Wednesday, February 19,
1862.
The committee met pursuant to adjournment; all the members
present.
Mr. Odell said he felt constrained to again call the
attention of the committee to the importance of immediate action in relation to
the blockade of the Potomac. He referred to representations which had been made
to him by some of the leading merchants of New York city as to the importance of
raising the blockade of the Potomac at once, they representing that it would
have a far more beneficial effect upon our relations with foreign nations than
many victories gained elsewhere.
Mr. Odell concluded by offering the following resolution,
which was agreed to unanimously:
Resolved, That a sub-committee,
to consist of the chairman and Mr. Johnson, be hereby appointed, with
instructions to wait upon the Secretary of War at once, for the purpose of
enjoining upon his consideration the necessity of immediately raising the
blockade of the Potomac, inasmuch as it has come to the knowledge of this committee
that that is the most significant and important thing to be done in view of our
relations with foreign nations.
The committee then took a recess, to enable the
sub-committee to perform the duty assigned to them.
Subsequently, the committee resumed its session, and, at the
request of the chairman,
Mr. Johnson reported as follows:
That the sub-committee, as instructed, had waited upon the
Secretary of War, and the chairman made known to him the object of their visit,
viz: the importance and necessity of at once wiping out that disgrace to the
nation — the blockade of the Potomac and
the siege of our capital. The chairman also laid before the Secretary the
substance of the statements made by Mr. Odell to the committee in reference to
the importance attached to this step by the merchants of the country, and also
the feelings of American citizens abroad, as shown in letters which Mr. Covode
had received and read to this committee.
To which the Secretary replied that the committee could not
feel more keenly upon this subject than he did; that he did not go to his bed
at night without his cheek burning with shame at this disgrace upon the nation;
that the subject had received his earnest consideration since he had been in
the War Department, but as yet he had not been able to accomplish his wishes in
that respect, as he was not the head and could not control the matter. The
Secretary said that General McClellan was then in the building, and he would
bring him into the room.
Whereupon the Secretary left the room and shortly returned
with General McClellan, to whom he stated the object of our visit.
At the request of the Secretary, the chairman then repeated
to General McClellan what he had already stated to the Secretary in reference
to the necessity of raising the blockade of the Potomac, the rebuilding the
Baltimore and Ohio railroad, &c.
General McClellan stated that the subject had been
considered by him, that he had just then been seeing what could be done, and in
a short time expected to be able to inform us what steps could be taken. When
asked how soon something would be done, he replied that it was not a question
of weeks but of days, and proceeded to state what had been done. The inference
from what he said was, that some steps were now being taken, and the delay
simply depended upon procuring the necessary means. He said he could not give
his consent to take men over on the other side of the river without having
their rear protected, and having all precautions taken to secure their retreat,
if necessary; that he designed first throwing a temporary bridge across the
Potomac over which to cross his troops, and immediately proceeding to erect a
permanent bridge.
To which the chairman promptly replied that with 150,000 of
the most effective troops in the world upon the other side of the Potomac there
was no need of a bridge; they could beat any force the enemy could bring
against them, and if any of them came back, let them come back in their
coffins. To which General McClellan made no reply.
Mr. Johnson stated that the interview with the Secretary had
been a very satisfactory one; that the Secretary listened attentively to all
that the chairman said, and although the chairman sometimes made his statements
to General McClellan in pretty strong and emphatic language, the Secretary
indorsed every sentiment he uttered. The Secretary feels as strongly upon this
subject as this committee does.
The chairman laid before the committee a communication from
the War Department, in response to a call of this committee, enclosing the
original orders from General Stone to Colonel Baker, as taken from the dead
body of Colonel Baker upon the field of the battle of Ball's Bluff. Adjourned
to 11 a. m. to-morrow.
SOURCE: United States Congress, Report of the Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War (1863), p.
85-4
