General Mcclellan To Secretary Stanton

Oq the night of tho 28th of' June 1862, during tho sevcn days of battle, General McClku.an add.tssed the following letter to Secretary Stanton : Headquarteks Aiimy or tbs Potosí Ac, ) Savage's Station-, ( June 28th, 18üü- 2:20 A. lj I uow know the whole history of tbe day. On this side of the river the r ght bnnk - wo repulsed several Strong attacks. Ou the left bank our men did all tbat men could do, uil thit soldicrs could acootbptish ; but thcy were ovtwhelmed by vastly superior numbers, even after I broughtmy last reserve ioto action. Tho loss on both sides is terrible. I believo k will prove to bo the most terrible battle of tbe war. Tho sad remnants of my men bchave as men, those battalion8 who fought most bravely and suffered most, are still in the best order. The regulara were superb, and I count upou what are left to turu another battlo in eompany with their gallant oomrades of the volunteers. Had I (20,000) twenty thousand or even (10,000) ten thousand fresh troops to use to-morrow, I could take Eichmond ; but I have not a man in reserve, and sball be glad to cover my retreat acd save the material and personnel of the army. If we have lost the day, we have yet preservod our honor, and no one need blush for the Ariny of the Potomac. I have lost this battle becauso my farce was too small. I again repeat that I am not responsible for this, and I say it with the earnestness of a general who feels in kis heart the loss ot' cvery brave man who bas been needleisly sacrificed to day. I still hope to retneve our fortunes; but to do this the gevernment must view the matter in the same earnest light that I do. You must secd me very large reinforcements, and send them at oncü. I shall draw back to this sido of the Chiekahominy, and I think I can withdraw all our material. Flease undersland that in this battle we have lost nothing bufc msii, and thoso the best we have. In addition to what I have already said I only wish to say to the President that I tbtok he is wrong iü regarding me as ungenerous when I said that my force was too weik - I raerely iutimated a truth whioh today has been too plainly proven. If, at tbis instant, I-could dispose of (10,000) ten thousand fresh men I could gain the victory to morrow. I know that a few thousand more men would have changed the battle from a defeat to a victory As it is, the governnient must not, and cannot, hold me responsible for tbe result. I fe-el too earnestly to-night - I have seen too niany dead and wounded comradea to feel otherwise, tban that the governnient bas not sustained the army. If you do not do so now, the game is lost. If I save this ariny now, I teil you plaiuly that I owe no thanks to you, or to any other person in Washington. - You have dono your best to sacrifico this army. To Hod. E. M. Stastok