The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-01-05
HISTORY OF THE CORPS.
Continued from first naraA

1862, and the Fall Of 1862, Sigers Corps re-
manned in northeastern Virginia in front Of
Washington, occupying various outposts in the
vicinity of Centreville. By General Orders
No. 129. War Department, A. G. o.. dated Sept
~. 1862, its designation was changed TO the
Eleventh Corps, Gen. SigeI remaining in com.
| mand.
On the 9th of November, 1862, Mai. Gen.
Ambrose 4. Burnside succeeded Mai Gen.
George B. Mcclellan in command of the Army
OF the Potomac. Al this time General Head
quarters and the bulk of the army were at
Warrenton, tho Ninth Corps on the line of the
Rappahannock, near Waterloo; the Sixth Corps
at New Baltimore. 4 few miles i'm rear of War
renton, and the Eleventh Corps and portion
of the Third Corps, which had joined the army
from Washington. were posted, the former
in the triangle formed by New Baltimore
Thoroughfare Gap and Gainesville, and the
latter along the line of railroad from Manassas
Junction to Warrenton Junction.
In December the Eleventh Corps marched to
Fredericksburg, but did not participate in the
battle at that place; after which it went into
Winter quarters at Stafford. Va.
On Jan. 10. 1863, Gen. Burnside announced
the organization of a grand Reserve Division
to consist of tho Eleventh and Twelfth Corps,
and assigned Maj. Gen. Sgel to tho command.
Brig. Gen. Stahcl, as senior officer, succeeding
Gen. Sgel in command Of the Corps Gen.
Stalel was superseded Jan. 10. 1863, by order
of the War Department. by Brig. Gen. Carl
Schurz u s. Army.
On Jan. 2G, 1863, Gen. Burnside was relieved
of the command of the Army of tho Potomac
by Gen. Joseph Hooker, who Immediately began
the making of various changes in the hope of
effecting many needed reforms He resolved
to suspend all military operations during the
wet season. and one of his first acts in connec-
ton with the reorganization Of his army was
the discontinuance of the Grand Division and
adoption of tho corps organization. Gen. Sige
thereupon resumed command of the Eleventh
Corps. Gen. Schurz returning to the command Of
his division. On Feb. 81, 1863 Gen. Sigel was
granted a leave of absence, and never returned
to the command of the corps. On March 81
1863, Maj Gen. 0. o. Howard was temporarily
| assigned, which assignment was made perma-
nent by order of the President April 49, 1863.
At the close of April, 1863, the Eleventh
Corps had an aggregate strength present for
duty of 1859; present and absent, 10, 1870;
and present for duty equipped, of all arms,
II 977, with 36 guns.
The army was at this time divided into seven
corps-the First under Gen. Reynolds, the
Second under Gen. Couch the Third under
Gen. Sickles, the Fifth under Gen. Meade, tho
Sixth under Gen. Sedgwck, the Eleventh
under Gen. Howard, and the 18th under Gen.
Slocum. The return of strength for April 30
gives aggregate present 1880; present for
available for line of battle, 1855 infantry
11,402 cavalry, 8,469 artillery, with 404 guns.
About the middle of April the movements
which Gen. Hooker had carefully planned
were begun. The entire cavalry corps. except
ing one brigade, was to cross the Rapidan and
the Rappahannock above their junction, rout
the enemy's cavalry. move around upon the
Aqua & Richmond Railroad, Gen. Lees chief
avenue Of supply, break it up, destroy bridges
on the highways to Richmond and obstruct his
progress should he attempt to fall back. When
it was judged this movement was about accom-
plished the main body of the army was to cross
the Rappahannock little below Fredercks-
burg, and should the enemy show any signs of
retreat was TO follow it up with all possible
effort to capture or dispense it. On April - the
cavalry moved and In two days had driven off
the enemy and were passing the stream above
Rappahannock Station, when by reason of
violent rain-storm and the consequent swelling
OF the river further attempts at crossing were
suspended and the divisions already across
were obliged to swim their horses in returning.
Some two weeks elapsed before the food sub.
sided ffciently to enable the cavalry again to
move, and in the meantime Gen. Hooker had
somewhat modified his original plan. Three
corps were to be massed below Fredericksburg
to cross there and make bold fent, two Of the
corps to Immediately return and join Hooker.
In the meanwhile the remaining corps were to
cross the river above Fredericksburg. This
plan was successfully executed. Reynolds,
Sickles's, and Sedgwick's Corps all under the
command of Sedgwick, moved on the 18th to
the position assigned them. one division of the
Sixth Corps crossing the river ON the 29th the
other troops remaining on the north side in full
view of the Confederates On the Goth Sickles's
tThird) Corps withdrew and proceeded to join
Hooker. The First Corps withdrew and joined
Hooker on the evening of tho Cd.
In the meantime orders for the movement
in which the Eleventh Corps was to lead,
closely followed by the Twelfth, were given,
and at daylight OH the 9th the two corps
moved out and encamped that night near
HARDWOOD Church, n distance of IA miles On the
following night, after a further march of about
IA miles, they encamped near Kely's Ford on
the Rappahannock, where Gen. Slocum, of the
Twelfth Corps, received orders from Gen.
Hooker to take command of both corps and
after having laid bridge to cross the Kappa
hammock and press Immediately forward and
pass the Rapidan without delay. In pursuance
of these orders about 400 men Of Bushbeck's
Brigade crossed the stream in boats, and after
driving away the guard began the laying of
the bridge, which was completed by 10 p. m,
and the column commenced crossing. BY day
light on the following morning all were over
and the march began. led by the Eleventh and
Twelfth Corps. The three corps eleventh,
Twelfth and Fifth) crossed the Rapidan on the
night Of the goth, and early On the morning of
the Both resumed the march. The Fifth Corps,
having the shortest route, reached Chancellors-
vile at IL a. m, the Twelfth about p m, and
the Eleventh, which closely followed, encamped
in the rear, in the vicinity OF DowdalPs Store.
Gen. Slocum, under orders received, upon his
arrival at Charlottesville, assumed command
of the three corps and posted his forces about
Chancellorsyile the Twelfth Corps in the
woods on line nearly parallel to the Plank
road with the left resting near Charlottesville
and the right connecting with the Eleventh
Corps, and the Fifth Corps extending from
Charlottesville toward the river, covering
United States Ford. On the evening of
the Both Gen. Hooker, having brought his
army into position according to his original
design, broke up his headquarters at Falmouth,
leaving Gen. Butterfeld, his Chief of Staff to
represent him at that point, and transferred
them to Charlottesville. The movements
thus far had been entirely successful, and Gen.
Hooker issued congratulatory ORDER in which
he said
at is with heartfelt satisfaction that the
Commanding General announces to the army
that the operations Of the last three days have
determined that our enemy must either in.
gloriously fly or come out from behind his
defenses and give US battle on our own ground,
where certain destruction awaits him. The
operations of the Fifth, Eleventh and Twelfth
Corps have been succession OF splendid
achievements"
Immediately upon the arrival of Gen. Hooker
at charlottesville lie began the preparation of