[
132]
Part 6.
civil War letters, 1863-1865
I arrived here yesterday; the army is assembling at
Middletown.
I think we shall have another battle before
Lee can cross the river, though from all accounts he is making great efforts to do so. For my part, as I have to follow and fight him, I would rather do it at once and in
Maryland than to follow into
Virginia.
I received last evening your letters of the 3d and 5th inst., and am truly rejoiced that you are treated with such distinction on account of my humble services.
I see also that the papers are making a great deal too much fuss about me. I claim no extraordinary merit for this last battle, and would prefer waiting a little while to see what my career is to be before making any pretensions.
I did and shall continue to do my duty to the best of my abilities, but knowing as I do that battles are often decided by accidents, and that no man of sense will say in advance what their result will be, I wish to be careful in not bragging before the right time.
George
1 is very well, though both of us are a good deal fatigued with our recent operations.
From the time I took command till to-day, now over ten days, I have not changed my clothes, have not had a regular night's rest, and many nights not a wink of sleep, and for several days did not even wash my face and hands, no regular food, and all the time in a great state of mental anxiety.
Indeed, I think I have lived as much in this time as in the last thirty years. Old Baldy is still living and apparently doing well; the ball passed within half an inch of my thigh, passed through the saddle and entered
Baldy's stomach.
I did not
[
133]
think he could live, but the old fellow has such a wonderful tenacity of life that I am in hopes he will.
The people in this place have made a great fuss with me. A few moments after my arrival I was visited by a deputation of ladies, and showers of wreaths and bouquets presented to me, in most complimentary terms.
The street has been crowded with people, staring at me, and, much to my astonishment, I find myself a lion.
I cannot say I appreciate all this honor, because I feel certain it is undeserved, and would like people to wait a little while.
I send you a document2 received yesterday afternoon.
It will give you pleasure I know.
Preserve it, because the terms in which the General in Chief speaks of the battle are stronger than any I have deemed it proper to use myself.
I never claimed a victory, though I stated that Lee was defeated in his efforts to destroy my army.
I am going to move as soon as I can get the army supplied with subsistence and ammunition.
Headquarters army of the Potomac, South Mountain Pass,
July 10, 1863.
I have been so busy I could not write.
You must depend on George3 for letters.
Lee has not crossed and does not intend to cross the river, and I expect in a few days, if not sooner, again to hazard the fortune of war. I know so well that this is a fortune and that accidents, etc., turn the tide of victory, that, until the question is settled, I cannot but be very anxious.
If it should please God again to give success to our efforts, then I could be more tranquil.
I also see that my success at Gettysburg has deluded the people and the Government with the idea that I must always be victorious, that Lee is demoralized and disorganized, etc., and other delusions which will not only be dissipated by any reverse that I should meet with, but would react in proportion against me. I have already had a very decided correspondence with General Halleck upon this point, he pushing me on, and I informing him I was advancing as fast as I could.
The firm stand I took had the result to induce General Halleck to tell me to act according to my judgment.4 I am of opinion that Lee is in a strong position and determined to fight before he crosses the river.
[
134]
I believe if he had been able to cross when he first fell back, that he would have done so; but his bridges being destroyed, he has been compelled to make a stand, and will of course make a desperate one.
The army is in fine spirits, and if I can only manage to keep them together, and not be required to attack a position too strong, I think there is a chance for me. However, it is all in God's hands.
I make but little account of myself, and think only of the country.
The telegram I sent you was because I could not write, and I thought it would make you easy to know we were well.
George,5 I suppose, has written you what a narrow escape he had. I never knew of it till last night.
His horse was struck with a piece of shell, killing him, and coming so near George as to carry away a part of the back of his saddle.
This was on the 3d, just after we had repulsed the last assault, when I rode up to the front, and George was the only officer with me.
Headquarters army of the Potomac, July 14, 1863.
I found
Lee in a very strong position, intrenched.
I hesitated to attack him, without some examination of the mode of approaching him. I called my corps commanders together, and they voted against attacking him. This morning, when I advanced to feel his position and seek for a weak point, I found he had retired in the night and was nearly across the river.
I immediately started in pursuit, and my cavalry captured two thousand prisoners, two guns, several flags, and killed
General Pettigrew.
On reporting these facts to
General Halleck, he informed me the
President was very much dissatisfied at the escape of
Lee. I immediately telegraphed I had done my duty to the best of my ability, and that the expressed dissatisfaction of the
President I considered undeserved censure, and asked to be immediately relieved.
In reply he said it was not intended to censure me, but only to spur me on to an active pursuit, and that it was not deemed sufficient cause for relieving me.
6 This is exactly what I expected; unless I did impracticable things, fault would be found with me. I have ignored the senseless adulation of the public and press, and I am now just as indifferent to the censure bestowed without just cause.
I start to-morrow to run another race with Lee.
[
135]
Headquarters army of the Potomac,
Berlin, Md., July 16, 1863.
I wrote to you of the censure put on me by the
President, through
General Halleck, because I did not bag
General Lee, and of the course I took on it. I don't know whether I informed you of
Halleck's reply, that his telegram was not intended as a censure, but merely ‘to spur me on to an active pursuit,’ which I consider more offensive than the original message; for no man who does his duty, and all that he can do, as I maintain I have done, needs
spurring. It is only the laggards and those who fail to do all they can do who require spurring.
They have refused to relieve me, but insist on my continuing to try to do what I know in advance it is impossible to do. My army (men and animals) is exhausted; it wants rest and reorganization; it has been greatly reduced and weakened by recent operations, and no reinforcements of any practical value have been sent.
Yet, in the face of all these facts, well known to them, I am urged, pushed and
spurred to attempting to pursue and destroy an army nearly equal to my own, falling back upon its resources and reinforcements, and increasing its
morale daily.
This has been the history of all my predecessors, and I clearly saw that in time their fate would be mine.
This was the reason I was disinclined to take the command, and it is for this reason I would gladly give it up.
I consider the New York riots very formidable and significant.
I have always expected the crisis of this revolution to turn on the attempt to execute the conscription act, and at present things look very unfavorable.
Headquarters army of the Potomac,
Berlin, Md., July 18, 1863.
I try to send you a few lines every chance I can get, but I find it very difficult to remember when I have written.
I don't think I told you that on my way here, three days ago, I stopped and called on
Mrs. Lee (
Miss Carroll that was), who lives about six miles from this place.
Mrs. Lee received me with great cordiality, insisted on my dining with her and daughter, which I did, and had a very nice time, it being quite refreshing to be once more in the presence of ladies, surrounded with all the refinements and comforts of home.
I
[
136]
wish, if you see any of the Jacksons and Bayards, you would say how gratified I was at the kind hospitality of
Mrs. Lee and daughter, and what a nice girl I thought the latter was. The army is moving to-day over the same road I took last fall under
McClellan.
The Government insists on my pursuing and destroying
Lee. The former I can do, but the latter will depend on him as much as on me, for if he keeps out of my way, I can't destroy.
Neither can I do so if he is reinforced and becomes my superior in numbers, which is by no means improbable, as I see by the papers it is reported a large portion of
Bragg's army has been sent to
Virginia.
The proper policy for the
Government would have been to be contented with driving
Lee out of
Maryland, and not to have advanced till this army was largely reinforced and reorganized, and put on such a footing that its advance was sure to be successful.
As, however, I am bound to obey explicit orders, the responsibility of the consequences must and should rest with those who give them.
Another great trouble with me is the want of active and energetic subordinate officers, men upon whom I can depend and rely upon taking care of themselves and commands.
The loss of
Reynolds and
Hancock is most serious; their places are not to be supplied.
However, with God's help, I will continue to do the best I can.
Your indignation at the manner in which I was treated on
Lee's escape is not only natural, but was and is fully shared by me. I did think at one time writing frankly to the
President, informing him I never desired the command, and would be most glad at any time to be relieved, and that, as he had expressed dissatisfaction at my course, I thought it was his duty, independent of any personal consideration, to remove me. After reflection, however, I came to the conclusion to take no further action in the matter, and leave it entirely with them.
I took the command from a sense of duty.
I shall continue to exercise it, to the best of my humble capacity, in the same spirit.
I have no ambition or ulterior views, and whatever be my fate, I shall try to preserve a clear conscience.
I have received very handsome letters, both from
Generals McClellan and
Pope, which I enclose for your perusal and preservation.
7 I have answered them both in the same spirit as appears to have dictated them.
[
137]
I think my last letter to you was about the 21st or 22d, when I was embarrassed at not ascertaining anything definite in regard to
Lee's movements.
The next day, the 22d, I had positive information he was moving up the
Valley of the Shenandoah.
I immediately put my army in motion and pushed through Manassas Gap, where I met a part of his force.
By the evening of the 24th I drove his force through Manassas Gap, and debouched with the head of my army into the open country beyond, in the vicinity of
Front Royal, and having collected five corps together, expected to get a fight out of him on the 25th; but on advancing on that day he was again gone, having moved his whole army and trains (principally through
Strasburg), day and night, on the 23d and 24th.
Of course I was again disappointed, and I presume the
President will be again dissatisfied.
It is evident
