Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1863-01-29
WAsH1EGreS, April 8, 1862.

read 1t deserves attentive perUss ana perpetual
preservation
WAsHlSeres, April 8, 1862.
ToMrj General MCCLELLAN My Deer Sir -
Your spatches, mplaning that you not proper
IL sustain, O. while they Go not Cfsnd me- pain very
much Blenkers Division was withdrawn before you
left herr and you know the pressure under which did
it. aod as l thought acquiesced in it, certainly not
without reluctance After you LETT ascertained that
less au 20 900 unCrganz men, With ut field bate
~ were ali you designed should be left for the defense
of Washa. toE and Manassas Junction, part OF this
even YVES go to General Rookers old position. Gen.
4nks corps designed for Manassas Junction. was
divided ard up the line or lnchester and Stras
burg and could not leave that position without again
exposing the Upper Potomic and the Baltimore and
OHIO Railroad
This preeented or would present when Mcdowell and
Sumner should be gone great temptation for the enc
NV to turn back from the Rappahsnnock and sack
aching on. My explicit directions that sshington,
sustained by the udgn It OF all the commanders OF corps
should be fl securt had been entirely neglected. 1t
was precisely ibis that drove me to detan Mcdowell
| & not forget that satisfied with your arrange
neut to leave Banks ct Manassas Junction But when
thai arrange Een was broken up, and nothing sub
aItuted Tor it, of course not satisfied.
srai0ed substi something for 1t myself. And now
allow me to ask you do you really think could permit
he line from Richmond via Manassas Junction to this
city 10 entirely open except what resistance could be
presented by less than 10000 unorganized troops
This is question which the country will not allow me
to evade.
There is curious mystery about the nam5er oftroops
now with you l telegraphed you on the 6tb saying
that you had over one hundred thousand with you.
had lust obtained from the Secretary OF War state
ment taken be said, from yJur returns, making
los 900 then with yea end en- route to you You now
say Won will have but $4,000 when all route Shall
have reached you. How this discrepancy OF $4,000
be accounted for AS to Gen Woods command un-
derstand that it is doing precisely what like number
OF your own would have 10 Go if that command was
away l suppose the whole force which has gone for
ward you reached you by this time and, If so,
think it is the precise time for you to strike blow.
b. delay, the enemy will readily gain on you that
s he will grin faster by Notifications and reinforce
ments than you by renforcements alone. And once
more let tell you it is indispensable to you that you
strike blow. am powerless to help. This you will
do me the Justice 10 remember, was only opposed to
going down the Bay i'll search of hld Instead Of fight
ing al or Manassas, only shifting and not
mounting difficulty that ve would fad the same
my and the equal entrencbmens at either place
The country will cot tell 10 n0te-ls noting now-that
the present hesitation TO upon ntrenchcd
my is but the story Of Manassas repeated.
/ beg leave 10 assure you that have written
or spoken you greater kindness Of feeling tskn now,
with fuller purpose to sustain you 50 far 10 my
most anxious Judgment l consistently can. But you
must act. Yours very truly