ARMY OPERATIONS. 



ment, I should like to inquire of him if it was 

 not at the urgent and repeated request of Gen. 

 McClellan that troops should be sent to him 

 to aid in his attack upon Richmond that this 

 has been done ? " 



Mr. Wilson of Massachusetts : " In response 

 to the Senator's question, I will say that I 

 understand that Gen. McClellan desired to 

 have the forces reserved under Gen. McDowell 

 sent forward to him by the steamers. Upon 

 his request, Gen. Franklin with his division 

 was sent forward to Yorktown. The President, 

 to protect Washington, and at the same time 

 to aid Gen. McClellan by menacing Richmond, 

 withdrew Gen. Shields's division from Gen. 

 Banks, thus concentrating on the Rappahannock 

 forty thousand men. This force could move on 

 Richmond, or act directly for the protection of 

 Washington, according to circumstances. Yes- 

 terday the President, in view of what has oc- 

 curred, stated that this force of twenty thou- 

 sand men, which he had reserved, and for.which 

 he takes the entire responsibility, had been 

 reserved by him in apprehension of precisely 

 such a movement of the enemy threatening 

 this city as has already taken place. 



" The President may have made a mistake in 

 withdrawing so much of the force of Gen. 

 Banks, but I am sure he acted according to the 

 best lights he possessed. Gen. Banks has been 

 forced to retrace his steps, to abandon the Shen- 

 andoah Valley, and to recross the Potomac." 



On Dec. 10, before a court martial at 

 Washington, Gen. McClellan, in answer to the 

 question, What communication he received from 

 the President through Gen. Franklin, &c. ? said : 

 " The substance of the communication of Gen. 

 Franklin from the President was that the Presi- 

 dent assumed the responsibility of the change 

 of destination . of Gen. McDowell's corps, re- 

 garding that corps necessary for the defence of 

 Washington, although the troops actually left m 

 Washington and in front of it, disposable for its 

 defence, were rather more than double the gar- 

 rison fixed by the engineer and artillery officers, 

 and considerably more than the largest number 

 recommended by any of the corps commanders 

 to be left in the vicinity of Washington." 



The following orders of Gen. McClellan will 

 show his plans for the protection of Washing- 

 ton: 



HEADQUABTEBS, ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, f 

 March 16, 1862. J 



Brig. -Gen. James S. Wadsworth, Military Governor 



of the District of Columbia : 



SIR: The command to which you have been assign- 

 ed, by instruction of the President, as Military Gover- 

 nor of the District of Columbia, embraces the geo- 

 graphical limits of the district, and will also include the 

 city of Alexandria, the defensive works south of the 

 Potomac, from the Occoquan to Difficult Creek, and the 

 post of Fort Washington. I enclose a list of the works 

 and defences embraced in these limits. Gen. Banks 

 will command at Manassas Junction, with the divi- 

 sions of Williams and Shields, composing the Fifth 

 Army Corps, but you should, nevertheless, exercise 

 vigilance in your front, carefully guard the approaches 

 in that quarter, and maintain the duties of advanced 

 guards. You will use the same precautions on either 



flank. All troops not actually needed for the police of 

 Washington and Georgetown, for the garrisons north 

 of the Potomac, and for other indicated special duties, 

 should be removed to the south side of the river. In 

 the centre of your front you should post the main 

 body of your troops, in proper proportions, at suitable 

 distances toward your right and left flanks. Careful 

 patrols will be made to thoroughly scour the country 

 in front from right to left. 



It is specially enjoined upon you to maintain the 

 forts and their armaments in the best possible order, 

 to look carefully after the instruction and discipline of 

 their garrisons, as well as all other troops under your 

 command, and by frequent and rigid inspection to in- 

 sure the attainment of these ends. 



The care of the railways, canals, depots, bridges, and 

 ferries within the above-named limits will devolve 

 upon you, and you are to insure their security and 

 provide for their protection by every means in vour 

 power. You will also protect the depots of the public 

 stores and the transit of the stores to the troops in ac- 

 tual service. 



By means of patrols you will thoroughly scour the 

 neighboring country south of the eastern branch, and 

 also on your right, and you will use every possible pre- 

 caution to intercept mails, goods, and persons passing 

 unauthorized to the enemy's lines. 



The necessity of maintaining good order within your 

 limits, and especially in the capital of the nation, can- 

 not be too strongly enforced. You will forward and 

 facilitate the movement of all troops destined for the 

 active part of the Army of the Potomac, and especially 

 the transits of detachments to their proper regiments 

 and corps. 



The charge of all new troops arriving in Washing- 

 ton, and of all troops temporarily there, will devolve 

 upon you. You will form them into provisional bri- 

 gades, promote their instruction and discipline, and 

 facilitate their equipments. Report all arrivals of 

 troops, their strength, composition, and equipment, by 

 every opportunity. Besides the regular reports and 

 returns which you will be required to render to the 

 Adjutant-General of the army, you will make to these 

 headquarters a consolidated morning report of your 

 command every Sunday morning, and a monthly re- 

 turn on the first day of each month. 



The foregoing instructions are communicated by 

 command of M(y.-Gen. McClellan. 



Very respectfully, .your obedient servant, 



Assistant Adjutant-General. 



HBADQCABTERS. ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, I 

 March 16, 1862. f 



To Maj.-Gen. N. P. Banks, Commanding Fifth Corps, 

 Army of the Potomac : 



SIR : "i ou will post your command in the vicinity 

 of Manassas, intrench yourself strongly, and throw 

 cavalry pickets well out to the front. Your first care 

 will be the rebuilding of the railway from Washington 

 to Manassas and to Strasburg, in order to open your 

 communications with the valley of the Shenandoah. 

 As soon as the Manassas Gap railway is in running 

 order, intrench a brigade of infantry say four regi- 

 ments, with two batteries at or near the point where 

 that railway crosses the Shenandoah. Something like 

 two regiments of cavalry should be left in that vicini- 

 ty to occupy Winchester, and thoroughly scour the 

 country south of the railway and up the Shenandoah 

 Valley, as well as through Chester Gap, which might 

 perhaps be occupied advantageously by a detachment 

 of infantry well intrenched. Block houses should be 

 built at all the railway bridges occupied by grand 

 guard, Warrenton Junction or Warrenton itself, and 

 also some still more advanced points on the Orange and 

 Alexandria railroad, as soon as the railroad bridges are 

 repaired. 



Great activity should be observed by the cavalry. 

 Besides the two regiments at Manassas, another regi- 

 ment of cavalry will be at your disposal to scout to- 

 ward the Occoquan, and probably a fourth toward 



