The pontoon bridge being up on the 2nd doesn't seem to make sense, to me, given a bridge had to be built to move the army at Berlin on the 24th; I know the Potomac was low at that point, so isn't it possible that Sumner used a ford?McClellan had pontoon bridges built both across the Potomac and the Shenandoah River. That's what he used to get Sumner's force across to attack Leesburg on the 2nd of October: and don't call me Shirley (surely you Brits must have seen Airplane!)
How long would it take to replace a pontoon bridge.The pontoon bridge being up on the 2nd doesn't seem to make sense, to me, given a bridge had to be built to move the army at Berlin on the 24th; I know the Potomac was low at that point, so isn't it possible that Sumner used a ford?
Possibly I'm getting mixed up. I do know that at least one pontoon over the Potomac got smashed by a freshet, which is hardly a reliable supply line for an offensive even if the rail bridge over the Monocacy was up and Harpers Ferry was consequently a reliable rail terminus (though since there were supply deficiencies...)
Well, one of these four possibilities would obtain.What could Halleck have done if Mac had just kept him in the dark and gone ahead with a river crossing.
Not long if you've got the pontoons (and once the water's slowed down), though pontoons are not in unlimited supply and can take a long time to move around. The same pontoons used in the bridge at Berlin MD were the ones which arrived late to Fredericksburg, for example.How long would it take to replace a pontoon bridge.
He should have chosen option 2.Well, one of these four possibilities would obtain.
Option one: McClellan has crossed into the Shenandoah without having the rail supply line to Harpers Ferry repaired and without a permanent bridge.
In this situation, McClellan has not (quite) disobeyed an order from his superior, but he is in an extremely precarious supply situation. If there's a storm which makes the Potomac rise that destroys the pontoon bridge over the Potomac, then McClellan's main body is stranded in the Shenandoah valley with a superior Confederate enemy army and no means of supply; thus, if there's a storm the Army of the Potomac is at serious risk of destruction.
Option two: McClellan builds a permanent bridge over the Potomac at Harpers Ferry and crosses into the Shenandoah.
In this situation, McClellan has disobeyed an order from his superior, in that he has done something for which he has explicitly been refused permission. This is a potential court-martial offence - the penalties can be extremely severe.
Option three: McClellan conducts the Loudoun Valley campaign and thus does not need a permanent bridge, as he can cross in a few days. He leaves behind troops to cover the upper Potomac.
In this situation, McClellan has been keeping Halleck in the dark about where he is going and is consequently not going to get any reinforcements (or supplies) because Halleck has no idea where to send them. McClellan's army is outnumbered 4:3 by Lee's, and Lee could destroy him.
Option four: McClellan conducts the Loudoun Valley campaign and thus does not need a permanent bridge, as he can cross in a few days. He does not leave behind troops to cover the upper Potomac.
In this situation, McClellan has been keeping Halleck in the dark about where he is going and is consequently not going to get any reinforcements (or supplies) because Halleck has no idea where to send them. His army suffers from supply deficiencies, while Lee can cross the upper Potomac and invade the North behind him.
I suspect that that (i.e. explicitly disobeying an order from a superior officer in time of war) might actually be a capital crime. It might well also involve mis-spending of government funds (i.e. using them for a purpose not permitted) which would be another serious crime to add to the list; compounding that, the chances of getting away with it are extremely small.He should have chosen option 2.
Or Lee falls on the main body and takes another beating. Antietam showed the ANV was a weakened force.Not long if you've got the pontoons (and once the water's slowed down), though pontoons are not in unlimited supply and can take a long time to move around. The same pontoons used in the bridge at Berlin MD were the ones which arrived late to Fredericksburg, for example.
The basic worst case scenario for the Union army if they go into the Shenandoah by a pontoon bridge is:
- Their supply wagons are already half empty before they even begin moving, because all the supplies have to come a few dozen miles by wagon instead of quickly by rail (remember the rail bridge over the Monocacy is still down during Lincoln's visit).
- They cross into the Shenandoah.
- A storm destroys the pontoon bridge, cutting them off from resupply or retreat, and the storm continues for a couple of days
- Lee falls on the main body and destroys it.
Lincoln liked a fighter I suspect if McClellan had showed aggressive spirit Lincoln would have made Halleck back off.I suspect that that (i.e. explicitly disobeying an order from a superior officer in time of war) might actually be a capital crime. It might well also involve mis-spending of government funds (i.e. using them for a purpose not permitted) which would be another serious crime to add to the list; compounding that, the chances of getting away with it are extremely small.
I suspect the more likely result would simply be McClellan's relief from command and arrest.
Antietam showed the Army of Northern Virginia could successfully fend off attacks launched by something like 65,000-70,000 infantry PFD without even needing to use all the brigades with it; would you be willing to say that Lee couldn't possibly defeat an enemy with which he has parity?Or Lee falls on the main body and takes another beating. Antietam showed the ANV was a weakened force.
Lincoln's idea of "aggressive spirit" is suicidally aggressive - quite apart from anything else McClellan was showing aggressive spirit, because he was arguing that the first step in an offensive under the current circumstances should be to attack the enemy in the Shenandoah valley; McClellan on 17 September had launched the bloodiest single day's fighting in American history, let alone Civil War history.Lincoln liked a fighter I suspect if McClellan had showed aggressive spirit Lincoln would have made Halleck back off.
McClellan had pontoon bridges built both across the Potomac and the Shenandoah River. That's what he used to get Sumner's force across to attack Leesburg on the 2nd of October: and don't call me Shirley (surely you Brits must have seen Airplane!)
The pontoon bridge being up on the 2nd doesn't seem to make sense, to me, given a bridge had to be built to move the army at Berlin on the 24th; I know the Potomac was low at that point, so isn't it possible that Sumner used a ford?
Possibly I'm getting mixed up. I do know that at least one pontoon over the Potomac got smashed by a freshet, which is hardly a reliable supply line for an offensive even if the rail bridge over the Monocacy was up and Harpers Ferry was consequently a reliable rail terminus (though since there were supply deficiencies...)
It wasn't an "attack" but rather, in response to int that a recruiting team had arrived Leesburg to press the men of Loudoun County into service, Kimball's Brigade the 6th US Cavalry and 10 guns made an expedition to prevent it. They crossed the Shenandoah onto the Loudoun Heights by a pontoon bridge (see the diary of the engineer battalion), marched to Leesburg and marched back (see Kimball's report).
The pontoon bridge over the Shenandoah was at the site of the old flying bridge, which indicates the current was quite strong there. Indeed, on 16th October the engineers started building a suspension bridge there.
Send units to Virginia through Washington? As in, send off a separate army?Why not send units to Virginia thru Washington, the main thing is to press Lee hard give his men no rest. We see later in the east Grant had the right idea of just keep grinding away. The advantage the union had is superior resources.