▁already ▁moving ▁east ▁from ▁the ▁vic inity ▁of ▁V icks burg , ▁Mississippi ▁and ▁expected ▁to ▁arrive ▁in ▁about ▁ 1 0 ▁days . ▁St anton ▁proposed ▁that ▁rein for c ements ▁be ▁sent ▁from ▁the ▁then ▁idle ▁Army ▁of ▁the ▁Pot om ac , ▁his ▁initial ▁recommendation ▁was ▁to ▁move ▁ 3 0 , 0 0 0 ▁troops ▁in ▁just ▁ 5 ▁days ▁to ▁the ▁vic inity ▁of ▁Bridge port , ▁Alabama . ▁Much ▁debate ▁surrounded ▁the ▁proposal . ▁Halle ck ▁op ined ▁that ▁such ▁a ▁movement ▁would ▁require ▁at ▁least ▁ 4 0 ▁days ▁and ▁even ▁the ▁President ▁doubt ed ▁that ▁the ▁troops ▁could ▁reach ▁Washington ▁in ▁ 5 ▁days . ▁Daniel ▁Mc Call um ▁of ▁the ▁US MR R ▁was ▁sum mon ed ▁to ▁the ▁meeting ▁and ▁given ▁a ▁basic ▁outline ▁of ▁the ▁plan . ▁After ▁making ▁some ▁quick ▁calculations ▁Mc Call um ▁declared ▁that ▁the ▁proposed ▁operation ▁could ▁be ▁completed ▁within ▁ 7 ▁days . ▁The ▁President ▁ultimately ▁gave ▁the ▁order ▁to ▁begin ▁the ▁transfer ▁of ▁troops ▁from ▁the ▁Army ▁of ▁the ▁Pot om ac ▁to ▁the ▁west , ▁starting ▁the ▁largest ▁tro op ▁rail ▁movement ▁of ▁the ▁war . ▁In ▁ 1 2 ▁days ▁the ▁US MR R ▁moved ▁approximately ▁ 2 5 , 0 0 0 ▁men ▁over ▁ 1 , 2 0 0 ▁miles ▁over shadow ing ▁the ▁Confeder acy ' s ▁earlier ▁movement ▁of ▁ 1 2 , 0 0 0 ▁men ▁over ▁ 8 0 0 ▁miles ▁in ▁ 1 2 ▁days . ▁