resident 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."

To satisfy himself more fully about the actual situation, the President
made a visit to Harrison's Landing on July 8 and 9, and held personal
interviews with McClellan and his leading generals. While the question
of removing the army underwent considerable discussion, the President
left it undecided for the present; but on July 11, soon after his return
to Washington, he issued an order:

"That Major-General Henry W. Halleck be assigned to command the whole
land forces of the United States, as general-in-chief, and that he
repair to this capital so soon as he can with safety to the positions
and operations within the department now under his charge."

Though General Halleck was loath to leave his command in the West, he
made the necessary dispositions there, and in obedience to the
President's order reached Washington on July 23, and assumed command of
all the armies as general-in-chief. On the day following he proceeded to
General McClellan's headquarters at Harrison's Landing, and after two
days' consultation reached the same conclusion at which the President
had already arrived, that the Army of the Potomac must be withdrawn.
McClellan strongly objected to this course. He wished to be reinforced
so that he might resum