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communications to the Government at Washington are full of earnest, almost passionate, entreaties for reinforcements, and in them he restates the reasons why he deems it important that his hands should be strengthened.
He suggests that portions of the army of General Halleck, then in the Southwest, might be detached for this purpose.
The replies of the Secretary of War are friendly and encouraging in tone.
On the 11th of June he tells General McClellan that McCall's force, forming part of McDowell's corps, was on its way, and that it was intended to send the rest of McDowell's corps to him as speedily as possible.
General McCall's division, numbering about eleven thousand men, arrived on the 12th and 13th; but these were the only reinforcements that General McClellan received till after the retreat to Harrison's Landing.
General McDowell was at this time on the Rappahannock, with about forty thousand men, including McCall's division.
He expected to join General McClellan, and was most desirous of doing so; for on the 10th of June he wrote to the latter, saying, “For the third time I am ordered to join you, and hope this time to get through. * * * * I wish to say I go with the greatest satisfaction, and hope to arrive with my main body in time to be of service.
McCall goes in advance, by water.
I will be with you in ten days with the remainder, by Fredericksburg.”
On the 12th he wrote again to General McClellan, telling him that he shall not be with him on so early a day as he had previously announced, but still expecting to join him. It
Philadelphia. Lippincott & Co. 1864.
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