1862. Saturday, quartermaster succeeded in raising our spirits to a high state of buoyancy. About 8 P.M. we started on a long, all-night march, going through Georgetown and Washington, without halting, not even paying our respects to the President, who had done the honor of calling on us at Falmouth. In a letter written by General McClellan, under date of September 5, he makes the following statement: It makes my heart bleed to see the poor, shattered remnants of my noble Army of the Potomac. Poor fellows! and to see how they love me even now. I hear them calling out to me, as I ride among them, "George, don't leave us again!" "They shan't take you away from us again," etc. How sweet! and to think this man marched us on Sundays. On the 6th of September the Secretary of War issued an order, as follows: Major-General McDowell, at his own request, is hereby relieved from the command of the Third Army Corps, and Major-General Reno is, by direction of the President, assigned to the command. On the same day General McClellan issued the following order: Maj.-Gen. Joseph Hooker is assigned to the command of the Third Corps, Army of Virginia, lately commanded by Major-General McDowell. He will assume command immediately. The following orders of the same date explain themselves: MAJOR-GENERAL MCDOWELL, WASHINGTON, Sept. 6, 1862, 4.05 P.M. Or Senior Officer Commanding First Army Corps, Upton's Hill : General McClellan directs that you move your corps at once to this side of the river, by the Long and Aqueduct bridges, taking the Seventh-street road to Leesborough, or vicinity. It is important that this movement be made promptly. A. V. COLBURN, Assistant Adjutant-General. (Signed) The designation First Corps in the above address must have been an error. 1862. HEADQUARTERS THIRD CORPS, NEAR ARLINGTON HOUSE, Sept. 6, 1862, 5.30 P.M. COLONEL COLBURN, Assistant Adjutant-General, Washington: I have received your telegram, directed to Upton's Hill, ordering the movement of the Third Corps to Leesborough. As I am informed at the War Department that I am relieved from the command of this corps, I have turned over the order to the second in command, General Ricketts. BRIG.-GEN. S. WILLIAMS, Assistant Adjutant-General, Washington: Shall the divisions of the Third Corps, ordered to move to Leesborough, quit the forts at Upton's Hill before they are dismantled and the ammunition removed? Will you please give the order direct, as I move my headquarters to Washington. (Signed) IRVIN MCDOWELL, Major-General. HEADQUARTERS ARMY, Sept. 6, 1862. MAJOR-GENERAL MCDOWELL, Arlington : General Porter has been instructed to relieve the pickets of the Third Corps immediately, and to remove the heavy guns from Upton's Hill during the night, leaving an advance guard in the works there to hold it against an attack of pickets of inferior force. SPECIAL ORDERS, WAR DEPARTMENT, ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S Office, XIII. Major-General McDowell, at his own request, is hereby relieved from the command of the Third Army Corps, and Major-General Reno is, by direction of the President, assigned to the command. SPECIAL ORDERS, By order of the Secretary of War, E. D. TOWNSEND, Assistant Adjutant-General. HEADQUARTERS, WASHINGTON, Sept. 6, 1862. No. 3. XVII. Major-General Hooker is assigned to the command of the Third Corps, Army of Virginia, lately commanded by Major-General McDowell. He will assume command immediately. By command of Major-General McClellan. S. WILLIAMS, Assistant Adjutant-General. 1862. Sunday, Sept. 7. CHAPTER VII. AT daylight we halted, having marched all night. We were about ten miles from Washington on the Baltimore road. About 9 A.M. we resumed our march, and after tramping five miles went into camp. We were back in Maryland, which we left six months before. While the progress we had made toward crushing the rebellion was not very flattering, it afforded us pleasure to be again marching among loyal people who had an interest in our welfare. Monday, We were now about half-way between Washington and Darnestown, the place where we were encamped a year Then we were a thousand strong; but now we had dwindled to half that number. Some were killed, and a good many in hospitals, wounded or sick, never to return. ago. Yesterday at 4.15 P.M. we marched to Mechanicsville, Wednesday, about eight miles, where we now were. Sept. 10. We received another lot of recruits to-day, and a finelooking set of men they were. It is a notable fact that this batch of recruits was the last in which we had any feeling of pride. Up to and including this time we had been fortunate in our recruits. They were a credit to the State and reflected honor upon the regiment; they were in such marked contrast to those who followed that the fact is worth mentioning. Disappointment and mortification was the lot of one of this number, who came to us full of confidence and hope. Having completed his school education he was seized with the patriotic desire to enlist, and leaving the tender care of mother and father he joined the Thirteenth. His first shock was at our appearance. Instead of bright uniforms, with gilt buttons and shoulder knots, he found us. with ragged trousers, ill-fitting blouses, and torn and faded caps |