Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-22

wv AIt'iN OF IHE PpLONaC-
The Army Of the Potomac was the most i'm
po-iaai Of all the armies and had double
duty d perform. First TO defend Washington
Against the powerful army which the rebels
had assembled about it, and SC -cnd. the dnty of
anaihilai.us that army ami capturing Rich
mOnG
On May y Gen. Irwin Mcdowell was ap-
pointed cOmmsEicr Of the Department OF the
Potomac. which Il that time called the''De
partsnc n; Of Northeastern Virginia" He estab-
lshed his headquarters at Arlington. the home
of BoDer; Z. Lee. aitcrvard corlm.nder-in-
chief Of tie cont, defa;e army. who had thrown
Up his commission in the national army and
Joined tho ''los. cause" The field embraced
al! :hat part Of yIrsia.a cas-; Of tho Allegheny
mountains aad vcs; ard north OF the James
river, excepting For: Ioaros AID its imme-
Giste vicinity.
After the battle Of Dull Run the disorsanized
coalition Of she military II thc field demanded
immediate atts ntioa AID reorTau zation. Gen.
Mcdowell haI HJI come up 10 expectations. 1t
might be noted right he-s tn. q: that time
nobody came a. 10 the requirements The
say at-homes were 50 sure tha, they or most
anybody else could command the armies much
bettlr than those acting and Kept up such
NAAAAeA AAs@t MI I4iy4etitt Was uO-t many q
b=ave oescer when tia; officer Was practically
making 5r.cks Without straw.
Gsa wlaEcld Scott was physically incapaci-
taxed from tiAias his place IN the field. SO lie
selected Gen. George b. Mcclellan for the I'M
poTtaat cftice. Gen. Mcclellan assumed COM
manu- ID July. IL his official report lac says.
Il assumed command of the troops III the
vicinity o. Washington on Saturday. July q.
l.6i. az days after the battle o! Bull Run. l
4
OF re- IL uts covering under Il : banks of the
PCI0n.ac, some perfectly raw. c ters dlspirited
BY The recent defeat The city .Wash.astOn--
VA almost ~ = condition 10 be tlken by q dash
OF cAy@.ry.
Il Napoleons theory ,ha all national
capltls should -. strongly foI bIied against
possible attack, and acting upol this theory,
two tOris, RUHyon and CorcO-an, sad been con-
s;ruotcd 80 a. to command the Long bridge
and AqledEct and Fort Albany j I'd out where
~ could command the Columbia. Iqaeduct and
Alexandra roads. As soon as Gen. Mcclellan
assumed command be had these Plsns enlarged
upon BY . series OF earthWorAs thrown up be-
tween Forts COrcoran and Albany, within sup
porting distance of each other, aud other works
thrown up controlling all the principal routes
leadlng 10 Washington from the noroh.
Tie operations OF the Army of tn, Potomac
we're confined to a comparatively s.0ali terri
tory. bctweel, the AppOmato1 and s9sy hanna
rivers. but tbs hercest fighting of the y1Lpis
var lay inside ;he limits o. thar territory.
Gen. Mcclellan Ws-s relieved n Noyea.i So q
ls62, and zen. Ambrose l.. burnside assuls d
eouaEauL Ga January &c. 1852. Gen. Burnside
Was relieved and Gen. Joseih Hooker took
command. Ga June -, 1865 Gen. George q
Mead- assigned 10 that command. then In
almost UaSnoWn ns@u- Ga December 80. l56l
he relieved by Major Gen John u. Parke
but va rc.ustlted on January IL, 1865 and re-
NAMED TO the close Of ILc war.
Tho prIncIpa! battles participated 10 By the
ATrny o. the Potomac weres
Bull Bun.
yorktown.
WillLsuISUCrg.
-N-..ss Mills
seven Day. before Richmond. includia.
Far Oaks and Seven Pines.
Tavern H.,
-econa Ba.I han.
south Mountain,
Aaiietanl.
FredcrIcksburg,
ChanceliOrsslle,
Gettysburg,
Nine Rua.
Wilderness,
SpOt.<y lsanlA
North Anna.
Cold UarbOr.
zen months siege OF Petersburg and pursuit
AMI capture Of Lee.
IL varied In numerical force from 5000 &c
10000 men and lost about 5000 killed-the
greatest loss sustained BY any one army dur
iIs the war. IL fought more battles in q
shorter period of time and sustained greater
losses IN every way than any other army ever
mastered la tia. Or any other country.
THE ARMY OF THE sULx.
The Army Of the Gulf had q varied exist
ence. /; VAS organized uuder Gen Benjamir
r. Butler on March 20. 1862, for the capture o.
New Orleans. 1t occupied New Orleans afse'
the city had surrendered to Admiral Farrsgu
snd then proceeded to possess itself of large
portion OF LOUISIANA and Texas 4tgained d
big victory at Baton Rouge. whore it, com