Official Records of the Rebellion

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No. 1.

Report of Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan, U. S. Army, commanding Army of the Potomac.

NEW YORK, August 4, 1863

SIR: I have the honor to submit herein the official report of the operations of the Army of the Potomac while under my charge. Accompanying it are the reports of the corps, division, and subordinate commanders pertaining to the various engagements, battles, and occurences of the campaigns, and important documents connected with its organization, supply, and movements. These, with lists of maps and memoranda submitted, will be found appended, duly arranged, and marked for convenient reference:

* * * * * * *

SECOND PERIOD.

CHAPTER 1.

The council composed of the four corps commanders, organized by the President of the United States, at its meeting on the 13th of March, adopted Fort Monroe as the base of operations for the movement of the Army of the Potomac upon Richmond. For the prompt and successful execution of the projected operation it was regarded by all as necessary that the whole of the four corps should be employed, with at least the addition of 10,000 men drawn from the forces in the vicinity of Fortress Monroe; that position and its dependencies being regarded as amply protected by the naval force in its neighborhood and the advance of the main army up the Peninsula, so that it could be safely left with a small garrison.

In addition to the land forces, the co-operation of the Navy was desired in the projected attack upon the batteries at Yorktown and Gloucester, as well as in controlling the York and James Rivers, for the protection of our flanks and the use of the transports bringing supplies to the army. With these expectations, and for reasons stated elsewhere in this report, my original plan of moving by Urbana and West Point was abandoned, and the line with Fort Monroe as a base adopted. In the arrangements for the transportation of the army to the Peninsula by water the vessels were originally ordered to rendezvous mainly at Annapolis; but upon the evacuation of Manassas and the batteries of the Lover Potomac by the enemy it became more convenient to embark the troops and material at Alexandria, and orders to that effect were at once given.

In making the preliminary arrangements for the movement it was determined that the First Corps, General McDowell’s, should move as a unit first, and effect a landing either at the Sand-box, some 4 miles south of Yorktown, in order to turn all the enemy’s defenses at Ship Point, Howard’s Bridge, Big Bethel, &c., or else, should existing circumstances render it preferable, land on the Gloucester side of York River and move on West Point.

The transports, however, arrived slowly and few at a time. In order, [p.6] therefore, to expedite matters I decided to embark the army by divisions as transports arrived, keeping army corps together as much as possible, and to collect the troops at Fort Monroe. In determining the order of embarkation convenience and expedition were especially consulted, except that the First Corps was to be embarked last, as I intended to move it in mass to its point of disembarkation, and to land it on either bank of the York, as might then be determined.

On the 17th of March Hamilton’s division, of the Third Corps, embarked at Alexandria, and proceeded to Fort Monroe with the following orders:

WASHINGTON, D. C., March 17, 1862.

You will, on your arrival at Fort Monroe, report to General Wool, and request him to assign you ground for encamping your division. You will remain at Fort Monroe until further orders from General McClellan. Should General Wool require the services of your division in repelling an attack, you will obey his orders and use every effort to carry out his views.

R. B. MARCY,
Chief of Staff.

General C. S. HAMILTON,

Commanding Division.

On the 22d of March, as soon as transportation was ready, General Fitz John Porter’s division, of the same corps, embarked. General Heintzelman was ordered to accompany it, under the following instructions:

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
Seminary, March 22, 1862,

GENERAL: Upon the disembarkation of Porter’s division at Fort Monroe I have to request that you will move your two divisions (Porter’s and Hamilton’s) some 3 or 4 miles out from the fort, to find good camping places, where wood and water can be readily obtained, and where your positions will be good in a defensive point of view. You may find it advisable to p1ace one division on or near the road leading to Yorktown from Newport News; the other upon that leading to Yorktown direct from Fort Monroe. If you find that the nature of the country will permit easy communication and mutual support between the two divisions it will be best to place one on each road. It will be best to remain pretty near the fort for the present, in order to give the impression that our object is to attack Norfolk rather than Yorktown. You will do well, however, to push strong reconnaissances well to the front, to ascertain the position of the enemy and his pickets. I will, as soon as possible, re-enforce you by the third division of your corps, and it is probable that a part or the whole of the Fourth Corps will also move from Fort Monroe. This will probably be determined before your disembarkation is completed, and you will be informed accordingly.

My desire would be to make no important move in advance until we are fully prepared to follow it up and give the enemy no time to recover.

The quartermaster of your corps will receive detailed instructions in regard to land transportation from General Van Vliet.

It will be advisable to mobilize your corps with the least possible delay and have it prepared for an advance. I have directed extra clothing, ammunition, &c., to be sent to Fort Monroe, so that all deficiencies may be supplied without delay.

Please report to me frequently and fully the condition of things on the new field of operations and whatever intelligence you gain as to the enemy.
Engage guides in sufficient numbers at once, and endeavor to send out spies.
I am, very truly, yours,

GEO. B. McCLELLAN,
Major-General, Commanding.

Brig. Gen. S. P. HEINTZELMAN,

Commanding Third Corp.

The remaining divisions embarked as rapidly as transports could be supplied.