[106]
war of large bodies.
He was in favor of moving down the Mississippi River with eighty thousand men, fight all the battles that were necessary, take all the positions he could find and garrison them, fight a battle at New Orleans, win it, and thus end the war. His marvelous plan met with serious objections from the powers at Washington.
Could it have been submitted to those in Richmond it would have been unanimously adopted.
Irvin McDowell, the commander selected to lead the Federal army against its opponent at Manassas, was a native of Ohio, and graduated at the Military Academy at West Point in 1838.
He was assigned to the First Artillery, served in the Mexican War, and was brevetted major for gallant and meritorious conduct at Buena Vista.
He was afterward transferred to the Adjutant General's Department, and served there till he was promoted brigadier general in 1861.
At this period McDowell was about forty-three years of age, a capable soldier, and a gallant and courteous gentleman.
He was kind-hearted, considerate, and tender of the feelings of others.
His letter to Mrs. Lee, in reply to one received from her, addressed to the commander of the Federal forces at Arlington, has the ring of the pure metal, and is as follows:
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