164 



AEMY OPERATIONS. 



time the Confederate force prepared to abandon 

 the line of the Potomac and to fall back. The 

 crossing of the Federal troops was now con- 

 stant, until the entire army was south of the 

 river. On the 30th of October Gen. Sedgwick 

 advanced from Boliver Heights, and crossed the 

 Shenandoah in the direction of Shannondale, 

 and Gen. Hancock pushed forward, pressing on 

 the Confederate lines in front of Charlestown. 

 Gen. Burnside moved along the eastern base of 

 the Blue Ridge, followed by the corps of Gen. 

 Porter. 



The situation of the respective forces at this 

 time was as follows : The Federal army reen- 

 forced by the divisions of Gen^. Sigel and Sick- 

 les, who had advanced from "Washington, occupi- 

 ed all the region east of the Blue Ridge, with 

 the right resting on Harper's Ferry, and the left 

 extending nearly to Paris, on the road from 

 Aldie to Winchester. The centre was at Snick- 

 ersville ; with Snicker's Gap in its possession. 

 The Confederate line was on the south side of 

 the Blue Ridge, with the Shenandoah river im- 

 mediately in its front, extending from Front 

 Royal down to Charlestown, with the great body 

 of their troops massed between Berryville and 

 Winchester. On the 4th Ashby's Gap was oc- 

 cupied without opposition by the Federal troops. 

 The cavalry corps, under Col. Pleasanton, 

 pushed on from Piedmont, and occupied Mar- 

 guette, holding the approaches to Manassas 

 and Chester Gap, on the left side of the Blue 

 Ridge. The condition and spirit of' the army 

 at this time were unequalled by that of any force 

 before organized. On the 6th Gen. McClellan'a 

 headquarters were at Rectortown near Front 

 Royal. The army was steadily advancing and 

 the Confederate force falling back, with some 

 skirmishing. Warrenton was occupied by the 

 Federal troops on the same day. On the 7th a 

 severe snow storm commenced, and continued 

 throughout the day. On the 8th the bridge at 

 Rappahannock Station was taken and held by 

 Gen. Bayard. On the night of the 7th, near 

 midnight, Gen. Buckingham arrived, from Wash- 

 ington, at Gen. McClellan's tent, and delivered 

 to him an order from President Lincoln, to sur- 

 render the command of the army to Gen. Burn- 

 side, and to report himself immediately at 

 Trenton, the capital of the State of New Jersey. 

 This order was entirely unexpected by Gen. 

 McClellan, and probably by every officer of the 

 army. The only reasons for it which have of- 

 ficially appeared, will be found in the above 

 letter of Gen. Halleck, dated October 28, 

 which was given to the public a few days after 

 this removal. 



Gen. McClellan immediately wrote the fol- 

 lowing address to his troops preparatory to his 

 departure : 



IlEADQTTARTEliS OF THE ABMT OF THE POTOMAC, ) 



CAMP NF.AB RECTOBTOWS, VA., November 1. \ 

 Officers and Soldiers of the Army of the Pbtomac : 



An order of the President devolves upon Maj.-Gen. 

 Burnside the command of this army. In parting from 

 you I cannot express the love and gratitude I bear to 

 you. As an army you have grown up in my care. In 



you I have never found doubt or coldness. The battles 

 you have fought under my command will probably live 

 in our Nation s history. The glory you have achieved 

 over mutual perils and fatigues ; the graves of our com- 

 rades fallen in battle and by disease ; the broken forms 

 of those whom wounds and sickness have disabled ; the 

 strongest associations which can exist among men unite 

 us by an indissoluble tie. We shall ever be comrades 

 in supporting the Constitution of our country and the 

 Nationality of its people. 



(Signed) GEO. B. McCLELLAN. 



Major-General U. S. A. 



The next day was devoted by Gen. McClellan- 

 to the transfer of his command to Gen. Burn- 

 side. The most cordial feelings existed be- 

 tween the two officers, the latter of whom ac- 

 cepted a promotion which he had before twice 

 declined, only upon the peremptory order of 

 the War Department. On Sunday evening his 

 officers assembled at his tent, for a final parting 

 of commander and officers. It was such a scene 

 of deep feeling as could occur only where offi- 

 cers reposed the highest confidence in their 

 commander, who had led them successfully 

 through some of the most fearful battles of 

 modern wars. Monday was occupied in pass- 

 ing among the various camps, reviewing the 

 troops, and taking a final leave of both officers 

 and men. A spectator of these scenes has 

 summed them up in these words : 



"As Gen. McClellan, mounted upon a fine 

 horse, attended by a retinue of fine-looking mil- 

 itary men, riding rapidly through the ranks, 

 gracefully recognized and bid a farewell to the 

 army, the cries and demonstrations of the men 

 were beyond bounds wild, impassioned, and 

 unrestrained. Disregarding all military forms 

 they rushed from their ranks and thronged 

 around him with the bitterest complaints 

 against those who had removed from command 

 their beloved leader." 



On the next day, the 10th, he withdrew, tak- 

 ing the railroad cars at Warrenton. On reach- 

 ing Warrenton Junction a salute was fired. The 

 troops, which had been drawn up in line, after- 

 ward broke ranks, when the soldiers crowded 

 around him and many eagerly called for a few 

 parting words. He said in response, while on 

 the platform of the railroad depot, "I wish 

 you to stand by Gen. Burnside as yon have 

 stood by me, and all will be well. Good-bye." 

 To this there was a spontaneous and enthusi- 

 astic response. 



The troops were also drawn up in line at 

 Bristow's Station and Manassas Junction, where 

 salutes were fired and he was complimented 

 with enthusiastic cheers. On reaching Wash- 

 ington he proceeded immediately to the depot, 

 and passed on to Philadelphia and Trenton, 

 where he arrived early on the 12th. 



What was now the military aspect? The 

 movement of Gen. McClellan's army, after 

 crossing the Potomac, was toward Gordonsville. 

 This made a movement on the part of the Con- 

 federate general Lee necessary in order to pre- 

 vent the Federal army from getting between 

 him and Richmond. For this purpose he at- 

 tempted to move from Winchester through the 



