Saturday, April 12, 2014

Major-General George B. McClellan to Major-General Henry W. Halleck, August 31, 1862 – 2:30 p.m.

CAMP NEAR ALEXANDRIA,
August 31, 1862 2.30 p.m.

Major Haller is at Fairfax Station with my provost and headquarters guard and other troops. I have requested four more companies to be sent at once and the precautions you direct to be taken.

Under the War Department order of yesterday I have no control over anything except my staff, some 100 men in my camp here, and the few remaining near Fort Monroe. I have no control over the new regiments – do not know where they are, or anything about them, except those near here. Their commanding officers and those of the works are not under me.

Where I have seen evils existing under my eye, I have corrected them. I think it is the business of General Casey to prepare the new regiments for the field, and a matter between him and General Barnard to order others to the vicinity of Chain Bridge. Neither of them is under my command, and by the War Department order I have no right to give them orders.

GEO. B. McCLELLAN,
Major-General.
General HALLECK, Washington.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 11, Part 1 (Serial No. 12), p. 102

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