This despatch had not escaped the notice of contemporary historians. By suppressing the statement that a train had just been fired into at Burkes Station, but 14 miles from Alexandria, they accused General McClellan not only of failing to send troops forward, but of stopping those which were actually moving.

A three-months' general, just before the Battle of Bull Run, while making a railroad reconnoissance, ran his train into an ambush prepared by the enemy near Vienna and suffered a loss of several killed and wounded. Although ignorant that the enemy was on the railroad, he was ridiculed throughout the country and charged with stupidity. Had General McClellan sent General Cox forward by train to be waylaid, possibly captured, knowing that the enemy was on the railroad, he would not have been accused of stupidity-he would have been justly charged with criminality.

An examination of all the despatches sent by General McClellan between 8 a. m. and 9 p. m. of the 27th of August, reveals no evidence either of treachery, indifference, or want of energy. The first despatch from General Halleck, on the morning of the 27th, showed that he knew nothing of the position either of our own or the enemy's forces. The Army of Virginia, including two corps of the Army of the Potomac, was supposed to be somewhere between Manassas and the Rappahannock, with the enemy in its rear. The other corps of the Army of the Potomac were stretched from Alexandria to Yorktown. The only movement suggested and ordered by the General in Chief, was to send Franklin, as he had already sent Taylor, blindfolded against an enemy, possibly more than five times his number. The vision of General McClellan embraced the whole theater of war. It was he who suggested that Sumner be ordered to Alexandria, and that Burnside be withdrawn from Fredericksburg. It was he, who apparently without instructions, ordered Couch from Yorktown, his division to be replaced by new troops under General Casey, whom again he would not allow to depart till further events should transpire. had wished to betray the cause, why, may it be asked, did he suggest the concentration of the scattered corps of the Army of the Potomac? Why did he reiterate the opinion that Burnside and Sumner "would do better service in front of Washington?" The best evidence that he was not at the time considered disloyal is to be found in the despatches of General Halleck, who approved his recommendation relating to General Sumner, and who did not during the day censure him, for Franklin's failure to move.

If he

The morning of the 28th of August brought still no news from the Army of Virginia. Referring to the engagement of Taylor's brigade at Manassas, Colonel Haupt telegraphed the President:

*

* * The rebel forces at Manassas were large and several of their best generals were in command. I have sent a reconnoitering party of 200 sharpshooters by rail, with operators and wire to repair telegraph, make communication, and report observations."

The President at 2.40 p. m. replied:

Yours received. How do you learn that the rebel forces at Manassas are large, and commanded by several of their best generals?

a Report of the Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War, vol. 1, p. 381. Ibid., p. 383.

Colonel Haupt again telegraphed:

One of Colonel Scammon's surgeons was captured and released. He communicated the information. One of our firemen was captured and escaped. He confirms it and gives important details. General McClellan has just seen him; also Colonel Scammon."

He next telegraphed:

* * *

Bridge across Pohick, 1 mile west of Burke's Station, and 14 from Alexandria, is destroyed. Reconnoitering party could proceed no farther. It is clear, therefore, that the army of Virginia can receive no more supplies by rail at present, and must flank the enemy by a movement to the east, cut its way through, or be lost. a

The first telegram from General Halleck was to General Franklin:

On parting with General McClellan, about 2 o'clock this morning, it was understood that you were to move with your corps to-day toward Manassas Junction, to drive the enemy from the railroad. I have just learned that the general has not yet returned to Alexandria. If you have not received his order, act on this. b

At 1 p. m. General McClellan replied:

Your despatch to Franklin received. I have been doing all possible to hurry artillery and cavalry. The moment Franklin can be started with a reasonable amount of artillery he shall go. I have just conversed with Colonel Hola

*

*

*

bird, and think the enemy is in so much force near Manassas as to make it necessary for us to move in force. b

General Halleck, at 3.30 p. m., replied:

Not a moment must be lost in pushing as large a force as possible toward Manassas, so as to communicate with Pope before the enemy is reenforced. I directed General Barnard to report to you, and do not know where he is. In Barnard's absence, Whipple can tell you about the garrisons of the forts. No message from Pope has reached here. c

He again telegraphed:

I have sent Colonel Cutts with maps and directions to get all the information he can pick up about General Pope. I hear nothing, except through you and General Barnard, who telegraphs that guns are heard in the direction of Manassas. Keep up telegraphic communication with Franklin, so that we may determine how far to push him forward.

At 4.40 General McClellan telegraphed:

General Franklin is with me here. I will know in a few minutes the condition of artillery and cavalry. We are not yet in condition to move; may be by to-morrow morning. Pope must cut through to-day, or adopt the plan I suggested. I have ordered troops to garrison the works at Uptons Hill. They must be held at any cost. As soon as I can see the way to spare them, I will send a good corps of troops there. It is the key to Washington, which can not be seriously menaced as long as it is held.d

Five minutes later:

Your despatch received. Neither Franklin's nor Sumner's corps is now in condition to move and fight a battle. It would be a sacrifice to send them out now. I have sent aids to ascertain the condition of the commands of Cox and Tyler; but I still think that a premature movement in small force will accomplish nothing but the destruction of the troops sent out. I repeat that I will lose no time in preparing the troops now here for the field, and that whatever orders you may give, after hearing what I have to say, will be carried out.d

Report of the Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War, vol. 1, p. 382.
Ibid., p. 459.

Ibid., vol. 1, pp. 459, 460.

d Ibid.,

p. 460.

8.40 p. m. General Halleck telegraphed:

There must be no further delay in moving Franklin's corps toward Manassas. They must go to-morrow morning, ready or not ready. If we delay too long to get ready, there will be no necessity to go at all, for Pope will either be defeated or victorious without our aid. If there is a want of wagons, the men must carry provisions with them till the wagons can come to their relief.@

The final despatch sent by General McClellan, at 10 p. m., was:

Your despatch received. Franklin's corps has been ordered to march at 6 o'clock to-morrow morning. Sumner has about fourteen thousand infantry, without cavalry or artillery, here. Cox's brigade of four regiments is here, with two batteries of artillery. Men of two regiments, much fatigued, came to-day. Tyler's brigade, of three new regiments, bat little drilled, is also here. All these troops will be ordered to hold themselves ready to march to-morrow morning, and all except Franklin's to await further orders. If you wish any of them to move toward Manassas please inform me. Colonel Wagner, Second New York Volunteer Artillery, has just come in from the front. He reports strong infantry and cavalry force of rebels near Fairfax Court-House. Reports numerous, from various sources, that Lee and Stuart, with large forces, are at Manassas; that the enemy, with 120,000 men, intend advancing on the forts near Arlington and Chain Bridge, with a view to attacking Washington and Baltimore.@

On the morning of the 29th, the situation was unchanged. nite information had yet been received from General Pope. General McClellan telegraphed to General Halleck:

No detiAt 10.30

Franklin's corps is in motion; started about 6 a. m. I can give him but two squadrons of cavalry. I propose moving General Cox to Uptons Hill to hold that important point with its works, and to push cavalry scouts to Vienna via Freeman Hill and Hunters Lane. Cox has two squadrons of cavalry. Please answer at once whether this meets your approval. I have directed Woodbury, with the engineer brigade, to hold Fort Lyon, however. Detailed last night two regiments to the vicinity of Forts Ethan Allen and Marcy. Meagher's brigade is still at Aquia. If Sumner moves in support of Franklin, it leaves us without any reliable troops in and near Washington, yet Franklin is too much alone. What shall be done? No more cavalry arrived. Have but three squadrons belonging to Army of the Potomac. Franklin has but 40 rounds of ammunition and no wagons to move more. I do not think Franklin is in a condition to accomplish much if he meets strong resistance. I should not have moved him but for your pressing orders of last night. What have you from Vienna and Dranesville? b

With but two squadrons of cavalry, an insufficient artillery, and no knowledge of the enemy, it might be asked if Franklin could accomplish much in the event of a strong resistance. The statement in the 4.45 p. m. despatch of the 28th, that" a premature movement in small force will accomplish nothing but the destruction of the troops sent out," in connection with the preceding despatch that "I should not have moved him (Franklin) but for your pressing orders of last night,“ shows that General McClellan's action was dictated solely by prudential considerations. Still apprehensive for the safety of Franklin's corps.. he telegraphed at 12 m:

Your telegram received. Do you wish the movement of Franklin's corps to continue? He is without reserve ammunition and without transportation. ©

Immediately after, he again telegraphed:

Have ordered most of the Twelfth Pennsylvania Cavalry to report to General Barnard for scouting duty toward Rockville, Poolesville, etc. If you apprehend a raid of cavalry on your side of river, I had better send a brigade or two of Sumner's to near Tenallytown, where, with two or three old regiments in Forts Allen and Marcy,

a Report of the Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War, vol. 1, p. 461. Ibid., vol. 1, pp. 461, 462.

e Ibid., p. 462.

they can watch both Chain Bridge and Tenallytown. Would it meet your views to post rest of Summer's Corps between Arlington and Fort Corcoran, where they can either support Cox, Franklin, or Chain Bridge, and even Tenallytown? Franklin has only between 10,000 and 11,000 ready for duty. How far do you wish this force to advance? a

Replying to the despatch of 10.30, General Halleck at 12.05 p. m. telegraphed:

Upton's Hill arrangement all right. We must send wagons and ammunition to Franklin as fast as they arrive. Meagher's brigade ordered up yesterday. Fitzhugh Lee was, it is said on good authority, in Alexandria on Sunday last for three hours. I hear nothing from Drainesville. @

Charged with all the defenses of Washington and made responsible for the safety of the capital, General McClellan telegraphed at 1

*

* *

p. m.:

I anxiously await a reply to my last despatch in regard to Sumner. Wish to give the order at once. I shall endeavor to hold a line in advance of Forts Allen and Marcy, at least, with strong advanced guards. I wish to hold the line through Prospect Hill, Marshall's, Miner's, and Hall's hills. This will give us timely warning. Shall I do as seems best to me with all the troops in this vicinity, including Franklin, who I really think ought not, under the present circumstances, to proceed beyond Anandale? b

Here again, with the knowledge that Franklin had but 10,000 or 11,000 men, while the enemy might have more than 60,000, he expresses the opinion, that, "under the circumstances," Franklin ought not to go beyond Anandale. The return despatch from General Halleck, breathes no suspicion of disloyalty or indifference on the part of General McClellan. On the contrary, he approved of his action as judicious; tells him that the present danger was a "raid upon Washington in the night time;" authorized him to dispose of all of the troops" as he deemed best, and then regarding Franklin's movement as one to procure information only, directed that he be pushed on to Anandale, and if necessary, to Fairfax Court-House. His despatch, dated 3 p. m., was as follows:

66

Your proposed disposition of Sumner's corps seems to me judicious. Of course, I have no time to examine into details. The present danger is a raid upon Washington in the nightime. Dispose of ali troops as you deem best. I want Franklin's corps to go far enough to find out something about the enemy. Perhaps he may get such information at Anandale as to prevent his going farther. Otherwise he will push on toward Fairfax. Try to get something from direction of Manassas, either by telegram or through Franklin's scouts. Our people must move more actively and find out where the enemy is. I am tired of b guesses.

At 2.30 p. m. the President telegraphed:

What news from direction of Manassas Junction; what generally? b

At 2.45 General McClellan replied to the President:

The last news I received from the direction of Manassas was from stragglers, to the effect that the enemy was evacuating Centreville and retiring toward Thoroughfare Gap. This is by no means reliable.

I am clear that one of two courses should be adopted: First, to concentrate all our available forces to open communication with Pope; second, to leave Pope to get out of his scrape, and at once use all our means to make the capital perfectly safe. No middle course will now answer. Tell me what you wish me to do, and I will do all in my power to accomplish it. I wish to know what my orders and authority are. I ask for nothing, but will obey whatever orders you give. I only ask a prompt decision that I may at once give the necessary orders. It will not do to delay longer. b

Shorn of his command the moment his troops took transports at Fort Monroe and Yorktown; assigned on his arrival at Alexandria to a Report of the Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War, vol. 1, p. 462. Ibid, p. 483.

forwarding troops to the Army of Virginia, completing thereby the disintegration of his own army; informally directed to take charge of the defenses of Washington, submitting all of his actions to General Halleck, and making no movements not subject to his approval, it should not be a matter of surprise that when the opportunity presented itself, he should have appealed to the President to define his position.

He asked for nothing; he did not wish to stand in the way; he did not believe in "pepper-box" strategy; he simply urged as a matter of safety to send all or more of the troops to the aid of General Pope; he was clear in his own mind that no middle course would answer; it would not do to delay longer. All he wanted was prompt decision and an order defining his authority, where all or none of the responsibility would rest upon himself.

Wise and soldierly as was this appeal, its language was unfortunate. "To leave Pope to get out of his scrape" was construed to mean that he wished the destruction of him and his army, and was regarded as a key not only to his orders relating to Franklin, but to all his movements and actions from the time he was directed to withdraw from the Peninsula. The candid reader will bear in mind that the despatch was written in haste and without weighing of words.

General Pope, on assuming command of the Army of Virginia, had freely laid his plan of campaign before the Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War. He had alleged, in favor of an overland campaign, that every man could be taken from the defenses of the capital; he had advised the withdrawal of the Army of the Potomac from the Peninsula, and had also recommended that the two armies be united on the line of the Rappahannock; more than this, he had proposed to defend the capital, not by interposing his army between it and the enemy, but by laying off on his flanks, with the back of his own army against the mountains. His recommendations to unite on the Rappahannock, and Halleck's effort to carry them out, had now resulted in General Pope finding himself with the enemy in his rear.

To those who know the facts, the word "scrape" conveyed an exact idea of the situation; and "to leave Pope to get out of his scrape," however liable to misconstruction by others, simply meant that in the uncertainty which enveloped his movements, he should rely upon his own strength to cut his way out, while the few troops in hand should be used to make sure of the capital. That the President so construed it, is manifest from the fact that he did not instantly relieve him. On the contrary, he telegraphed back at 4.10 p. m.:

Yours of to-day just received. I think your first alternative, to wit, "to concentrate all our available forces to open communication with Pope," is the right one. But I wish not to control. That I now leave to General Halleck, aided by your counsels, a

a Report of the Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War, vol. 1, p. 464: The danger of misconstruing despatches in Washington was so great that a year later, in August, 1863, General Halleck, who wished to procure the views of military commanders in reference to the reconstruction of Louisiana, wrote to General Sherman: "I wish you would consult with Grant, McPherson, and others of cool, good judgment, and write me your views fully, as I may wish to use them with the President. You had better write me unofficially, and then your letter will not be put on file, and can not hereafter be used against you. You have been in Washington enough to know how everything a man writes or says, is picked up by his enemies and misWith kind wishes for your further success construed. (Memoirs of

General W. T. Sherman, vol. 1, p. 335.)

*

*