Comte de Paris, History of the Civil War in America. Vol. 1.
Henry Coppee , LL.D., Ed.

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[571] spared in the preparation of this campaign. The nation had been prodigal of men and money; the government had placed all its resources at the disposal of the new commander-in-chief, and he was applying himself with indefatigable zeal to turn them to account. A few mistakes, some trivial errors and imprudences committed by the civil and military authorities, were unfortunately destined to compromise the results of so many efforts, even before the season permitted the army to take the field.

We have seen what a fatal influence political considerations had exercised over military operations in Virginia since the beginning of the war, owing to the situation of Washington. The army of the Potomac, having its headquarters in the Federal capital, was therefore in the President's hands and under the eyes of Congress, and was doomed to see the civil authority, controlled by a wild ardor or miserable intrigues, constantly interfering with its management. Moreover, being entrusted with the defence of this capital, it could not move one step away from it without causing inquietude to those even who were loudest in denouncing its inaction. Consequently, during the four years of its collective existence, it had to struggle against unjust impatience and puerile alarms, which frequently lost it the fruits of long labors and painful sacrifices.

After the severe lesson of Bull Run, however, the good sense of the public silenced the clamors of criticism. General McClellan knew how to make excellent use of this respite; but he deceived himself as to its duration. Shortly after the disaster of Ball's Bluff, his elevation to the supreme command of the army entailed upon him the most overwhelming cares; the reorganization of all the armies of the republic, and the plans for combined action he had conceived, no longer allowed him to think of putting the troops, the command of which he had especially reserved for himself, immediately in the field. The people, who placed at first entire confidence in the young general, and properly mistrusted their own judgment, had easily become reconciled to a long inaction during those months when the season might yet have admitted of military operations. But their patience began to give out when the opportunity had passed, just as the coming of winter doomed the army of the Potomac to several months of inactivity.