One Other Note on General McClellan

Along with his shaky rapport with President Lincoln, Major General George McClellan also had a testy relationship with his immediate commander. This exchange (below) between General-in-Chief Henry W. Halleck and General McClellan clearly shows the tension which existed between the two men. General McClellan received the correspondence noted from General Halleck three days after the Battle of Antietam.

WASHINGTON, September 20, 1862 2 p.m.

Maj. Gen. GEORGE B. MCCLELLAN:

We are still left entirely in the dark in regard to your own movements and those of the enemy. This should not be so. You should keep me advised of both, so far as you know them.

H. W. HALLECK,
General-in-Chief.

General McClellan responded:

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
Near Sharpsburg, September 20, 1862 8 p.m.

Major-General HALLECK
General-in- Chief, Washington:

Your telegram of to-day is received. I telegraphed you yesterday all I knew, and had nothing more to inform you of until this evening. Williams' corps (Banks') occupied Maryland Heights at 1 p.m. to-day. The rest of the army is near here, except Couch's division, which is at this moment, engaged with the enemy in front of Williamsport. The enemy is retiring via Charlestown and Martinsburg on Winchester. He last night reoccupied Williamsport by a small force, but will be out of it by morning. I think he has a force of infantry near Shepherdstown.

I regret that you find it necessary to couch every dispatch I have the honor to receive from you in a spirit of fault-finding, and that you have not yet found leisure to say one word in commendation of the recent achievements of this army, or even to allude to them.

I have abstained from giving the number of guns, colors, small-arms, prisoners, &c., captured until I could do so with some accuracy. I hope by to-morrow evening to be able to give at least an approximate statement.

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

Respectfully,

Randy

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Sources:

Official Records – Ohio State University