed the Quartermaster General to inquire into
this matter and report why larger supply
was not furnished. Gen. Meiss reported on
tho l4th that the average issue of horses to
Gen. McClellan's army IN the field and in
front OF Washington, for the previous six
weeks, had been 1859 per week. or 1854 in
all in addition, that large numbers of mules
had been supplied, and that the number OF
animals with Gen. Mcclellan s army on the
upper Potomac was over 81 600. He also
reported that he was then sending to that ar
my all the horses he could procure.
On the 18th. Gen. Mcclellan stated in 70.
gard to Gen. Meigs' report that he had Tiled
every requisition for shoes and clothing I:
"Gen. Meigs may have ordered these articles
to DO forwarded, but they have not reached
our dcpots, and unless greater efforts to en-
sure prompt transmission is made by the de-
partment Of which Gen. Meigs is the head,
they might rs well remain in New York or
Philadelphia so far as this army is concern.
ed"
Immediately. called Gen. Meigs' attention
to this apparent neglect in his department.
On the 18th he reported as the result of his
investigation that As, 900 pairs Of boots and
shoes had been received by the Quartermas.
ter of Gen. McClellans army ut IIarper's
Ferry, Frederick and Hagerstown that 90.
900 pairs were at IIarper's Ferry depot on
the 2lst; that 10000 more were on their
way, and $4,000 more ordered.
Col. Ingalls,, Aid.de-C Camp and Chief Quar-
tcrmaster to Gen. Mcclellan, telegraphcd on
the 18th 1.-THE suffering for want Of
clothing is exaggerated think, and certain.
ly might have been avoided by timely requis-
itions Of rcgimental and brigade command.
cs." On the 9th he telegraphed to the
Quartermaster General that the ."clothing
was not detained in the cars at the depots.-
Such complaints are groundless. The fact
is the clothing arrives and is Issued. but more
is still wanted.
] have ordered more than would seem nee.
essary from any data furnished me, and ]
beg to remind you that you have always very
promptly met all my acquisitions so far as