April 5, 1862 (Friday): McClellan Pleads With Lincoln

General George B. McClelan

NEAR YORKTOWN, April 5, 1862-7.30 p.m.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN,
President:
    The enemy are in large force along out front, and apparently intend making a determined resistance. A reconnaissance just made General Barnard shows that their line of works extend across the entire Peninsula from Yorktown to Warwick River. Many of them are very formidable. Deserters say they are being re-enforced daily from Richmond and from Norfolk. Under these circumstances I beg that you will reconsider the order detaching the First Corps from my command. In my deliberate judgment the success of our cause will be imperiled by so greatly reducing my force when it is actually under the fire of the enemy and active operations have commenced. Two or three of my divisions have been under fire of artillery most of the day. I am now of the opinion that I shall have to fight all the available force of now of the rebels not far from here. Do not force me to do so with diminished numbers. But whatever you decision may be, I will leave nothing undone to obtain success. If you cannot leave me the whole of the First Corps, I urgently ask that I may not lose Franklin and his division.



GEO. B. McCLELLAN,
Major-General.

Official Records, Series I., Vol. 11, Part 3, Page 71.

McClellan was now on the Peninsula and finding the Confederate line more formidable than expected.  The withholding of the First Corp was neither a guarantee of defeat or without impact on his chances of success.  But perhaps the greatest impact was the effect on McClellan's mindset.  As seen from this letter, he was already losing confidence.  A probing attack on the 5th which met some resistance also added to his apprehensions.