Saturday, April 1, 2017

April 2, 1862: McClellan Wants Navy Cooperation in His Peninsular Campaign

APRIL 2ND, 1862:  General McClellan and his staff arrived at Fort Monroe on board the steamer Commodore.  In the Peninsular Campaign to capture Richmond, McClellan intended to take full advantage of Union sea power for logistic support and offensive operations.

He wrote:  "Effective naval cooperation will shorten this operation by weeks."

He proposed to outflank Confederate defenders by water movements up the James and York rivers supported by the Navy.

The ominous presence of the CSS Virginia at the mouth of the James River dictated that Flag Officer L.M. Goldsborough keep his main naval strength at Hampton Roads alerted against future attacks by the Confederate ironclad.

Union gunboats frequently bombarded Yorktown, under siege by McClellan's army, until the city was evacuated on 3 May.

--Pld B-R'er

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