"
Meanwhile, by the news of the victory of Malvern Hill and the secure
position to which McClellan had retired at Harrison's Landing, the
President learned that the condition of the Army of the Potomac was not
as desperate as at first had seemed. The result of Seward's visit to New
York is shown in the President's letter of July 2, answering McClellan's
urgent call for heavy reinforcements:
"The idea of sending you fifty thousand, or any other considerable
force, promptly, is simply absurd. If, in your frequent mention of
responsibility, you have the impression that I blame you for not doing
more than you can, please be relieved of such impression. I only beg
that in like manner you will not ask impossibilities of me. If you think
you are not strong enough to take Richmond just now, I do not ask you to
try just now. Save the army, material and personnel, and I will
strengthen it for the offensive again as fast as I can. The governors of
eighteen States offer me a new levy of three hundred thousand, which I
accept."
And in another letter, two days later:
"To reinforce you so as to enable you to resume the offensive within a
month, or even six weeks, is impossible.... Under these circumstances,
the defensive for the present must be your only care. Save the
army--first, where you are, if you can; secondly, by removal, if you
must.
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