Page:Cambridge Modern History Volume 7.djvu/504

 CHAPTER XV. THE CIVIL WAR: II. (1) McCLELLAN IN VIRGINIA. OWING to a slight disagreement in policy, which however in no wise disturbed their friendly personal and party relations, President Lincoln, about the middle of January, 1862, transferred Secretary Cameron to the post of Minister to Russia, and appointed Edwin M. Stanton Secretary of War to succeed him. Stanton had been Attorney General under Buchanan during the last two months of. his administration, and in the Secession crisis had amply proved his loyal devotion to the Union. Simultaneously with this change, Lincoln on January 27 issued his President's War Order, No. 1, directing all the armies to move on the February 22 following. Two similar orders speedily followed, one dividing the Army of the Potomac into four army corps, and assigning to them senior division commanders, while the other relieved McClellan from the duties of General-in-Chief, and appointed him to the single task of conducting the campaign against Richmond. Thus far that general had neither made any movement with his immense army, nor adopted any plan to that end. On this point there had been from the first a dis- agreement between the President and himself. With correct military instinct, the President believed the war could be ended most quickly by fighting and conquering the Confederate armies, instead of merely occupying the Confederate capital ; and for that purpose he wished the Army of the Potomac to move directly against the enemy at Manassas. McClellan, on the contrary, preferred a flank movement down Chesapeake Bay, and a land march from either Urbana or Fortress Monroe against Richmond. Before this difference was adjusted, occurred the famous battle between the ironclads Monitor and Merrimac in Hampton Roads, on March 9, 1862, and on the same day the sudden retreat of the Confederate army under Johnston toward Richmond, from its advanced position at Manassas to Gordonsville behind the Rappahannock and