Pope, an experienced soldier, had
succeeded well in the West; he was no longer necessary there, and there
was no adverse criticism upon him. He was in all respects a proper
choice, and he was now summoned to take command of what was to be
called the army of Virginia. A few days later, upon the advice, as it
seems, of Scott, Halleck himself was called from the West. His old
command was left to Grant and he himself was made General-in-Chief and
continued at Washington to the end of the war as an adviser of the
Government. All the progress in the West had been made under Halleck's
supervision, and his despatches had given an exaggerated impression of
his own achievement at Corinth. He had not seen active service before
the war, but he had a great name as an accomplished military writer; in
after years he was well known as a writer on international law. He is
not thought to have justified his appointment by showing sound judgment
about war, and Lincoln upon some later emergency told him in his direct
way that his military knowledge was useless if he could not give a
definite decision in doubtful circumstances. But whether Halleck's
abilities were great or small, Lincoln continued to use them, because
he found him "wholly for the service," without personal favour or
prejudice.

McClellan was slowly but steadily nearing Richmond. From June 26 to
July 2 there took place a series of engagements between Lee and
McClellan, or rather the commanders under him, known as the Seven Days'
Battles. The fortunes of the fighting varied greatly, but the upshot
is that, though the corps on McClellan's left won a strong position not
far from Richmond, the sudden approach of Jackson's forces upon
McClellan's right flank, which began on the 26th, placed him in what
appears to have been, as he himself thought it, a situation of great
danger. Lee is said to have "read McClellan like an open book,"
playing upon his caution, which made him, while his subordinates
fought, more anxious to secure their retreat than to seize upon any
advantage they gained. But Lee's reading deceived him in one respect.
He had counted upon McClellan's retreating, but thought he would
retreat under difficulties right down the Peninsula to his original
base and be thoroughly cut up on the way. But on July 2 McClellan with
great skill withdrew his whole army to Harrison's Landing far up the
James estuary, having effected with the Navy a complete transference o