New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1866-03-07
THE ARMY on THE POTOMAC.
Report Of Major-General Burnside.
NEw.YoRK, November 10. 1865.

SIR: | have the honor 10 make the following
report Of the operations Of the Army Of the Potomac
during the time it was nnder my command.
On the 9TH day of November, ls62 Gen. Buckingham
arrived at my head quarters at Orleans, Va Win the
following order and etter;
WAR DEPARTMENT, ApJurANT GrSERAts , UFpioh'
WASHINGTON, Nov. >, io'I
GENERAL ORDERS No lS1By direction o. the rreslden,
of the United States ordered that ~ W
and that Maor.Gen burnside take the command OF that
Army BY order Of the secTetary Of War 40. TO-.
L. d. TOWNSEND Asst AdJt.'oen
WAR DEPARTMENT.
wAsHISGToS CITY, Nov. 5, 1852
1ajo, Gen. BURNSIDE, Commanding &c 49,,
Of the Potomac YOU will report the position Of yo1r troop
1our obedient seTysnt H. W. HALLEcE Gen..in Cmf
After some consultation it decided that Gen
buckingham and myself should proceed TO the head
quarters Of Gen. Mcclellan. then at Reetortown when
the order relieving Gen. Mcclellan was delivered to
him after which il was decided that the orders when
had already been issued by Gen. Mcclellan directing
the movements Of the army for concentration near
WarrontOn, with view 10 nocumulatlng supPItS anu
for other PURPOSES should be carried ont and mat ne
should remain in command OF the army "elea'neu
WarrentOn , 49,
twas understood that the army was then moving rs
near as possible under certain general INSTRUCTIONS con
tanned IN letter from the President to Ten. MeuItne
copy of which was sent TO me under cover o. l0o i'
lowing letter: Al, :, 1000
Maor. Gen BURNSIDE, Commanding. Sc -
GENERAL: Your dispatch of the 'th received s't wen
Eng d, o'clock teesrsped 10 yon ih morning 20 S
meeting for tomorrow. hope 10 hear rom you '1h'f
iueose yea herewith e9py o. eti n S' ' III
Won 10 carefully consider the Presidents views as contained
IN that letter that We may talk 1t over uHoeisandi"sy 10
Gen Meics and Gen. Hsup: will ACCOMPANY ne Yours
truly, H. W. HALLh'S , -, m ~. W..
On the 9th day Of November. Gen. Mcclellan Issued
nm order renouishipg the command o: the army after
which an order was issued nom my headquarters as
suminc command -
The position OF tie dlle eht corps oi Tue uin! WIS
Fist Second and Fifth Corns near warreniOn
Sixth Corps, al New Baltimore.
Ninth Corps, with Stonemans and Whpple's Diyls.
ions both sides Of the river in the neghborhood Of
Eleventh Corps, at GAINESVILLE Now Baltimore and
tbe Gap.
Peasonton at Jefferson and Amissyie. with advance
Oh Hazel River. " ,
Bayard at Rappahannock Station and neghborhood
Slocuw still at Harpers Ferry and fayette'i,e.
There were no pCntOOns with the moving army al ms
time, and our supplies had run very low.
II viii be observed that directions were given IN the
order from Gen Halleck 10 me dated Nov , to report
at once plan for the future operations OF the amy
which done. This plan had been fully matnrcd ga
was al the time understood 10 be IN accordance with tue
views of most OF the prominent general officers III com
mand IL had been written and was sent 10 " asLne
ton bv Major E NJ Neil, on the 10Th OF November AID
delivered TO Gen W. Cullum, Cbefoi staff follow
ingday after which Gen. Haeek teegTaphcd me thh e
thought he would meet Inc at WarfentOn on the next
day Ohe l2th) which he Gid, accompanied oy Oens
Negs and Haupt.
During that night and the next morning had long
consultations Gen Haeck was strongly in favor o.
continuing the mOyeme Is Of tie army 10 the direction
of Culpepper and GOrdOnsvlie, ana nv own pan was
AZ strongly adhered to by me- be declined 10 tohe me
responsibility Of issuing ORDER but SAID that TIE
whole matter would be left 10 the decision o. the fr's
dent and ifthe President approved my plan was 20
move the main army 10 Falmouth opposite Frederick
burg and there cross the RappahannOck on poItoon
bridges which were 70 be selt from Washington.
In nv interview with Gen Haleck, j represented
20 him that soon after commencing the movement ID
the direction Of Fredericksburg my telegraphc com
Ilunioation with Washington would be broken ana
that relied upon him 10 see that such parts Of NV plan
as required action in Washington would be carried Oui
He told me that everything required by me word Te.
ceiye his attention aud that be would al once order hy
telegraph the pOntOon trains spoken Of in NV pau and
would upon bis return TO Washington. see that they
were promptly forwarded. ...,
After his return he sent me me ioowiaE tossfi'
IT, Maj. Gen. A. L. BURNSIDE Commanding AT~y Of he
The Presden, has just ssened to your plan lie thinks it
will succeed you move rapidly, o,LTIwi't not, Chic,
This dispatch was received at Hiy Headquarters 40
Warrenton at II O'Clock the morning 81 The 18Th
init and at once issued orders Tor the dIhtfet CON
mapds 10 move In accordance with the abOye'men-
toned plan.
The remark in this dispatch, indicating the great ne
cessity for the speedy movement OF the troops WIS ell
trely in accordance with my own views as Le season
was so far advanced that OoGed Tor but lte lime III
which TO move the army effectively.
Gen Summers grand division started al daylight OF
the morning Of the 18th, and the grand DIVISIONS oil
Gems FRANKLIN and Hooker together with the cavalry
started on the 10th Gen Summers advance ieHeheu
Falmouth on the l7tD. 90 TO-
Gen Franklin concentrated his command at Stafford
Court House and Gen. Hooker his IN the vicinity OF
HARDWOOD The cavalry was N The rear and covering
the fords OF the Rappahennock The plan submitted
by me Oh the 9th Of November viii explain inliy The
reasons for these movements. IL contemplated now
ever The prompt starting Of pOntOOns from hshngt0n
j supposed this would attended TO; but feeling
anxious to know something definite III regard 10 Item
before telegraphlc communication Win washington
should be INTERRUPTED, directed Lieut. ComstOck my
hefEDgiDeeI, on the morning oil the l4tl 70 ask Gen
move Not receiving an immediate reply, directed
him 10 telegraph 20 Gen. Woodbury. a second tine.
urging him 10 forward the trains promptly. To this
second dispatch he received the following answer on
wv WASHINGTON Nov. a. 1862
Lieut. CoxsrocK have received your Two kilograms TO
asy Capt spsuding has arrived end IS pontoons have
srfiyed Forty expected IN the morning. Capt
Spsadins received Capt, Duane. order Of the ON on TIE
start on Sunday Monday morning NOV 10 or ID depend
ins somewhat upon the Qusrtermasters Department Gen
Hssck inclined 10 send another train by land but vii
allow It, probably If Gen. Burnside insists second Train
can be sent by water Acqua Greek and from thence tns
p''''U " ''' '''" b. p. WooDBusY Brig Gen.
This was ny first information Of delay bat the state
ent that &c pontoons bad arrived and 40 more were
expected next morning connected with The statement
that the first train (Which would have been ample for
our purposes) would start the 10Th OF lsih, was
deemed sufficient 10 authorize me III continuing the
movements Of the troops the pOntOons would have
arrived IN very good time had they started promised
although not as had expected.
After telegraphc communication between my Head
quarters and Washington was broken Gen. woodbury.
sent the following dispatches which reached me by
orderies. after my arrival al Falmouth;
HpanA Enc BRIG. WASHINGTON D. ca
Nov. H. 1857 D. Ia
Lieu. coxsrooK, Engineer. Cen BHH'de' h'adq~ar'e''
f~ve, H. bowers A. 4. q. 4
n 4