The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies. Series 1, Volume 11, In Three Parts. Part 3, Correspondence, etc. Page: 4
This book is part of the collection entitled: War of the Rebellion and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
THE PENINSULAR CAMPAIGN, VA.
eastern Virginia, Washington, the Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, including
Balt imore, and the one including Fort Monroe, should be merged into one
department, under the immediate control of the commander of the main
army of operations, and which should be known and designated as such.*
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
GEO. B. McCLELLAN,
Major-General, Commanding.
HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY,
Washington, August 9, 1861.
To the Hon. the SECRETARY OF WAR:
SIR: I received yesterday from Major-General McClellan a letter of
that date. to which I design this as my only reply.
Had Major-General McClellan presented the same views in person,
they would have been freely entertained and discussed. All my mili-
tary views and opinions had been so presented to him, without eliciting
much remark, in our few meetings, which I have in vain sought to
multiply. He has stood on his guard, and now places himself on
record. Let himin make the most of his unenvied advantages.
Major-General McClellan has propagated in high quarters the idea
expressed in the letter before me, that Washington was not only
" insecure," but in " imminent danger."
Relying on our numbers, our forts and the Potomac River, I am
confident in the opposite opinion; and considering the stream of new
regiments that is pouring in upon us (before this alarm could have
reached their homes), I have not the slightest apprehension for the
safety of the Government here.
Having now been long unable to mount a horse, or to walk more
than a few paces at a time, and consequently being unable to review
troops, much less to direct them in battle-in short, being broken down
by many particular hurts, besides the general infirmities of age-I feel
that I have become an incumbrance to the Army as well as to myself,
and that I ought, giving way to a younger commander, to seek the
palliatives of physical pain and exhaustion.
Accordingly, I must beg the President, at the earliest moment, to
allow me to be placed on the officers' retired list, and then quietly to
lay myself lup-- i:,obably forever-somewhere in or about New York.
But, wherever I may spend my little remainder of life, my frequent
and latest prayer will be, " God save the Union."
I have the honor to be, sir, with high respect, your obedient servant,
WINFIELD SCOTT.
WASHINGTON, August 10, 1861.
His Excellency the PRESIDENT:
SIR: The letter addressed by me under date of the 8th instant to
Lieutenant-General Scott, commanding the U. S. Army, was designed
to be a plain and respectful expression of my views of the measures
demanded for the safety of the Government in time imminent peril that
besets it at the present hour. Every moment's reflection and every
fact transpiring convinced ime of the urgent necessity of the measures
*See reference to this letter in Series I, Vol. V, p. 9.[CHAP. III
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This book can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Matching Search Results
View 242 pages within this book that match your search.Related Items
Other items on this site that are directly related to the current book.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies. Additions and Corrections to Series 1, Volume 11. (Pamphlet)
Errata sheets for the Records of the War of the Rebellion include additions and corrections to the text and the index for Series 1, Volume 11.
Relationship to this item: (Is Referenced By)
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Book.
United States. War Department. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies. Series 1, Volume 11, In Three Parts. Part 3, Correspondence, etc., book, 1884; Washington D.C.. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth154617/m1/4/?q=central+place+railroads: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.