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Chapter 3:
THE alarms occasioned by
Jackson's success did not prevent the
battle of Fair Oaks from producing a great sensation in the
North.
The army of the Potomac was essentially national in its character, and there was not a village in the free States that had not furnished to it some young men; consequently, a greater interest was everywhere manifested in its labors than in the pretended dangers of the
Federal capital.
The government, still cherishing a secret jealousy against
General McClellan, seldom communicated to the public the tidings it received from him, but after such a battle it was no longer possible to keep silent; accordingly, a despatch from the
commander-in-chief was for the first time published.
The latter, unfortunately deceived by
Heintzelman's report, threw undue blame upon
Casey's division.
This despatch was corrected in
Washington, but in such a manner as to aggravate the painful effect of the error it contained.
The unmerited censure was allowed to stand, while the eulogies which
McClellan bestowed upon
Sumner were suppressed.
The general-in-chief soon set forth the truth, and it became known that the army had been saved by the stubborn resistance of
Naglee and
Bailey, the ardor which
Kearny had infused into
Jamison's and
Berry's brigades, and, finally, by the indomitable energy of old
Sumner.
Mr. Lincoln learned at last that he could no longer delay sending the reinforcements which the army of the Potomac needed in order to continue the task, which threatened to be difficult.
The garrison of
Fort Monroe and a few other regiments, eight or nine thousand men in all, were assigned to
General McClellan, who distributed them among the different brigades of the army.
He was again promised the co-operation of
McDowell as soon as the
