McCLELLAN'S June 18,
1862.
The PRESIDENT:
I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your dispatch
of to-day. Our army is well over the Chickahominy, except the very
considerable forces necessary to protect our flanks and communications. Our
whole line of pickets in front runs within 6 miles of Richmond. The rebel line
runs within musket-range of ours. Each has heavy support at hand. A general
engagement may take place any hour. An advance by us involves a battle more or
less decisive. The enemy exhibit at every point a readiness to meet us. They
certainly have great numbers and extensive works. If 10,000 or 15,000 men have
left Richmond to re-enforce Jackson it illustrates their strength and
confidence. After to-morrow we shall fight the rebel army as soon as Providence
will permit. We shall await only a favorable condition of the earth and sky and
the completion of some necessary preliminaries.
GEO. B. McCLELLAN,
Major-General.
SOURCES: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of
the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume
11, Part 3 (Serial No. 14), p. 233
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