The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1862-12-31
HEApou ARrRRs ARMY OF PoroMAc.l /
FALMOUTH, December 10. 1862
To H. w. H,lisck General in Chief UuIi4Jty.

10 II. ". HdUcch, UehTfdi IN Ch"f, " HdStiiJtUr:
General | have the honor To offer tn, follow
ing reasons for moving the Army of the Potomac
across the Rappahnmock sooner than was antei.
patcd by the President Secretary OF War, or
Yourself and for crossing at point different from
the one indicated 10 You ut our last meeting at the
Presidents. During my preparations for crossing
NJ the place had first selected discovered that
the enemy had thrown large portion Of his fore,
down the river and elsewhere, thus weakening his
dCiruscs in flont and also that discovered that
he did not anticipate the crossing of our whole
force at Fredericksburg, and hoped by rapidly
tirowiug the " hole command over To that place 10
separate by vigorous attack the forces Of the
enemy ON the river below from the forces behind
und the crest in the rear NJ the town, in which
case We could fight him with great advantage in
our favor. To DO this we had 10 gain hight COM
maudmG the new road lately made by the enemy for
! the purpose OF more rapid communication along
! his lines, which point gained his positions along
( The right crest would have been scarcely tenable
! aud could have been driven from them easily by
| nu attdckOn his front, in coming in with a move
mcnt III the rear ot the crest.
How near We came 10 accomplishing our object,
future reports will show; hut for the fault and UNI
/ ayoidablr delay in building the bridges, which gave
the enemy twenty four hours more TO cnnccntra to
his forces in his strong positions, would almost
certainly have succeeded, in which case the battle
would hayc been, in my opinion, far more decisive
than It We had crossed at the places first selected
! As II waS We came very near success. Failing in
.
der of battle two daNS-l0ug enough To decide that
tho enemy would not come out OF his srongholds IA
! light uS with his infantry, After which. VIZ
crossed To this side Of the river unmocSed, without
the loss Of men 9r property. As the day broke
different positions, aS il going ON parade Not the
least demonstration OF disOrganigatiOn existed
To the brave officers aud soldiers who accom-.
pshed the feat of recroSsing the river in the face
Of the euemy, owe every thing for the failure Of
yk all / AZ, /,
lantry, courage aud endurance shown by them
was never exceeded and would have carried the
points had Il been possible.
To the families and friends Of she dead can
only Offer my earnest prayers for their comfort and
final recovery, The fact that | decided 10 mOYv
from Warr1n'on on this line, rather against Tia,
opinion of the President, Secretary of War aud
Yourself and that you lctt the whole movement in
my hands without giving me orders, makes me re
| SpOnSihe. | will visit YOU very soon and give
yoI more definite information, and finally will send
You my detailed rePort, in which a special ac-
acknowledgement will be made of the services Of the
different divisions division corps, aud my general
: aud stan departments of the Army of the Potomac
To whom am So r'uch indebted Tor their support
and cooperation.
| will add here that the movement was made
earlier than expected, and after the President Soc.
retary aud yourself requested not 40 b. in haste
for the reason that We were supplied much sooner
by the diltrent staff departments than was antic.
ilatcd when saw you.
Our killed auoapts " l,l52i our wounded u
about 5000, and our prisoners o. about 500 which
last have baen psroled and exchanged for about
the same number taken hv us, The wound, "A
were all removed to this side Of the river and
were being well cared for, and the dead were All
buried under htg Of truce. The surgeons ne.
port much larger proportion of slight wounds
than usual l,6S2 only being treated in hospitals.
am glad 20 represent the army al the present
tim, IN gOod condition. Thanking tho Goyemrleni
ET that entire support AMI cqpddenee which have
always received frOm them, remain, General,
Very respectfully,
n Nnur obedLnt servant,
Il F, BCRNSIDR,
4 Major General COMMANDING