, 1862-12-03


necessary to complete the arrangement for 20 in-
,.c,taut movement as this, and while they are In
1,roezess beg that careful consideration mar be
5>;yrn to nv statement. This arms is now in ez-
cc.1t discjpliue and condition. We hold dc
;ouche un both banks Of the James River That nc J
arc free to act in any direction ana with the Us
sist.pce Of the gunboats consider oIr conlnu-
1ica1ien as now eccure.
Ycare now twenty-five miles from Richmond.
nr,i a1e not likely to meet The enemy IN force snf-
1cleut to light battle until we have reached i'll
tttE OF t.nty miles nearer, which brings us pEac-
t5cal1y within teu miles Of Richmond Our long
est li1c Of land transportation Woald be from ILLS
po;ut twenty-five ml1eE, bnt With aid of gunboats
| we can supply the army by water drrl.g It's I'd
| vance certainly TO within twelve miles Of Rich
| ncEd.
| At aa4is Creek NC would bc seyeaty-h.e mica
from Richmond with Land transportation al the
| vay. from here to Fort Monroe is . march of
about seventy mica, for1 regard it a5 im27ac1i-
caale 10 withdraw this army and its material ex
| cent hT land, Tie result Of the movement would be
Ia march 1S5 miles to reach poin: now only
TWENTY-FIVE mics distant, and to deprive our-
e>lres entirely Of tic powerful aids o1 gpaooat5
ard other transportation, md to thcee the certain
Generalization Of the ar1ny, Which Wontd ensue
The tercibIc depressing eject upon the
il yr,ua Influence foreign powcss to recognize our
adyersa1les. There appears to me suiiiclenf res
scEs tc make II my imperative duty to urge IN the
| strongest te11ne afforded by our language, that
7ts order ay be revoked, and that so far lfon re.
calling this army it be promptly reinforced 70 ens
! | bic it to resume the offensive. 1t may pe saaa
i t,c1o ere no rcipfo1ccmen.s available point to
Cen. Durnsidc's forces, to that Of Gen. Pope, not
y | ncceessiy to maintain sttict defense Of Wash
iustou snd larper's Ferry, to those positions o.
rh;, army IT the West not required for strict de-
= fense there.
uc,e directly il tro1t of the army. is the hesrt
.; of rebellion 1t Is here that all cur resources
should be collected to strike the blow which shh.
determine tte fate Of this natiou. AL points
SC, ontfary importance elsewhere Ehould be aban
w. doued, aud every available man brought here.
OF ceciGcd victory here and the military Strength
ne t,,e rebe1on would be crushcd- It matters NJ
liz | what partial zcyerses We may meet win clss
;" .becc- here is the true defense Of Washington
II is he.c On the hank Of the James River that II
asa 1ate Of the Union should be decided
raj Char in my convictions Of right. strong IN II
,ic consciousness that hare ever been and stl az
hr- aetuated so1ely BY love Of ry coantry-
knowing that no ambitious OF selfish mot1S
lave influenced me from the commencement
nd .h.s war, pyw do what never did in my life.
entreat that order may be 1eseinded.
ned II 1rr courscl docs not prevail will, with Z
,ns heart obey yoEr orders to tue utmost Of my pp
as.. | e.: SeyotiDg to the movement enc Of the ntme
- dclicafs and difficulty whaterer skill may p
| zesa, whatever the 1eeult may hes and may u
- a' grant that am mistaken in my forebodinse'
Inc sba at least have the internal satisfaction tina
BAIL 1are z,ttcn and spoken frankly ana hare soa
vile IA do the best IN my power to arrest disaster #
5lst my country
le1d, tsigned) G. E. AcslE11AS' hla1, e1e'
i7er, (oMctal tory] aeaoquafsele 1l41s' 0sn
-,sh. icn, D. c., Nov %, 1862.
To this HalIeck returned the following:
WASHINGTON. aug 6, 1S6
soou Major Ge.e1al Mcclellan commanding, &c.
ley, Va:
th OF GENERAL: Your telegram Of yesterday was
TO Of cc.yea this morr1ng and Immediately telesa]
S. F. brief roiay. promising 10 write 5on more fn
hos. nal. Ton, General, certainly, could
have been more panied at receiving my
,,,a than wes at the necessity Of iesuinG 1t.
as he aoNis.u - ~ ,,,ase tha order imne73
! #a@ On nv arrival here. but determined not to
Is was 1871 r r1,u1d 1ca,n your Tishes from PEI
y are | interview and after that interview tried
from | ,ccans in nv power to avoid withdrawing
word | REV. and delayed my decision so long as
20 eclaS 1t. I sssu1e sou General It WAS
| heanlees and incousidesate act but one
, caused me more anxious thought
anv Other Of my life, but after
mel md nstn-e consideration Of aIl the pros and
1862 Iv.s ya,uc4ant1v forced to the conclusion tt
znies Of order must be issued. Allow me to allut
mmand few OF the facts of the CAGE You and 80
party OF GERS at our Interview estimated the enenys
Carroll in and around Richmond at a00 GEO men, SIM
xn.rd you ard others report that they have 1eceiE
| are receiving la1ge relnforcements from the
King 100 oe N m Tour eoeft,re forca is only alb
'u1 1ouf foo Yon are orly thtrty-fty miles fror
lled and mond. and Gen. Pope. eighty OF ninety. v
Try, sud enemy directly between yon, ready to fall
Of the superior numbers upon one OF the oshe
ot from i may elect. Neither can reindofce the
.bnrt casc Of such an attack II pope's be dest
- dez reinforce 5ou, Washington. Maryland AMI
mt. sylyania would be left uncovered and expo
| vou1 force be reduced TO strengthen Po
untS, W xnn1d be too weak to ever hold the posi-
aotof2ous n8& OCCUPY, should the enemy turn aro
on Inc attack you in full force +: In other words
mt came army OF the Potomac is split
led to the pa1te With the entire force OF the enemy
lly ORDER hotwecn them. They cannot be united
srge, but, without exposing both to destruction,
;, the al | they must be united. To send Pope's i
"a stnon- water to the Peninsula is under present
~ ,e stances military i1npossibilisy. The O.
~ 49,. native ts to send the forces On the Pen
j.. Ao'n come point BY watcr-eay F,edettckebu,
ngat en- the two armies cal be united.
the troops | Let NC uow alludc to some Of the o
repaired to which you have urged. You Say that to
ahead In from the present position will cause Il
had decentralization Of the army, winch is nj
r,.da 4ha celeut discipline and condition cam
nat1ar Fos .stard why simple change Of position
. 1I1 by no neans distant base vii demo1aliz
sne teost in excellent discipline, unless ohce1s
mofe 11esn assist in the de1noraization4 which a
n1aaa WeFA l