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Why did General George B McClellan decide to make Harrison's Landing his new base of operations in 1862?
At the end of June 1862, General McClellan decided to retreat to Harrison's Landing on the James River. There the US Navy was better able to provide the army with better assistance. A Navy flotilla led by Commander John Rodgers provided fire support for McClellan's troops as they took up positions at Malvern Hill on June 30, 1862. It was there on July 1st that the last battle of the Peninsula was fought. This would be the last major confrontation in the failed Peninsula campaign.
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What Union general accompanied general in chief Halleck at Harrisons Landing?
With the defeat of McClellan in the Peninsula campaign, he had retreated to Harrison's Landing to regroup and of course fortify the Landing. In the meantime, Lincoln had summoned General Halleck to meet with McClellan there at Harrison's Landing and asses the situation. General Ambrose Burnside accompanied Halleck so as to have another top general there to discuss the military situation.
What did General George B McClellan was the best place to begin the Peninsula campaign in 1862?
General McClellan believed that landing his army at Urbana Virginia gave him his best chance to cut off the forces Confederates under the command of Major General John B. Magruder. The landing there would be a total surprise for the Rebels and enable McClellan to reach Richmond before he could reinforce the Confederate capital. Urbana had to be placed aside and McClellan had to chose Fort Monroe as his forward base of operations in that the uncertainty caused by the ironclad CSS Virginia at Hampton Roads.
When did US president Abraham Lincoln arrive at Harrisons Landing to confer with General George B McClellan?
On July 7,1862, Lincoln went to Harrison's Landing to personally know what McClellan's operational plans were. The only thing he got was a letter in which the general, instead of expressing his intention regarding what kind of action he was going to develop on his front, gave a paternalistic suggestions and advice about governmental policy; (source: "Own Story" by George Brinton McClellan, page 487 and following.). It was the second time the general addressed to Lincoln such a kind of message, what would have been enough to sent him before a court martial, but Lincoln didn't react.
What was the purpose of President Lincoln's visit to Harrison's Landing in July of 1862?
On July 8, 1862, President Lincoln arrived at Harrison's Landing to meet with Major General George B. McClellan. Lincoln's purpose was to urge McClellan to renew the offensive against Richmond. However McClellan wanted to do that would be satisfactory, however, Lincoln wanted a firm commitment from McClellan, which was not forthcoming.
Why did Union General Henry Halleck travel to Washington DC in early July 1862?
On July 25, 1862, General in Chief Henry W. Halleck, accompanied by Major General Ambrose Burnside visited Harrison's Landing to confer with General McClellan. Halleck's purpose is to pressure McClellan to do "something". Halleck orders McClellan to advance against Richmond or withdraw from the Peninsula and send troops to join Major General Pope's Army of Virginia. McClellan commits to nothing. He is placing himself and General Pope's mission in jeopardy.
When did US President Lincoln visit General McClellan in Virginia?
President Lincoln made several battleground visits to speak to his generals after major campaigns. The widespread publicity given to the failed Peninsula campaign gave Lincoln the opportunity to speak directly with General McClellan in Virginia. Lincoln arrived at Harrison's Landing on July 8, 1862. Lincoln, for a president, had traveled a long way to meet with McClellan and urge him to go back on the offensive. McClellan is not responsive to that and gives Lincoln his own ideas on how the war should be conducted from now on. He has plans and they call for having McClellan to regain control of the Union's military operations.
What was the result of Union General in Chief Henry Halleck's visit to Harrison's Landing in 1862?
On July 25, 1862, General in Chief Henry W. Halleck visits the headquarters of General McClellan at his Virginia headquarters in Virginia. He brings General Ambrose Burnside with him. Burnside and McClellan are friends. Halleck gives McClellan a choice, and both of them will be a serious problem for McClellan. McClellan must either restart his Peninsula campaign or make a total withdrawal from Harrison's Landing. These troops will be given to John Pope's new Army of Virginia. McClellan's anger with the Lincoln government intensifies. Reportedly he has been receiving letters from his supporters in the North to march on Washington DC and take control of the government. One thing is certain, Burnside reports that anti-government agitation among McClellan's officers seem treasonous to him. The Army of the Potomac is piece by piece brought back to Washington DC to help form General Pope's new army.
What was General in Chief Henry W Halleck's assessment of the situation in the Eastern Theater?
After speaking with General George B. McClellan at Harrison's Landing, he realized there was a serious weakness in the Union's situation. He reasoned that unless the Confederates perceived that McClellan threatened Richmond with a siege, they would have the liberty to exploit their interior lines to attack either McClellan on the Peninsula or Pope near Washington DC. He therefore ordered McClellan to evacuate the Peninsula and bring his army north to support Pope.
What did US generals McClellan and Halleck discuss at Harrison's Landing in July 1862?
General Halleck's first assignment was to meet with General McClellan at Harrison's Landing. Each of them had different views on the best way to end the Confederate rebellion. McClellan wanted to cut Richmond's lines of communications by sending troops south of Richmond to do this. Halleck had no intentions of allowing that. Halleck's plan was to have McClellan join forces with General Pope and with this large pair of armies attack Richmond. Also, to protect the endless fear of a Confederate assault on Washington DC, Halleck wanted to keep a sizable force between Washington DC and Richmond. Halleck was willing to compromise. If his plans would not work for McClellan, then he was free to again attempt to capture Richmond with his own army plus some additional 20,000 troops on their way to help McClellan. McClellan, always fearing larger Confederate armies then what existed, asked for 30,000 troops. This left McClellan with two choices. Resume his attempt to capture Richmond or retreat from the Peninsula. McClellan's idea was not to retreat but carry on an attempt to capture Richmond.
What two Union generals advised General George B McClellan to counterattack after the Battle of Gaines's Mill?
The Battle of Gaines's Mill had been a Union victory. The entrenched Union forces foiled all of General Lee's attempts to break through the Union's lines and attempt to destroy the Army of the Potomac. McClellan chose to retreat but not after Union generals Joseph Hooker and Philip Kearny pleaded their case for a counterattack to McClellan. McClellan saw only danger by remaining on the field of battle and he pursued his retreat to Harrison's Landing.
What was Union General George B McClellan's reason for failing in the Peninsula campaign?
General McClellan blamed President Lincoln for the Union disaster in the Peninsula campaign. On June 28, 1862, as he begins his retreat back to Harrison's Landing, he sent a telegraph to Lincoln, accusing him and Secretary of War Stanton of sabotaging his campaign. Lincoln returns the message that he will support McClellan, ignoring McClellan's hostility. Realizing the unstable military position of the North, Lincoln began to call for 300,000 new recruits from the Northern state governors.
What two prominent newspapers supported General George B. McClellan in 1862?
In 1862, the two most conservative New York newspapers, the Herald and the World were staunch supporters of Union General George B. McClellan. They assigned blame for the failed Peninsula campaign on Secretary of War, Edwin Stanton. Stanton was blamed for withholding the reinforcements McClellan asked for during the campaign and saw McClellan's retreat to Harrison's Landing as a true "Napoleonic " style maneuver. Both newspapers wanted Stanton to be replaced by General Henry Halleck and have the former Democrat General Banks replace Welles as Navy Secretary. This revamped cabinet had to give all troops to McClellan as he required. Both newspapers believed only McClellan could end the war promptly and without violating the US Constitution.
