CAMP PIERPONT, VA., March
9, 1862.
I am very much afraid there is a great deal of truth in what
told you, and that the President is at length yielding to the immense pressure
that has been brought to bear to influence him to remove McClellan. McClellan,
I understand, continues firm and undaunted. He says they may supersede him
whenever they please, but so long as he is responsible, he intends to do what
he thinks right, and not what others dictate.
This morning's paper announces the evacuation of Leesburg
and its occupation by a part of Banks' force. I never expected they would
attempt to hold either Winchester or Leesburg after we were ready to move in
force.
I hear we are to be divided into four corps d' armee, to
be commanded respectively by Sumner, McDowell, Heintzelman and Keyes. Into
which of these commands McCall's Division will be incorporated is not yet
decided. I don't think there is much choice between them. The selection of
these men, by virtue of the seniority of their commissions, was, I understand,
opposed by McClellan, who, finding he could not designate his commanders,
objected to corps d' armee, and said he only wanted divisions and their
commanders. He has been overruled, and these officers selected in opposition to
his openly expressed views. All this is confidential, though it is a matter of
absolute fact. Public opinion in this country is so wayward and so whimsical
that I should not be surprised to see the same people who the other day called
McClellan a demi-god, to-morrow applauding his removal.
SOURCE: George Meade, The Life and Letters of George
Gordon Meade, Vol. 1, p. 250-1
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