The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1862-12-24
LAT e N r w S,
HEADQUARTERs ARMY OF THE PoToMAc,1
FALMOUTH, December 49,


FALMOUTH, December 10.
10 Mqjor- General ha11eck, General in Chief,
Washington
/ have the honor TO offer the following
reasons for moving the army of the Poto.
mac across tho Rappahannock sooner
than was anticipated by the President,
the Secretary of war, and yourself, and
for crossing at point different from the
one indicated to you at our last meeting
During my preparations for crossing at
The place had FIRST selected discovered
that the enemy had thrown large por-
sion Of his forces down the river, and
elsewhere, thus weakening his folcs In
front; and also tina. / discovered that
he did not anticipate the crossing of our
whole force at Fredericksburg, and i
hoped by rapidly throwing the whole
command over at that place TO separate
by uniform attack, the forces of the
enemy on the river below from those be-
hind and on the crest in the rear Of the
town, in which case we could fight them
with great advantage in our favor To
do this, we had to gain a height on the
extreme right of the crest, which height
commanded the new road lately made by
the enemy for the purpose of more rapid
communication along his lines, which
point gained, disposition alons the right
rereat. would have been scarcely inhahit-
able, and he could have boen driven from
them easily by an attack on his front in
connection with a movement on the real
of the crest.
How near we came 20 accomplishing
our object, future reports will show. But
for tile faultof unexpected and pavoid
able delay in building the bridges, which
gave The enemy twenty -four hours more
10 concentrate his forces in his stronl
position, we would almost certainly
have succeeded, in which case the BATH
would have been, in my opinion, far NOR
decisive than if we had crossed at The
places FIRST selected. AS 1T was, we cam
very near success.
Failing in accomplishing the main OBJ
ject we remained in order Of battle tw
days, long enough to decide that the en-
omy would not come out Of his strong
holds 10 fight us with his infantry Ate
which we crossed to this side of the riv
or unmolested, without the loss of me
or property, As the day broke our lon
lines of troops were seen marching I
their different positions as if going o
parade Not the least decentralization Z
DISCRIMINATION existed. 10 the BRAY
officers and soldiers who accomplshe
the feat of recrossing the river in III
face Of the enemy, owe everything. Fc
the failure in the attack, am response
b.. INA
and endurance shown by them was new
or exceeded, and would have carried Ii
points, had IL been possible To II
families OF the dead can only offer m
Aeartfels sympathies, but for the wound
ed | can offer my earnest prayers Il
their comfortable and final recovery.
The fact that ] decided 70 move fro
Warrenton on This line rather against Il
opinion Of The President, Secretary
War, and yourself, and that you left q
whole movement in my hands, wiihol
giving the orders, make me responsible
Twill visit you very soon, and, fnall
will send you my report, in which sp,
oial acknowledged will be made Of Il
services Of the different grand divisil
corps and my General staff Departments
The Army of the Potomac, to whom a
so much indebted for their support an
hearty cooperation. will add here th
abe movement was made earlier than Va
expected, and after the President Seer,
iary, aud yourself requested me not TO
in haste, for the reason that we were SUI
piled much sooner by the different sta
departments than was anticipated whS
saw you.
Our killed amount 60 1,152; OF
wounded 10 about 5000, aud our prisol
crs TO about 700 which last have bel
parallel and exchanged fof about Il
same number taken. The wounded we
Alltcmoved TO this side OF the river, Al
are being well cared for, and the DEF
were ali buried under dag Of truce,