December 7, 1861 (Friday): Thwarting The Phantom Offensive

General Wade Hampton

CENTREVILLE, December 7, 1861.

Brigadier-General WRITING:
    DEAR GENERAL: I have received your note of to-day.* Your conclusion is excellent; you can do nothing better than to whip these gentleman who are giving us such anxiety. We have heretofore been considering the matter under a single aspect-the consideration of a heavy force thrown against you; this may not be done. We must watch. You must get Hampton to look up the Telegraph road as far and as closely as possible. Should it turn out that they intend to neglect you and bring their great force to crush us, then you will have to come up to our help, and after effect of such an army we will go back with you and retake the batteries. We must be prepared for all contingencies. Your speak of Van Dorn as if he were on your side of the Occoquan. He is not-no nearer than to have a brigade (Rodes') between us and Davis' Ford, in observation both ways. I understood that you and Hampton would observe that ford of Wolf Run.
         Very truly, yours,
                                                                                                 J. E. JOHNSTON.
    P. S.- The enemy's left may follow the Telegraph road to Pohick, and then turn to Sangster's, or to Mrs. Violet's, and thence Union Mills Wolf Run, &c. You will have to watch very closely. Do you hear anything from Maryland? Should you march up here, your men should being nothing but their blankets (on their person), cooking implements, and ammunition. It would be well to deposit the knapsacks as safely as possible. The wagons coming should be very light.

Official Records, Series I., Vol. 5, Part 1, Page 986.

There is no corresponding documentation in the O.R describing any preparation for the offensive the Confederate Government and Army continued to prepare for as late as Mid-December.  That the administration wanted McClellan to move across the Occoquon is clear from those records, but he made no effort to launch the offensive, already having diverted his mind toward planning a move on Richmond up to Peninsula from Fort Monroe.  Logistically, McClellan was no where near ready for that eventuality.  It is unlikely these rumors stopped Johnston from making an attack on Union forces, as he had neither sufficient strength or the inclination to do so.

*Not Found.