'Franklin has only between (10,000) ten thousand and (11,000) eleven thousand for duty. "How far do you wish this force to advance? "Major General HALLECK, Washington." "G. B. MCCLELLAN, "I anxiously await reply to my last despatch in regard to Sumner. Wish to give the order at once. "Please authorize me to attach new regiments permanently to my old brigades. I can do much good to old and new troops in that way. 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, Mackall's, Minor's, and Hall's hill. 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 present circumstances, to advance beyond Anandale ? "G. B. MCCLELLAN, 66 Major General. "General HALLECK." On the same day I received a despatch from the general-in-chief, in which he asks me why I halted Franklin in Anandale, to which I replied as follows: By referring to my telegrams of 10.30 a. m., 12 m., and 1 p. m., together with your reply of 2.48 p. m., you will see why Franklin's corps halted at Anandale. His small cavalry force, all I had to give him, was ordered to push on as far as possible towards Manassas. 66 'It was not safe for Franklin to move beyond Anandale, under the circumstances, until we knew what was at Vienna. 66 General Franklin remained here until about 1 p. m., endeavoring to arrange for supplies for his command. I am responsible for both these circumstances, and do not see that either was in disobedience to your orders. "Please give distinct orders in reference to Franklin's movements of to-morrow. I have sent to Colonel Haupt to push out construction and supply trains as soon as possible. "General Tyler to furnish the necessary guards. "I have directed General Banks's supply trains to start out to-night at least as far as Anandale, with an escort from General Tyler. "In regard to to-morrow's movements I desire definite instructions, as it is not agreeable to me to be accused of disobeying orders, when I have simply exercised the discretion you committed to me. "Major General HALLECK, "Washington, D. C." H. Ex. Doc. 15-12 "G. B. MCCLELLAN, On the same evening I sent the following despatches: "Not hearing from you, I have sent orders to General Franklin to place himself in communication with General Pope as soon as possible, and at the same time cover the transit of Pope's supplies. 'Orders have been given for railway and wagon trains to move to Pope with least possible delay. 66 "I am having inspections made of all the forts around the city by members of my staff, with instructions to give all requisite orders. "I inspected Worth and Ward myself this evening; found them in good order. Reports, so far as heard from, are favorable as to condition of works. "G. B. McCLELLAN, "Major General HALLECK, Washington." "Major General. "CAMP NEAR ALEXANDRIA, "August 29,1862-10 p. m. "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 in to-day. Tyler's brigade of three new regiments, but 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 towards Manassas, please inform me. 66 Colonel Wagner, 2d New York artillery, has just come in from the front. He reports strong infantry and cavalry force of rebels near Fairfax Court House. Reports rumors 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 of attacking Washington and Balti more. "General Barnard telegraphs me to-night that the length of the line of fortifications on this side of the Potomac requires 2,000 additional artillerymen, and additional troops to defend intervals, according to circumstances; at all events, he says an old regiment should be added to the force at Chain bridge, and a few regiments distributed along the lines to give confidence to our new troops. I agree with him fully, and think our fortifications along the upper part of our line on this side the river very unsafe with their present garrisons, and the movements of the enemy seem to indicate an attack upon those works. "G. B. MCCLELLAN, "General H. W. HALLECK, "Major General. General-in-Chief United States Army, Washington, D. C." "Your telegram of 9 a. m. received. Ever since General Franklin received notice that he was to march from Alexandria, he has been endeavoring to get transportation from the quartermaster at Alexandria, but he has uniformly been told that there was none disposable, and his command marched without wagons. After the departure of his corps he procured twenty wagons to carry some extra ammunition, by unloading Banks's supply train. "General Sumner endeavored, by application upon the quartermaster's department, to get wagons to carry his reserve ammunition, but without success, and was obliged to march with what he could carry in his cartridge-boxes. 66 I have this morning directed that all my headquarters wagons that are landed be at once loaded with ammunition for Sumner and Franklin; but they will not go far towards supplying the deficiency. 66 Eighty-five wagons were got together by the quartermasters last night, loaded with subsistence, and sent forward at 1 a. m. with an escort via Anandale. Every effort has been made to carry out your orders promptly. The great difficulty seems to consist in the fact that the greater part of the transportation on hand at Alexandria and Washington has been needed for current supplies of the garrisons. Such is the state of the case as represented to me by the quartermasters, and it appears to be true. "I take it for granted that this has not been properly explained to you. "G. B. MCCLELLAN, "Major General HALLECK, "General-in-Chief." 66 Major General. On the morning of the 30th heavy artillery firing was heard in the direction of Fairfax Court House, which I reported to the general-in-chief. At 11 a. m. the following telegram was sent : "Have ordered Sumner to leave (1) one brigade in vicinity of Chain bridge, and to move the rest via Columbia pike on Anandale and Fairfax Court House. "Is this the route you wish them to take? He and Franklin are both instructed to join Pope as promptly as possible. "Shall Couch move out also when he arrives? "Major General HALLECK, Washington." On the same day I received the following: "G. B. MCCLELLAN, WASHINGTON, August 30, 1862—1.45 p. m. "Ammunition, and particularly for artillery, must be immediately sent forward to Centreville for General Pope. It must be done with all possible despatch. "H. W. HALLECK, "General MCCLELLAN." "General-in-Chief. To which this reply was made: "CAMP NEAR Alexandria, "I know nothing of the calibres of Pope's artillery. All I can do is to direct my ordnance officer to load up all the wagons sent to him. I have already sent all my headquarters wagons. You will have to see that wagons are sent from Washington. I can do nothing more than give the order that every available wagon in Alexandria shall be loaded at once. "The order to the brigade of Sumner that I directed to remain near Chain bridge and Tenallytown should go from your headquarters to save time. I understand you to intend it also to move. I have no sharpshooters except the guard around my camp. I have sent off every man but those, and will now send them with the train as you direct. I will also send my only remaining You now have squadron of cavalry with General Sumner. I can do no more. every man of the army of the Potomac who is within my reach. "G. B. MCCLELLAN, "Major General. "Major General H. W. HALLECK." At 10.30 p.m. the following telegram was sent: "CAMP NEAR ALEXANDRIA, “August 30, 1862-10.30 p. m. "I have sent to the front all my troops with the exception of Couch's division, and have given the orders necessary to insure its being disposed of as you directed. I hourly expect the return of one of my aids, who will give authentic news from the field of battle. "I cannot express to you the pain and mortification I have experienced to-day in listening to the distant sound of the firing of my men. As I can be of no further use here, I respectfully ask that, if there is a probability of the conflict being renewed to-morrow, I may be permitted to go to the scene of battle with my staff, merely to be with my own men, if nothing more; they will fight none the worse for my being with them. If it is not deemed best to intrust me with the command even of my own army, I simply ask to be permitted to share their fate on the field of battle. "Please reply to this to-night. 66 "I have been engaged for the last few hours in doing what I can to make arrangements for the wounded. I have started out all the ambulances now landed. As I have sent my escort to the front, I would be glad to take some of Gregg's cavalry with me, if allowed to go. "Major General H. W. HALLeck, "G. B. MCCLELLAN, 66 Major General. "Commanding United States Army, Washington, D. C." To which, on the following day, I received this answer: "WASHINGTON, August 31, 1862–9.18 a. m. I have just seen your telegram of 11.5 last night. The substance was stated to me when received, but I did not know that you asked for a reply immediately. I cannot answer without seeing the President, as General Pope is in command, by his orders, of the department. "I think Couch's division should go forward as rapidly as possible and find the battle-field. "Major General MCCLELLAN." On the same day the following was received: "H. W. HALLECK, "General-in-Chief. 'Washington, August 31, 1862—12.45 p. m. "The subsistence department are making Fairfax station their principal depot. It should be well guarded. The officer in charge should be directed to secure the depot by abatis against cavalry. As many as possible of the new regiments should be prepared to take the field. Perhaps some more should be sent to the vicinity of Chain bridge. "H. W. HALLECK, At 2.30 p. m. the following despatch was telegraphed : "CAMP NEAR ALEXANDRIA, August 31, 1862—2.30 p. m. "Major Haller is at Fairfax station with my provost and headquarters guard and other troops. I have requested (4) four more companies to be sent at once, and the precautions you direct to be taken. 66 Under the War Department order of yesterday I have no control over anything except my staff, some one hundred men in my camp here, and the few remaining near Fort Monroe. I have no control over the new regiments do not know where they are, or anything about them, except those near here. Their commanding officers and those of the works are not under me. "Where I have seen evils existing under my eye I have corrected them. I think it is the business of General Casey to prepare the new regiments for the field, and a matter between him and General Barnard to order others to the vicinity of Chain bridge. Neither of them is under my command, and by the War Department order I have no right to give them orders. "General HALLECK, Washington." To which the following is an answer: "G. B. MCCLELLAN, "WASHINGTON, August 31, 1862-10.7 p. m. "Since receiving your despatch, relating to command, I have not been able to answer any not of absolute necessity. I have not seen the order as published, but will write to you in the morning. You will retain the command of everything in this vicinity not temporarily belonging to Pope's army in the field. "I beg of you to assist me in this crisis with your ability and experience. I am entirely tired out. "General MCCLELLAN." "H. W. HALLECK, "General-in-Chief. The order referred to in the preceding despatch was as follows: "WAR DEPARTMENT, August 30, 1862. "The following are the commanders of the armies operating in Virginia: "General Burnside commands his own corps, except those that have been temporarily detached and assigned to General Pope. "General McClellan commands that portion of the army of the Potomac that has not been sent forward to General Pope's command. "General Pope commands the army of Virginia and all the forces temporarily attached to it. All the forces are under the command of Major General Halleck, general-in-chief. "E. D. TOWNSEND, "Assistant Adjutant General.' I was informed by Colonel Townsend that the above was published by order of the Secretary of War. At 11.30 p. m. I telegraphed the following: "The squadron of 2d regular cavalry that I sent with General Sumner was captured to-day about 2 p. m., some three miles from Fairfax Court House, beyond it on the Little river pike, by Fitz Hugh Lee, with three thousand cavalry and three light batteries. |