Abraham Lincoln papers 1 From [Philip Kearny] to [Oliver S. Halsted] , May 15, 1862 1 Halsted was the scion of a wealthy New Jersey family who moved to Washington in 1861 and became an active lobbyist and socialite. He frequently called on Mrs. Lincoln and became a regular member of her salon. Halsted sent the following letter to Nicolay in two parts. The second part was enclosed in Halsted to Nicolay, November 7, 1862. The first letter is not in this collection. Head Quarters 3 Divn Heintzel -mans Corps Cumberland Landing Va. May 15th 1862. Dear Sir: I am sorry to find, that very far from Military Chiefs being so immaculate, that their subordinates, relying on their straight forward conduct, and truthfulness, might disregard political influence as extraneous and unnecessary, so grossly have I been outraged, (and I say so as representing my Division) by the intrigues of the General commanding this Army, that I now appeal to you, and my friends for protection against imposture. 2 General McClellan is the first Commander in history, who has either dared, or been so unprincipled, as to ignore those under him, who not only have fought a good fight, but even saved his Army, himself, and his reputation.— And here, precisely, is the point. From a want of frankness, and reliance in his native superiority, he fears to admit the services of others, my Division in particular, lest he thereby condemns himself for a want of generalship which gave rise to the dan dangerous 3 crisis— So a great and successful Battle, where the unprecedented number of 2000, have fallen is passed over by him in silence, whilst, the day after that fearful fight, he forestalls the glory of the 4 victors, by vamping up, in a deceitful official Telegram, a mere flurry of a skirmish, where Hancock (a charming officer and gentleman) with preponderating numbers, drives, for an instant, a paltry few of 5 the enemy, with a pittance of a loss, which bespeaks the littleness of the transaction. 2 George B. McClellan Abraham Lincoln papers http://www.loc.gov/resource/mal.4226100 3 The battle of Williamsburg was fought May 4 and 5. It was essentially a rear-guard action. Confederate troops under James Longstreet made a stand near Williamsburg and were attacked by Joseph Hooker's division, supported by Kearny's. The rebels disengaged and continued their withdrawal up the Peninsula during the night of May 5. 4 Winfield S. Hancock 5 In his May 6 report to the Secretary of War, McClellan refers to Hancock's “brilliant engagement.” In fairness it should be noted that Hancock flanked the enemy's position and held his ground against severe counterattacks by superior numbers. Even Hancock's corps commander, Edwin V. Sumner, noted that the enemy's advances were “splendidly repulsed” by Hancock. See Official Records, Series I, Volume 11, Part 1, 449 and 451. This move of Hancocks, based on information that the enemy had abandoned their minor defences, opposed to our right, to concentrate their forces on our left, was gotten up at 4 1/2. P. M. expressly 6 to relieve from pressure, the severe fight of the 3d Corps enacted by Hooker from 7. A. M. until my Division, at near 3. P. M. entered under fire, and took the place of the exausted remnants, demoralized by fatigue, abandonment, and want of cartridges— 6 Joseph Hooker The fire, that lasted from about 4 1/2 for some 20 minutes, and which then ceased, was most distinctly without results, for it was not followed up by any advance, and left me used to the fields of Battle in Europe, as in Mexico, with the full belief that an attempted succour had been given up, and that I must alone look to myself, for my own means of success. For I well knew, that besides the 7 repeated messengers, that had been ditached to the right, by Generals Hooker, and Heintzelman, that all these must be aware of our severe fight, from our cannon and musketry, which still rolled with the full tide of battle. This fire, tantamount to that of a half Brigade, which I, allude to, from about 4 1/2 to 5. P. M. was the only one that took place within three miles of my position after my arrival at 2 3/4. P. M — for I was ever constantly far in advance in the plain, in the midst of the heavy abattis. Yet, General McClellan vaunts the one, and assumes to ignore the other; the 8 engagement, where a similar loss in the army of the Allies, constituted the great Battle of the Alma. An engagement, where my few (5) weak Regiments suffered more (some 450 killed and wounded) than the 12000 men of a French Division when in 59 it won for its General a world wide fame, as the 9 victor of Montebello. Abraham Lincoln papers http://www.loc.gov/resource/mal.4226100 7 Samuel P. Heintzelman 8 The battle of the Alma, during the Crimean War, was fought on September 20, 1854. It was a decisive Allied victory. 9 On May 20, 1859 the French and Piedmontese decisively defeated the Austrians in the Italian War of Unification. Kearny served in this war in the French cavalry. But, when General McClellan passes over, as if in ignorance, an engagement of such great proportions, it proves, beyond the blackness of the deed, which breaks down by its iniquitous injustice the spirits of his entire soldiery, that it has been the result of the malignant design of covering up from the scrutiny of the American Public, a weakness of his own, a flaw in his Generalship, which he well knows, if once made patent to our people, would bring him down from his accidental superiority lower than the world ever dreamt of, when exercising retribution towards 10 McDowell for the disasters of Bulls Run. 10 Irvin McDowell 11 This action of General McClellan has but one parallel in our History, his incarcerating Stone, one of the ablest men of the army, on the plea, that it was done on the pressure of the Abolitionists, when it, in reality, was, to alarm, past being listened to, one, whom he knew, if questioned by a Military Committee, would not avoid bringing to light the incapacity (and subsequent Contrivances 12 to smother it) which had exposed Colonel Baker, and then left him, helpless, doomed, and unsupported, at the Battle of Balls Bluff. 11 After the battle of Ball's Bluff (October 21, 1861), Brig. Gen. Charles P. Stone was arrested and imprisoned for more than six months without ever being charged with an offense. No explanation of his arrest was ever made by the government. 12 Edward D. Baker There is a secret in this matter, and although patriotism, on the eve of an expected action may prevent me from publishing to the world, the weakness of the man, to whom are confided our Union destinies, it does not preclude me from vindicating for myself and my command, a recognition of our service and exposure (no officer yet has ever exposed himself as I did, for the crisis demanded it,) and unburthen myself to friends. Abraham Lincoln papers http://www.loc.gov/resource/mal.4226100 As Stone has been Militarily killed under a false pretence, so, the secret of McClellans sending an official Bulletin, on the 6th instant after entering Williamsburg, in which he ignores all but Hancock, and is perfectly silent as to us, and our battle of serious war (although perfectly instructed by Colonel 13 Sweitzer, his A. D. C. whom he had sent on the night of the 5th to me and to Heintzelman for information) is this, that he might obtain for General Hancock, an unimportant character in the crises of the 5th, that first prestige of its capability of fighting (which invariable petty disasters, and long inaction had induced many to mistrust) with which, with the eagerness of the whole North, it was ready to greet the first victor in the Army of the Potomac. And thus kill the military success before the Country of the real persons, so entitled, from the fact of the public being satiated by the first news. More serious than this not only taking from those, who merited the high sentiment of first prestige, but more particularly divert the minds of the Country, that the culpable fact was, that he, McClellan, had allowed Hookers single division to fight unsupported, from morning until my arrival near 3. P. M. — and from the fact that his communications, from this being the direct and nearest road from Williamsburg to Yorktown, were thus put in jeopardy — and that had a panic, or even a defeat resulted here, that all his army confusedly huddled together, with an impassable, obstructed, single defile in his rear, where trains and artillery pieces were helplessly jammed together, and stalled, must have been victims worse than at Bulls Run. The case would have been irretrivable. 13 Lt. Col. Nelson B. Sweitzer was McClellan's aide-de-camp. P. S. 14 In vain, would he plead, that he disgraced Sumner, by sending him back to Yorktown, from dissatisfaction, at his not having extricated Hancock, after his pseud-victory — and for sending way to the rear for me, the last troops in the far defiles, to support Hooker over pressed in front— For it was not for General Sumner, Commander of a defined Command, to substitute himself for McClellan, the Chief— In vain would he plead, that Heintzelman should have proved a genius, & improvised some stroke of strategy, for the worthy old General has never pretended, but to do his duty in his sphere— And the General-in-Chief is head of all to furnish plans, and to expressly blend into a whole the energy of all — which was impossible as he was not there.