Today in History:

33 Series I Volume XI-I Serial 12 - Peninsular Campaign Part I

Page 33 Chapter XXIII. GENERAL REPORTS.

Have railroad in operation from White House to Chickahominy. Hope to have Chickahominy Bridge repaired to-night. Nothing of interest to-day.

GEO. B. McCLELLAN,

Major-General, Commanding.

His Excellency ABRAHAM LINCOLN, President.

The interruption of the railroad here referred to was effected by the command of Brigadier-General Stoneman, and was intended to prevent the enemy from drawing supplies by that route or from sending re-enforcements to Anderson or Jackson.

At 10 a.m. I sent also the following dispatch:

Telegrams of last night received. I am glad to know affairs are not so bad as might have been. I would earnestly call your attention to my instructions to General Banks of March 16, to General Wadsworth of same date, and to my letter of April 1 to the Adjutant-General. I cannot but think that a prompt return to the principles there laid down would relieve all probability of danger. I will forward copies by mail. I beg to urge the importance of Manassas and Front Royal in contradistinction to Fredericksburg.

GEO. B. McCLELLAN,

Major-General.

His Excellency ABRAHAM LINCOLN, President.

Later on the 26th I sent the following:

CAMP NEAR NEW BRIDGE, May 26, 1862-7.30 p.m.

Have arranged to carry out your last orders. We are quietly closing in upon the enemy preparatory to the last struggle. Situated as I am, I feel forced to take every possible precaution against disaster and to secure my flanks against the probably superior fore in front of me. My arrangements for to-morrow are very important, and, if successful, will leave me free to strike on the return of the force detached.

GEO. B. McCLELLAN,

Major-General.

His Excellency ABRAHAM LINCOLN, President.

On the same day I received intelligence that a very considerable force of the enemy was in the vicinity of Hanover Court-House, to

the right and rear of our army, thus treatening our communications, and in a position either to re-enforce Jackson or to impede McDowell's junction, should he finally move to unite with us. On the same day I also received information from General McDowell, through the Secretary of War, that the enemy had fallen back from Fredericksburg toward Richmond, and that General McDowell's advance was 8 miles south of the Rappahannock. It was thus imperative to dislodge or defeat this force, independently even of the wishes of the President, as expressed in his telegram of the 26th. I intrusted this task to Brigadier General Fitz John Porter, commanding the Fifth Corps, with orders to move at daybreak on the 27th.

Through a heavy him rain and over had roads that officer moved his command as follows:

Brigadier General W. H. Emory led the advance, with the Fifth and Sixth Regiments U. S. Cavalry and Benson's horse battery of the Second U. S. Artillery, taking the road from New Bridge, via Mechanicsville, to Hanover Court-House.

General Morell's division, composed of the brigades of Martindale, Butterfield, and McQuade, with Berdan's regiment of Sharpshooters and three batteries, under Captain Charles Griffin, Fifty U. S. Artillery, followed on the same road.

Colonel G. K. Warren, commanding a provisional brigade, composed of the Fifth and Thirteenth New York, the First Connecticut Artillery,

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Page 33 Chapter XXIII. GENERAL REPORTS.