February 11, 1862 (Tuesday): Banks Sizes Up Jackson

General Nathaniel P. Banks

                                                                        DIVISION HEADQUARTERS,

                                                                        Frederick, Md., February 11, 1862.

Maj. Gen. GEORGE B. McCLELLAN,

                        Commander-in-Chief, U. S. Army:

   GENERAL: In obedience to your order I have endeavored, since my return from Washington, to obtain correct information of the condition of affairs in this portion of the Department of the Potomac.  The enemy on our front has been unquestionably greatly weakened and demoralized by the late movements of General Jackson’s army.  Not less than 1,500 men were disabled at one time by the effects of frost and cold alone, and many amputations were necessary.  It is said on good authority that 2,500 men were in their various hospitals.  No important results whatever were obtained by him at any point on our lines to compensate for the suffering and loss of his men, and the consequence have been great discontent among men and quarrels among officers, ending in the tender of his resignation by General Jackson.  The enemy was never in a feebler condition than at this time.  His force is chiefly in the vicinity of Winchester and beyond.  The reports of large detachments near Charlestown and Harper’s Ferry are greatly exaggerated, in my belief.

   On our side it may be said our men are healthy, well clothed, pretty well armed, with a very sharp appetite for work.  The earth roads in our vicinity are almost impassable, so much so that it would be with difficulty that we could get our troops out of camp; but once out there are railroads or turnpikes to every post from Point of Rocks to Cumberland, upon which we could move at any moment without serious obstruction.  The same is true of the roads in Virginia.  Nothing could be worse than the cross-roads there, but from every point between Harper’s Ferry to Cumberland there are passable roads or turnpikes centering on Martinsburg and Winchester.  The state of the roads constitutes no insuperable difficulty in our way.  I think as soon as the batteries reach me which you ordered forward, and which we hope to receive at the close of this week, we shall be ready for any movement .  We can occupy Harper’s Ferry at any moment now, and I do not doubt , with the co-operation of General Lander, that we can occupy Winchester and Leesburg by the 1^st of March.  The enemy has not been in worse condition, and our troops never in better, than at this time.

   Unless the opening of the road is contemplated by the armed occupation of the country thorough which it passes or the enterprise with which Lieutenant Babcok was connected requires it, of which I am not able to judge, I do not see that any important advantages would result from the occupation of the town and heights alone, and if we were to move on this line to Martinsburg and Winchester I do not but think it would be advisable to occupy the town more than a day or two before our columns were ready to move.  I may, however, be mistaken in this.  The chief doubt suggested on this point is the possible occupation of the heights by the enemy, and to this it may be said that he does not now suspect our purpose, that he could not hold Loudoun while the Maryland Heights were in our possession, and that Harper’s Ferry could be easily turned, even if held in force by the enemy, which is not likely to occur under any circumstances.

   In view of an immediate opening of the road, or the country through which it passes, or the repulse of the left wing of the enemy on the Potomac, I think an immediate occupation of Harper’s Ferry and a vigorous concentrated movement of the columns from Harper’s Ferry, Williamsport, Hancock, and Cumberland or Romney upon Winchester would be advisable.  Success could hardly fail us, possibly without a battle; but if a fight should occur we shall hardly find the enemy in worse or our troops in better spirits.  It is possible that this view may conflict with other plans.  If so I should be glad to have the privilege of conferring with you for a few moments, that I might bring my forces to harmonize entirely with your purposes.  I could visit Washington with the absence of an evening and morning only.

   With great respect, general, I have the honor to be, your obedient servant,

                                                                                    N. P. BANKS,

                                                            Major-General, Commanding Division.

Official Records, Series I., Vol. 51, Part 1, Page 530.

Banks had been a member of Congress, Governor of Massachusetts, and president of the Illinois Central Railroad before the war.  Intelligent, but no tactician, Banks went into the campaign which would stamp him as foil to Stonewall Jackson with high hopes and a low estimation of his opponent.  The reports he received of dissension among Jackson’s command were accurate enough, but reports of frost bit and amputation were far from accurate.  Banks would soon learn what stuff Thomas J. Jackson was made of.