88 



AKMY OPERATIONS. 



attacked the company of the 6th Michigan on 

 picket at Seneca. This company gradually fell 

 back toward Poolesville. The enemy burnt 

 their camp and recrossed the river, where they 

 remained for some time, assuming a threaten- 

 ing appearance. 



On the 8th of June, the Richmond (Va.) press 

 spoke of a movement of Gen. Lee, in these 

 words: "It is too generally known to raise 

 any question of prudence in speaking of it, 

 that Gen. Lee has put his army in motion. 

 His designs are known only to himself, and 

 those with whom it was his duty to confer. 

 A few days will disclose them to the public, 

 who are willing to wait patiently, in full confi- 

 dence that the result will vindicate the wisdom 

 of what he undertakes. A forward movement 

 on his part has been for some time anticipa- 

 ted by the enemy, and is regarded with very 

 perceptible uneasiness." 



The facts were as follows: The position 

 occupied by Gen. Hooker, opposite Fredericks- 

 burg, being one in which he could not be at- 

 tacked to advantage, Gen. Lee determined to 

 draw him from it. The execution of this pur- 

 pose by him embraced the relief of the Shen- 

 andoah valley from the Federal troops that 

 had occupied the lower part of it during the 

 winter and spring, and, if practicable, the 

 transfer of the scene of hostilities north of the 

 -Potomac. It was thought that the correspond- 

 ing movements on the part of Gen. Hooker, to 

 which those contemplated by Gen. Lee would 

 probably give rise, might offer a fair opportu- 

 nity to strike a blow at the army under Gen. 

 Hooker, and that in any event that army would 

 be compelled to leave Virginia, and possibly to 

 draw to its support troops designed to operate 

 against other parts of the Confederacy. In 

 this way it was supposed that the Federal plan 

 of campaign for the summer would be broken 

 up, and a part of the season of active opera- 

 tions be consumed in the formation of new 

 combinations and tbe preparations that they 

 would require. Other valuable results, it was 

 hoped by Gen. Lee, would be attained by mili- 

 tary success. 



The movement of Gen. Lee began on the 

 3d of June. Gen. McLaws's division of Gen. 

 Longstreet's corps left Fredericksburg for 

 Culpepper Court House; and Gen. Hood's 

 division, which was encamped on the Rap- 

 idan, marched to the same place. They were 

 followed, on the 4th and 5th, by Gen. Ewell's 

 corps, leaving that of Gen. A. P. Hill to oc- 

 cupy the Confederate lines at Fredericks- 

 burg. The forces of Gens. Longstreet and 

 Ewell reached Culpepper on the 8th, at which 

 point the Confederate cavalry under Gen. Stu- 

 art was concentrated. Gen. Jenkins, with his 

 cavalry brigade, had been ordered to advance 

 toward Winchester, to cooperate with the in- 

 fantry in the proposed expedition in the lower 

 part of the Shenandoah valley, and at the 

 same time Gen. Imboden was directed with his 

 command to make a demonstration in the di- 



rection of Eomney, in order to cover the move- 

 ment against "Winchester, and prevent the Fed- 

 eral troops at that place from being reenforced 

 by the troops on the line of the Baltimore and 

 Ohio railroad. Both of these officers were in 

 position when Gen. Ewell left Culpepper Court 

 House, on the 16th of June. 



On the 9th of June, the "War Department 

 issued a general order (No. 172) establishing 

 two new military departments, as follows : 



1. The Department of the Monongahela, embracing 

 that portion of the State of Pennsylvania west of 

 Johnstown and the Laurel Hi^l range of mountains, 

 and the counties of Hancock, Brooke, and Ohio, in 

 the State of Virginia, and the counties of Columbia, 

 Jefferson, and Belmont, in the State of Ohio. The 

 command of this department is assigned to Major-Gen. 

 William T. H. Brooks, with his headquarters at Pitts- 

 burg. 



2. The Department of the Susquehanna, embra- 

 cing that portion of the State of Pennsylvania east 

 of Johnstown and the Laurel Hill range of moun- 

 tains. The command of this department is assigned 

 to Major-Gen. Couch, with his headquarters at Cham- 

 bersburg. 



The following is the list of the military geo- 

 graphical departments and their commanders 

 at this time : 



Department of the Tennessee Maj.-Gen. U. S. Grant. 



Department of the Cumberland Maj.-Gcn. W. S. 

 Rosecrans. 



Department of the Ohio Maj.-Gen. A. E. Burnside. 



Department of.NewEngland Maj.-Gen. John A. Dix. 



Department of the Gulf Maj.-Gen. N. P. Banks. 



Department of North Carolina and Department of 

 Virginia Maj.-Gen. J. G. Foster. 



Department of the Northwest Maj.-Gen. John Pope. 



Department of Washington Maj.-Geu. S. P. Heint- 

 zelman. 



Department of the Monongahela Maj.-Gen. W. T. 

 H. Brooks. 



Department of the Susquehanna Maj.-Gen. Darius 

 N. Couch. 



Department of Western Virginia Brig.-Gen. B. F. 

 Kelly. 



Department of New Mexico Brig.-Gen. James H. 

 Carlton. 



Department of the Pacific Brig.-Gen. G. Wright. 



Department of Key West Brig.-Gen. J. M. Brannan. 



Department of Kansas Maj.-Gen. James G. Blunt. 



Middle Department Maj.-Gen. Kobert C. Schenck. 



Department of the South Brig.-Gen. Q. A. Gillmore. 



Department of Missouri Maj.-Gen. John M. Scho- 

 field. 



On the 12th of June, the Governor of Penn- 

 sylvania issued the following proclamation : 



the Commonwealth 

 Curt in, Governor 



In the name and by the authority of 

 of Pennsylvania, by Andrew G. 

 of the said Commonwealth : 



A PROCLAMATION. 



Information has been obtained by the War Depart- 

 ment that a large rebel force, composed of cavalry, 

 artillery, and mounted infantry, has been prepared for 

 the purpose of making a raid into Pennsylvania. The 

 President has therefore erected two new departments, 

 one in Eastern Pennsylvania, to be commanded by 

 Major-General Cou.ch, and the other in Western Penn- 

 sylvania, to be commanded by Major-General Brooks. 

 I earnestly invite the attention of the people of Penn- 

 sylvania to the general orders issued by these officers 

 on assuming the command of their respective depart- 

 ments. 



The importance of immediately raising a sufficient 

 force for the defence of the State cannot be overrated. 

 The corps now proposed to be established will give 



