[
337]
and the breaking of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad for many miles.
This despatch ends as follows:
No news from Hunter.
The force of the enemy is everywhere stated at from twenty to thirty thousand.
The idea of cutting off their retreat would seem to be futile, for there are plenty of fords and ferries now in their control, where they can cross the Potomac and get off, in spite of all our efforts to intercept them, long before our forces can be so concentrated as to be able to strike an effective blow.
Dana gave emphasis to the foregoing despatch by two others which he sent to
General Grant the next day. The first was dated July 12th-11.30 A. M., and after reciting the fact that no attack had been made on either
Washington or
Baltimore, it reiterated the statement that “nothing can possibly be done towards” cutting off the enemy for want of a commander, and added that
Augur commands the defences of
Washington,
Wright the Sixth corps,
Gillmore a part of the Nineteenth corps, and
Ord the Eighteenth corps, “but there is no head to the whole, and it seems indispensable that you should appoint one.”
It then called attention to the fact that “
Hunter will be the ranking officer if he ever gets up, but he will not do,” that in the judgment of the secretary he ought instantly to be relieved, as he had proved himself far more incompetent than
Sigel.
In conclusion he added:
... The secretary also directs me to say that advice or suggestions from you will not be sufficient.
General Halleck will not give orders except as he receives them; the President will give none, and until you direct positively and explicitly what is to be done, everything will go on in the deplorable and fatal way in which it has gone on for the past week.
