Maj. Gen. JOHN E. WOOL, Commanding Fort Monroe: WAR DEPARTMENT, March 18, 1862-10.20 a. m. SIR: The prospective operations of the portion of the army under the immediate direction of General McClellan may possibly extend over some part of the district within your command under existing orders. If such should be the case, it is the President's desire that the effi ciency of his action should not be put to hazard by a technical adherence to the strict letter defining your geographical command, and you are therefore requested, should the case occur, to waive the exercise of your authority temporarily in his favor. The President does not doubt your recognition of the necessity for these instructions, and confidently trusts in your patriotism to give effect to them. I had the honor but a moment since to receive your dispatch of this date. In reply, I assure both you and the President that no technicalities nor geographical lines will prevent me from assisting Major-General McClellan or any other general officer to the extent of my power and ability to execute to the fullest extent any plan or military operations authorized by either you or the President. To show that my character had not been misjudged, before receiving your dispatch I had given orders to my staff to render every assistance to facilitate the movements and operations of General McClellan. Hon. E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War: JOHN E. WOOL, ALEXANDRIA, VA., March 18, 1862-12.45 p. m. One division of Heintzelman's army is on board and vessels getting under way. In half an hour all will be off. Transports have arrived slowly. There were not enough last night to complete embarkation of this division. Other vessels now arriving, and McDowell's army will be put in motion as soon as sufficient number of vessels are here to make commencement. General McClellan and his officers have visited all the landings this morning, and are now preparing a general plan for speedy movements of troops. Has Mr. Tucker secured vessels enough to move this large force, with its artillery and cavalry? I will be at office about 2 o'clock, and leave for Baltimore at 2.30. The men are in fine order, and not in the demoralized condition that was reported yesterday. THOMAS A. SCOTT, Assistant Secretary of War. WASHINGTON, March 18, 1862. General MCCLELLAN, Seminary, Va.: Captain Rodgers has been assigned to conduct the flotilla, and he is now consulting with General McDowell. I beg to suggest that I think MeDowell's presence here to-day is important. Shall he remain till to-morrow? Casey's division is encamped around Washington; several of his regiments new. Will he be permitted to remain as he is till further orders? I have assigned Patrick to King's division; there was but one before. Hon. E. M. STANTON, ALEXANDRIA, March 18, 1862-1.15 p. m. Secretary of War: Hamilton's division is fairly under way. I would be glad to have two or three naval officers assigned to me for temporary duty. Any disposable should report to me here at once. The worst is over. Rely upon it that I will carry this thing through handsomely. General R. B. MARCY: GEO. B. MCCLELLAN, Major-General. ALEXANDRIA, March 18, 1862-1.40 p. m. Ask McDowell if he had not better nominally establish his headquar ters on this side and have some of his staff here. Use your own diseretion as to his presence in Washington. As things now are I desire no relief or respite from the army corps organization. I still have to work with divisions. It is not exactly right that the whole labor should be thrown upon the shoulders of the General-in-Chief. At such a time as this I need all the assistance that the corps organization can give me, for I am now constantly obliged to tread on the heels of corps commanders by acting directly with divisions. I wish to see Captain Rodgers at once. He can do more good here than in Washington, and should consult with me immediately. If Patrick's order is not published, had you not better assign him to Richardson's old division? I leave that to you. Heintzelnian would like to have him. Try to get Van Rensselaer also assigned to this army. Let Sacket remain at Headquarters as Inspector-General of the Army. Cannot General Thomas give me two more inspectors, so that I can have one to each corps besides Sacket? Would be glad to have Buchanan. GEO. B. MCCLELLAN, ALEXANDRIA, VA., March 18, 1862-1.50 p. m. Hon. E. M. STANTON, Please have McCallum provide engines and cars sufficient to transport supplies only for an army of 130,000 men, including 20,000 horses, over the West Point and Richmond Railway. The road is about 28 miles long. The only trouble at present is in regard to horse transports. If [they] shall arrive promptly we shall have rapid and glorious results. General HOOKER: GEO. B. MCCLELLAN, MARCH 18, 1862. (Sent 2.50 p. m.) Have you the means of transportation, and can you cross at Hook's [Budd's] Ferry, to turn the batteries at Aquia Creek and force the enemy to burn the bridges across the Rappahannock? If you have, please cross at once, and drive them across. This is dependent on Commander Wyman giving you something to cover the landing. Let me know what vessels he has. S. P. HEINTZELMAN, Brigadier-General, Commanding. General HEINTZELMAN : BUDD'S FERRY, March 18, 1862. I have canal-boats enough to cross portation or supplies, but no tugs. municate with Captain Wyman, and do what you propose if I can be set across this infernal river. my infantry force without transWill see if I can find and comsee what he can do for me. Can JOSEPH HOOKER, WASHINGTON, D. C., March 18, 1862-6 p.m. General J. HOOKER, Budd's Ferry: Your dispatch to General Heintzelman has been received. If you find after communicating with Captain Wyman that you can cross two brigades of your division, with one light battery and some cavalry, you are authorized to move on to Aquia Creek, and if you find you can with safety do so, you will proceed on to the Rappahannock River, when the enemy will probably destroy the bridge. Proceed with caution and feel your way as you advance. Brig. Gen. R. B. MARCY: R. B. MARCY, MARCH 18, 1862-7 p. m. I have not yet heard a syllable from Captain Wyman, nor is there a tug in sight. My cavalry, with the exception of one company, are now stationed along the banks of the Potomac, Chesapeake, and Patuxent Rivers more than 100 miles. Cannot they be ordered in. If I move tonight with two brigades it will be without baggage, except blankets an i haversacks. JOSEPH HOOKER, Brigadier-General, Commanding Division. Hon. JOHN TUCKER, SEMINARY, March 18, 1862-8.45 p. m. Assistant Secretary of War: I desired to see you in order to be sure that the best possible arrangements were made for the rapid and orderly embarkation of the troops, and that everything has been done to insure the prompt arrival of the schooners. If you have seen Ingalls I presume you have arranged everything. I will telegraph you in the morning if it seems advisable or necessary for you to come down. Anxious as I am to expedite this very important matter, I should be glad to have frequently the benefit of your advice. GEO. B. MCCLELLAN, WASHINGTON, March 18, 1862. (Sent 9.50 p. m.) General J. HOOKER, Budd's Ferry: Your dispatch of 7 p. m. to-day received. You can order back to your assistance, in making the movement spoken of in my last dispatch, two companies of cavalry. Should you make the reconnaissance and not be successful our transports are sufficient to give you immediate aid. R. B. MARCY, Chief of Staff. WASHINGTON, March 18, 1862—11.40 p. m. General J. HOOKER, Budd's Ferry: As it appears that Aquia is deserted by the rebels and the batteries abandoned, I would advise that you postpone your movement until tomorrow, when you will have time to learn more of the movements of the enemy, and I, in the mean time, can consult further with the commanding general. I will advise you as soon as I hear from him in the morning. Do not look upon this as an order, however, if you deem it expedient to cross the river at any time. R. B. MARCY, FORT MONROE, VA., via boat, March 19 1862. Hon. E. M. STANTON, I acknowledge your two dispatches received last evening. The second, as unexpected as it is grateful to my feelings, will be acknowledged by mail. All is quiet, and from appearances the enemy are anticipating the expedition now preparing for this place to be intended for an attack on Norfolk, and consequently troops are concentrating at and near that place. Sewell's Point is being re-enforced, and new batteries are being erected between that point and Lambert's Point, at the mouth of Elizabeth River. Stores of every description are arriving. JOHN E. WOOL, 2 R R-VOL XI, PT III General WOOL: SEMINARY, VA., March 19, 1862-11.55 a. m. The First Division of Heintzelman's corps left here yesterday about 1 p. m. in steamers for Fort Monroe. It is important that they should be disembarked as rapidly as possible, that steamers may at once return for other troops. General Barnard goes down to-day. Cannot a boat run to telegraph station every hour or so? GEO. B. MCCLELLAN, Major-General. Hon. E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War: SEMINARY, March 19, 1862-11.20 p. m. I think we have now well systematized the arrangements for embarka tion. The troops in splendid spirits. Please have an immediate decision upon the letter which will reach you to-morrow morning in regard to co-operation of the Navy. That matter is very important. There will be a review of two divisions of First Corps here to-morrow at 2 p. m. All goes well. GEO. B. MCCLELLAN, Major-General. MARCH 19, 1862. Maj. Gen. GEORGE B. MCCLELLAN, Alexandria: In order to determine the precise co-operation you want with the Navy the President will go immediately to Alexandria, and desires you to meet him at the wharf. EDWIN M. STANTON, Hon. E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War: SEMINARY, March 19, 1862-12 m. The transfer of the large force under way and under orders for the Peninsula between James and York Rivers at and above Fort Monroe will render available for active offensive operations the greater part of the troops now under command of Brevet Major-General Wool, who have hitherto been on the defensive. We cannot dispense with this force, and to render it available I have to request that such orders may issue as shall place it at my disposal and shall enable me now to have it formed into a division, under the command of Brigadier-General Mansfield. In this connection I beg to submit that, being the senior major-general commanding the Army, whenever the forces now under my immediate command come in contact with those of other generals I should have command of the whole. GEO. B. MCCLELLAN, This reference is to McClellan's notes on proposed operations quoted in his report See Series I, Vol. V, p. 57. |