one vast morass; the Chickahominy rose The enemy, no longer occupied ir guard ing his own capital, poured his troops northward, entered Maryland, threatened Pennsylvania, and even Washington itself. Elated by his recent victories, and assured that our troops were disorganized and dispirited, he was confident that the seat of war was now permanently transferred to the loyal States, and that his own exhausted soil was to be relieved from the burden of supporting two hostile armies. But he did not understand the spirit which animated the soldiers of the Union. I shall not, nor can I living, forget that when I was ordered to the command of the troops for the defence of the capital, the soldiers with whom I had shared so much of the anxiety, and pain, and suffering of the war, had not lost their confidence in me as their commander. They sprang to my call with all their ancient vigor, discipline, and courage. I led them into Maryland. Fif. teen days after they had fallen back defeated before Washington, they vanquished the enemy on the rugged height of South Mountain, pursued him to the hard-fought field of Antietam, and drove him, broken and disappointed, across the Potomac into Virginia. The army had need of rest. Ater the terrible experiences of battles and marches, with scarcely an interval of repose, which they had gone through from the time of leaving for the Peninsula; the return to the terrible series of conflicts with the Washington; the defeat in Virginia; the ever-memorable victory of Malvern, where Antietam, it was not surprising that they they drove back, beaten and shattered, the victory at South Mountain, and again at entire eastern army of the confederacy, were in a large degree destitute of the aband thus secured for themselves a place of solute necessaries to effective duty. Shoes rest and a point for a new advance upon were worn out; blankets were lost; cloththe capital from the banks of the James. ing was in rags; in short, the army was Richmond was still within our grasp, had rest and equipment was necessary. When the army of the Potomac been re-enforced unfit for active service, and an interval for and permitted to advance. But counsels, the slowly forwarded supplies came to us which I cannot but think subsequent I led the army across the river, renovated, events proved unwise, prevailed in Wash- refreshed, in good order and discipline, ington, and we were ordered to abandon the campaign. Never did soldiers better deserve the thanks of a nation than the army of the Potomac for the deeds of the Peninsula campaign, and although that meed was withheld from them by the authorities, I am persuaded they have received the applause of the American people. The army of the Potomac was recalled from within sight of Richmond, and incorporated with the army of Virginia. The disappointments of the campaign on the Peninsula had not damped their ardor nor They fought diminished their patriotism. well, faithfully, gallantly, under General Pope; yet were compelled to fall back on Washington, defeated and almost demoralized. and followed the retreating foe to a posi tion where I was confident of decisive vic while my advance guard was actually in tory, when, in the midst of the movement, contact with the enemy, I was removed from the command. I am devoutly grateful to God that my last campaign with this brave army was crowned with a victory which saved the nation from the greatest peril it had then undergone. I have not accomplished my purpose if, by this report, the army of the Potomac is not placed high on the roll of the historic armies of the world. Its deeds enoble the nation to which it belongs. Always ready for battle, always firm, steadfast, and trustworthy, I never called on it in vain; nor will the nation ever have cause to attribute its want of success, under myself, or under other commanders, to any failure of patriotism or bravery in that noble body of American soldiers. No man can justly charge upon any portion of that army, from the commanding general to the private, any lack of devotion to the service of the United States government, and to the cause of the Constitution and the Union. They have proved their fealty in much sorrow, suffering, danger, and through the very shadow of death. Their comrades dead on all the fields where we fought have scarcely more claim to the honor of a nation's reverence INDEX. PAGE. PAGE. FIRST PERIOD. ..3 Introductory Summary..... Situation at Washington, July 1861..8 Organization of Divisions... ..9 .10 .17 ..18 .18 ..19 SECOND PERIOD. ..53 Embarkation at Alexandria.......53-4 .56 Topographical.......... No. 1........ No. 1....... Peninsula Route proposed............32 .32-6 retary of War........... sas.. 44 ......69 Evacuation of Yorktown..............64 .75 Battle at Hanover Court House....76 |