McClellan, George Brinton (1826-1885) to John E. Wool
High-resolution images are available to schools and libraries via subscription to American History, 1493-1943. Check to see if your school or library already has a subscription. Or click here for more information. You may also order a pdf of the image from us here.
Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC03781 Author/Creator: McClellan, George Brinton (1826-1885) Place Written: Yorktown, Virginia Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 8 April 1862 Pagination: 2 p. : docket ; 25.3 x 19.9 cm. Order a Copy
Major General McClellan writes to Major General Wool regarding Yorktown. He discusses the strength of enemy positions, reports of Joseph E. Johnston's arrival in Yorktown, the possibility of a union attack near Yorktown, his lack of troops, and his wish that the Merrimac would come out and fight.
Confidential
Near Yorktown Va [struck: Washington,] April 8 1862.
My dear General
Your dispatch of the 6th was duly received through Maj Van Herman, whom I invited to remain here yesterday that he might have some little opportunity of seeing the state of affairs & give you an intelligent account.
Our reconnaissances of yesterday confirm the strength of the enemy's position - the Warwick River grows worse the more you look at it. We are working away as hard as we can, but have terrible weather & horrid road.
My impression now is that it will prove best to attack either Yorktown itself or the span between it & head of Warwick, although the works are heaviest there - but we would then get a better approach. It is now pretty much reduced to a choice between one approach that is blocked by an obstacle impassable under fire, & another that is passable, but completely swept by artillery. I think we will have to choose the latter, & reduce their artillery to silence. I regret exceedingly [2] that I have been deprived of the 1st Corps & thus obliged to give up the movement we talked about from the Severn upon the rear of Gloucester - but I have lost about 50,000 men since I commenced this operation & do not feel strong enough to detach from what I now have - for when all my people are up I shall not have more than some 85,000 for duty. Genl Jo Johnston has arrived in Yorktown (so prisoners say) with heavy reinforcements - all the troops of Manassas etc are coming in, & they say that they intend fighting the great battle here.
I wish the Merrimac would come out, so that we could get our gunboats up the James River & through all the Naval force of large vessels at Yorktown - I doubt whether the Merrimac will come out to fight
In haste, I am my dear General,
your sincire & obliged friend
Geo B McClellan
Maj Genl [illegible]
Maj Gen John E Wool
Comdg Dept Va
[docket]
Hd Qrs Army of Potomac
Near Yorktown,
April 8. 1862
__________________
Geo: B. M.cClellan
Maj Gen'l
__________________
Military Movements
interesting
__________________
Citation Guidelines for Online Resources
The copyright law of the United States (title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specific conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be “used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research.” If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of “fair use,” that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law.