872 Series III Volume II- Serial 123 - Union Letters, Orders, Reports
Page 872 | CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. |
had been re-enforced by the corps of Franklin and Summer, and no further apprehension were felt for its safety.
During the operations of the previous week, of which we received very favorable but not reliable accounts, every effort was made to push forward supplies and re-enforcements to General Pope's army. The troops from the Peninsula were ordered not to wait for transportation, but to march immediately to the field of battle. Some of the corps moved with becoming activity, but the delays of others were neither creditable nor excusable.
Our loss in these battles were very heavy, both in life and materials, but as no official reports have been received, except a brief sketch from General Pope, marked Exhibit Numbers 4,* I have no means of ascertaining their extent. General Pope was transferred to another department before the reports of his subordinates could be received. Probably they will soon be handed in. Most of the troops actually engaged in these battles fought with great bravery, but some of them could not be brought into action at all. Many thousand straggled away from their commands, and it is said that now a few voluntarily surrendered to the enemy, so as to be paroled as prisoners of war.
In order to reorganize the different corps, get the stragglers back into their ranks, and to supply deficiencies of ammunition, clothing, &c., caused by recent losses, General Pope requested and received directions to bring his army within the defenses of Washington, which were then under the command of General McClellan. This movement was executed on the night of the 3rd without loss. General Pope being now second in command of the united forces, applied to be relieved, and was transferred to another department.
Although this short and active campaign was, from causes already referred to, less successful than we had reason to expect, it had accomplished the great and important object covering the capital till troops could be collected for its defense. Had the Army of the Potomac arrived a few days earlier the rebel army could have been easily defeated, and perhaps destroyed.
Seeing that an attack upon Washington would now be futile, Lee pushed his main army across the Potomac for a raid into maryland and Pennsylvania. General McClellan was directed to pursue him with all the troops which were not required for the defense of Washington. Several corps were immediately thrown out in observation at Darnestown, Rockville, and Leesborough, and most of his army was in motion by the 5th of September. A portion of it entered Frederick on the 12th.
As this campaign was to be carried on within the department commanded by Major-General Wool, I directed General McClellan to assume control of all troops within his reach, without regard to departmental lines. The garrison of Winchester and Martinsburg had been withdrawn to Harper's Ferry, and the commanding officer of that post had been advised by my chief of staff to mainly confine his defense, in case he was attacked by superior forces, to the position of Maryland Heights, which could have been held a long time against overwhelming numbers. To withdraw him entirely from that position, with the great body of Lee's forces between him and our army, would not only expose the garrison to capture, but all the artillery and stores collected at that place must either be destroyed or left to the enemy. The only feasible plan was for him to hold his
---------------
* See Series I, Vol. XII, Part II, p. 12.
---------------
Page 872 | CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. |