FROM GEN. M’CLELLAN’S ARMY: Important Advices Received at the War Department; Full Particulars of the Recent Brilliant Skirmishes (5/28/1862)

New York Times - Times Machine ^ | 5/28/1862

[Homer_J_Simpson]

WASHINGTON, Tuesday, May 27.

The War Department received advices this evening from Gen. MCCLELLAN of the capture of Hanover Court-house.

Our loss is said to be small; that of the rebels considerable in killed, wounded and prisoners. One of the enemy's cannon was captured.

DISPATCH FROM GEN. McCLELLAN

MCCLELLAN's HEADQUARTERS,

Tuesday, May 27 -- 8 1/2 P.M.

To Hon. E.M. Stanton, Secretary of War:

I find some of the newspapers publish letters from their correspondents with this army, giving important information concerning our movements, positions of troops, etc., in positive violation of your orders. As it is impossible for me to ascertain with certainty, who these anonymous writers are, I beg to suggest that another order be published, holding the editors responsible for its infraction.

(Signed) G.B. McCLELLAN.

Major-General.

OUR CORRESPONDENCE FROM THE ADVANCE-The Position of Gen. Stoneman's Advance-The Rebels Believed to be Massing at Manchester, Across the James River- Feeling of the People near Richmond, &c.

ON CHICKAHOMINY RIVER, WITH THE ADVANCE FORCE, Friday, May 23, 1862.

The force under command of Gen. STONEMAN, which precedes the right wing of our army, continues to occupy a position just this side of New-Bridge, on Chickahominy River. Here we have been for the past few days, reconnoitering the country for a considerable distance on both sides of the camp, and preparing the way for the main army to cross the river. A party of rebels, amounting apparently to a strong picket guard, are stationed along the woods on the opposite side of the Chickahominy, but it is not supposed they will make any resistance to the passage of our troops when the forward movement shall be commenced.

Observations made from Prof. LOWE's balloon show the rebels to be moving out of Richmond, and concentrating in force on the Manchester side

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Free Republic University, Department of History presents U.S. History, 1861-1865: Seminar and Discussion Forum
The American Civil War, as seen through news reports of the time and later historical accounts

First session: November 21, 2015. Last date to add: May 2025.
Reading: Self-assigned. Recommendations made and welcomed.

Posting history, in reverse order

https://www.freerepublic.com/tag/by:homerjsimpson/index?tab=articles

To add this class to or drop it from your schedule notify Admissions and Records (Attn: Homer_J_Simpson) by reply or freepmail.

Link to previous New York Times thread

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4066588/posts

[Homer_J_Simpson]

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[Homer_J_Simpson]

The Line of Gen. McDowell’s Advance Upon Richmond (map) – 2
From Gen. M’Clellan’s Army: Important Advices Received at the War Department – 3-4
Latest from Gen. Banks: Everything Quiet at Harper’s Ferry and Williamsport – 4-5
Banks’ Retreat from Strasburgh: The Three Days’ Operations – 5-6
News from Washington: A Message to Congress from President Lincoln – 6-7
Editorial: The Campaign in Virginia – Recent Movements of Banks and McDowell – 7
Editorial: The Call for Troops – 7-8
Norfolk and Its Navy-Yard – 8
Editorial: Southern Trade – 8
The President Takes the Responsibility – 8
The English Treaty with Mexico – 8

[BenLurkin]

From his “Headquarters in the Saddle”?

[georgiarat]

Interesting daily read leading up to the Battle on the 31st. The beginning of the end of McClellan as the Great War hero.

[MuttTheHoople]

George MacClellan was a lousy field commander, but perhaps one of the best training officers in US military history. He took a bedraggled crew that got their butts kicked at Bull Run, and forged them into the best army of the 19th century.

Once Lincoln got the fighting General he needed in Grant, victory was inevitable.

[nathanbedford]

“best army of the 19th century”

Bracketed in time as the federal army of 1861-1865 was by the continent wide victories of Napoleon’ s army and the decisive victories of the Prussian army in Denmark, Austria and France in the 1860s and 70s, one might pause before rendering such a broad conclusion.

[nathanbedford]

The articles describing the misadventures of general banks as he is driven out of the Shenandoah as well as the aborted strategic cooperation of McDowell with McClellan, vividly illustrate the war-changing consequences of Stonewall Jackson’s Valley campaign of 1862.

Although the article declares there is no threat to Washington and opines that Jackson can be cut off by forces meeting in his rear, history tells us that Washington did not in fact act as though there were no threat to the very capital of the nation and Jackson deftly escaped the jaws of the trap only later to the be the one who timely cooperated with Lee in driving McClellan away from the outskirts of Richmond.

By the end of this fighting season of 1862 in Virginia, Lee and Jackson will have driven the federals effectively out of the confines of modern Virginia.

[MuttTheHoople]

I’m including Napoleon’s Grand Armee, Wellington’s coalition, and the Prussians of 1871.

[MuttTheHoople]

By 1864, The Union had developed a fine combined arms force.