Timeline - McClellan and re-inforcing Pope

All dates 1862

August 23rd - McClellan Leaves Fort Monroe

August 24th 6 am- McClellan arrives Aquia Creek. McClellan requests Halleck for news of Pope and for orders.

August 24rd - McClellan meets with Porter and Burnside at 12:15 PM. He learns that Pope has retreated from Rappahannock and that Porters Corps in near Fredericksburg. Later, McClellan telegrams Halleck & asks who commands Porter. Halleck replies that night - Porter is under the command of Pope, states he doesn't know where Pope is.

August 26th 11 am - Halleck telegrams McClellan& orders him to Alexandria and to leave Burnside in charge of Aquia Creek. Tells McClellan that Heintzlemann has joined Pope and Kearny is on his way.

August 26th, PM - Sumner Corps starts to disembarks at Aquia Creek


August 27th 6 am - McClellan arrives Alexandria and telegrams Halleck for orders. He has no idea what his command is or where Pope is.

August 27th 10 am - Halleck telegrams the McClellan will "take entire direction of sending troops out of Alexandria - Determine questions of priority of transportation and the places they should occupy."

August 27 115 PM - Halleck sends the following:

Telegrams from General Porter to General Buruside, just received, say that Banks is at Fayetteville; McDowell, Sign], and Ricketts near Warrenton; Reno on his right. Porter is marching on Warrenton Junction to re-enforce Pope. Nothing said of Heintzelman. Porter reports a general battle imminent. Franklin's corps should move out by forced marches, carrying three or four days provisions, and to be supplied as far as possible by railroad. Perhaps you may prefer some other road than to Centreville.

August 29, 1862—12 PM (Received 12.8 p. in.)
Maj. Gen. H. W. HALLEOK. General-in-Chief:
Your telegram received. Do you wish the movement of Franklin’s
corps to continue? He is without reserve ammunition and without
transportation.
GEG. B. MCCLELLAN,
Major- General,.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC
Aleiandria Va., August 29, 1862—(Received 12.50 p. in.)
Major-General HALLECK, General-in- Chief:
Have ordered most of Twelfth Pennsylvania Cavalry ho report to
General Barnard for scouting duty toward liockville, Poolesville, &c.
If you apprehend a raid of cavalry on your side of river I had better
send a brigade or two of Sumner’s to near Tennallytown, where, with
two or three old regiments in Forts Allen and Marcy, they can watch
both Chain Bridge and Tennallytown. Would it meet your views to
post the rest of Sumner’s corps between Arlington and Fort Corcoran
where they can either sul)port Cox, Franklin, or Chain Bridge, an~
even Tennallytown. Franklin has only between 10,000 and 11,000 ready
for duty. How far do you wish this force to advance?
GEO. B. MCCLELLAN,
Major-General, U. S. Army.

WASHINGTON, D.C., August 29, 1862—3 p. m.
Major-General MCCLELLAN, Alexandria, Va.:
Your proposed disposition of Sumner’s corps seems to me judicious.
Of course I have no time to examine into details. The present danger
is a raid upon Washington in the night-time. Dispose of all troops as
you deem best. I want Franklin’s corps to go far enough to find out
something about the enemy. Perhaps he may get such information at
Annandale as to prevent his going farther; otherwise he will push on
toward Fairfax. Try to get something from direction of Mannannas,
either by telegram or through Franklin’s scouts. Our people must move
more actively and find out where the enemy is. I am tired of guesses.
H. W. HALLECK,
General-in- Chief.


WASHINGTON, D. C., August 29, 1862.
Major-General MCCLELLAN, Alexandria, Va.:
I think you had better place Sumner’s corps as it arrives near the
fortifications, and particularly at the Chain Bridge. The l)rincipal thing
to be feared now is a cavalry raid into this city, especially iii the night-
time. Use Cox’s and Tyler’s brigades and the new troops for the same
object if you need them.
Porter writes to Burnside from Bristoe, 9.30 a. in. yesterday, that
Pope’s forces were then moving on Manassas and that Burnside would
soon hear of them by way of Alexandria.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
August 29, 1862—5.25 p. m~ (Received 5.38 p. in.)
Maj. Gen. II. XV. HALLECK, General-in-Chief:
Before receiving the President’s message I had put Sumner’s corps
in motion toward Arlington and the Chain Bridge, not having received
no reply from you. The movement is still under your control in either
direction, though now under progress, as stated. I think that one of
two alternatives should be fully carried out.
GEG. B. MCCLELLAN,
Major- General.

WASHINGTON, D. C., August 29, 1862—7.50 p. m.
Major-General MCCLELLAN, Alexandria, Va.:
You will immediately send constructing trains and guards to repair
railroad to Manassas; let there be no delay in this. I have just been
told that Franklin’s corps stopped at Annandale, and that he was this
evening in Alexandria. This is all contrary to my orders; investi-
gate and report the facts of this disobedience. That corps must push
forward, as I directed, protect the railroad, and open our communica-
tions with Manassas.
H. W. HALLECK,
General-in- Chief.

WASHINGTON, D. C.,
August 30, 1862�9.40 a. m.
Major-General MCCLELLAN, Alexandria, Va.:
I am by no means satisfied with General Franklin's march of yester-
day. Considering the circumstances of the case, he was very~wrong in
stopping at Annandale. Moreover, I learned last Night that the Quar-
termaster's Department could have given him plenty of transportation,
if he had applied for it, any time since his arrival at Alexandria. He
knew the importance of opening communication with General Pope's
army, and should have acted more promptly.
II. W. HALLECK
General-in- Chief

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
August 30, 1862.
Maj. Gen. II. W. HALLECK,
General-in- Chief U. S. Army, Washington, D. C.:
GENERAL: Ever since General Franklin received notice that he was
to march from Alexandria he has been using every effort to get trans-
portation for his extra ammunition, but he was uniformly told by the
quartermasters here that there was none disposable, and his command
marched without wagons.*
After the departure of his corps, at 6 a. in. yesterday, he procured 20
wagons, to carry a portion of his ammunition, by unloading some of
General Banks' supply train for that purpose.
General Sumner was one entire day in endeavoring, l)y application
upon quartermasters and others, to get a sufficient number of wagons
to transport his reserve ammunition, but without success, and was
obliged to march without it.
I have this morning sent all my headquarters train that is landed
to be at once loaded with ammunition for Sumner and Franklin; but
they will not go far toward supplying the deficiency.