Jan. 6, 1862

Jan. 6, 1862: At Annapolis, Maryland, Gen. Ambrose Burnside organizes two divisions (nearly 15,000 troops) of infantry from New York and New England states for an Army-Navy expedition to an undisclosed location. A fleet of 20 warships and 8 gunboats assembles under Flag Officer Goldsborough near Fort Monroe, Virginia, to accompany the Army. Burnside loads his men aboard transports and they go to down Chesapeake Bay to Fort Monroe and the U.S.N. base there.

-–Hancock, Maryland: Stonewall Jackson’s Army of the Valley pursues Lander and his 4,000 Yankees to this town and probes the Potomac crossings to try to attack them, but Lander’s positions are too strong. Jackson ends up shelling the town as snow falls. Jackson finally gives up, and take his troops the next morning toward Romney.

–Confederate Attorney General Thomas Bragg writes in his journal: "Smuggling was spoken [of] and Mr. Memminger said the Gov’t winked at it because of our necessities – that large amounts of goods were brought to Richmond – paid for in gold. Mr. M. Said he knew the ‘under ground Rail Road’ over which they came & could break it up at any time, were it advisable."

-A group of concerned senators come to Lincoln with the idea of relieving McClellan from command, due to his inactivity. Lincoln rejects this move, but sends an inquiring message to McClellan, who is ill and in bed at home. Both Lincoln and McClellan send messages to Don Carlos Buell, general commanding the Army of the Ohio, in an attempt to prod him into action. They send a similar message to Gen. Halleck, in command of the West. Lincoln sends Gen. Buell a terse message:
WASHINGTON, January 7, 1862.

Brigadier General D. C. BUELL, Louisville:

Please name as early a day as you safely can on or before which you can be ready to move southward in concert with Major-General Halleck. Delay is ruining us, and it is indispensable for me to have something definite. I send a like dispatch to Major-General Halleck.

A. LINCOLN.