The National tribune., 1909-08-12
Executive Mansion,
"Washington, Feb. 8, 1862.

by sending the following terse and
categorical questions to Mcclellan:
Executive Mansion,
Washington, Feb. 8, 1862.
my Dear Sir: You and I have dis
tinct and different plans for move
ment of the Army of the Potomac
yours to be down the Chesapeake, up
the Rappahannock to Urbana and
| across land to the terminus of the rail-
road on the York River; mine to move
directly to a point on the railroads
southwest of Manassas.
IF you will give me satisfactory an
| swers to the following questions, / shall
gladly yield my plan to yours:
Il. Does not your plan involve a
greatly larger expenditure of time and
| money than mine?
"2. Wherein is a victory more certain
by your plan than mine?
"3. Wherein is victory more val
| liable by your plan than mine2
"A. In fact, would il not be less val
liable in this, that it would break no
great line of the enemy's communica-
tions, while mine would?
"5. In case of d saster, would not a
| retreat be more difficult by your plan
| than mine?
Yours truly,
Abraham Lincoln.
| "Maj.-Gen. Mcclellan"
To this Mcclellan replied as usual
| in a long letter occupying more than
| three pages of small type in the Re-
bellion Records. which, however, con-
tanned nothing new, and advanced rea-
sons which have since been condemned
! by the best military critics. 1t was
| submitted to council of Generals, and
Mcdowell, Sumner and Bernard voted
in favor of Lincoln's plan for a direct
| advance, while Gems. Keys, Franklin,
| nv II
Blenker, Andrew Porter and Nagel,
who represented Hooker, voted for the
movement by the Lower Chesapeake.
Therefore, Lincoln yielded his prefer
ence; first, because it was desirable
that Mcclellan should be gotten to
| move with the Army of the Potomac
somewhere, and, next. because the ma
jority of the Generals supported Nc
Clellan. AS these We're all his subor-
dinates, 1t is not to be wondered at
! that they voted as they did.
Gathering the Transportation.
Then all the energies of the Govern
ment were bent upon securing the
| transportation required to carry from
Washington to Fortress Monroe 121,5OO
men, 1882 animals, A batteries of
artillery and the wagons, 1npontoons,
trains, etc, required for thisgvast host.
The work was done with marvellous
ability and celerity by John Tuck
er, Assistant Secretary of War,
and who had been the con-
| trolling officer of the PHILADELPHIA
e. Reading Railroad. In a little over
one month he had assembled in the
| Potomac, around Washington and Alex
| andria, 400 steamers and sailing yes-
| sells, with every other sort OF a craft
| that could serve for the purpose of
transportation, ferryboats, barges, canal
boats, anything that would float and
could carry troops and supplies. It was
an achievement such as excited the
amazement of European logistfcians
and students of war. n e
President Lincoln had given his quail
Tying Endorsement of the movement in
the following order:
Executive Mansion,
washington, March s, 1862.
Presidents General War Order, No. 8.
Ordered, That no change of the base
OF operations OF the Army of the Poto-
mac shall be made without leaving in
and about Washington such force as,
in the opinion of the General-in- Chief
and the commanders of army corps,
shall leave said city entirely secure
| THAT no more than two army corps
| tabout $4,000 troops) of said Army OF
the Potomac shall be moved en- route
for new base Of operations until the
navigation of the Potomac from Wash
ingten to the Chesapeake Bay shall be
freed from enemy's batteries and other
Instructions, or until the President
shall hereafter give express permission.
| THAT any movement as Aforesaid, en-
route for new base of operations,
which may be ordered by the General
in Chief. and which NAV be intended
to move upon the Chesapeake Bay,