Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-06-28
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Bcercv. June N.-Ths Hub gavs
cordial and hearty reception 70 u vse'
Grams Of ~ Army Of the Potomac upcn
tho occasisa Of their assembling hsrs 20
day for their 9Th annual reunion-men
whose vAler helped save our Union and
preserve our national integrity. They
found the old commonwealth a. patriotic
n 50 years ago. when she sent 10000 OF
her loved sons to the front in the services
Of the Union.
The reunion has called TO the city many
eminent men who have won renown hot
only in the field OF battle, but in the more
peaceful pursuits of business life. and
many pleasant and not few thrilling
memories will he recalled by the A.
sembling of the veterans-now veterans
Of time as well rs Of war"
The Exercises Of the Reunion
opened at Faneuii hall this morning at
O'Clock with reception to the memberS
At 10 a. M an artillery salute was fired ON
the common. and at the same hour there
was meeting Of corps associations in Fan
euil hall.
Alta M the annual business meeting
with the election OF officers end other inn
portanr matters wis held in Faneuil hall.
This completed tho morning exercises.
All O'Clock the society embarked on the
Mayfiower for a trip down the harbor,
rendered by the city. A landing will be
made at Fort Warren. Refreshments will
be served on the boat.
An Honorable Record.
The Army of the Potomac was one OF
H. -. on q lag
that conducted in large measure the
operations of the troops OF the war OF the
rebellion. The other divisions were known
as the Army Of the Cumberland. Army OF
the James, Army of the Tennessee, Army
of West Virginia, Army Of the Ohm. Army
of the Gulf and Army of the Frontier.
1.-THE Army of the Potomac WAS the most
important of all the armies aud had a duty
to perform" said writer in the American
Tribune FIRST to defend Washington
rebels had assembled about it, and second,
the duty of annihilating that army ana
capturing Riehlnond."
On May q. 1851, General Irwin Nc
Dowell WIS appointed commander of the
Department of the Potomac, which at
that time was called the Department of
Northwestern Virginia" The field EN-
braced all that part of Virginia east of the
Alle.han mountains aud west aud north
of the James river, excepting Fort Monroe
and its immediate vicinity
After the battle of Bull Run the dis
organized condition of the military in the
field demanded immediate attention and
reorganization. General Mcdowell had
not come up to expectations. 1t might be
talr ri. hara har al that time nnbpdy
came up to the requirements.
General Winfield Scott was physically
incapacitated from taking his place ill the
field, so he selected General Geor-e Is.
Mcclellan for the important office. Cen
eral Mcclellan assumed command in July.
1t Was NapOleon's Theory
that all national capitals should be strong
ly fortified against possible attack, and
acting upon this theory, two forts, Runyon
and CorcOran, had been constructed SO as
to command the long bridge and aqueduct,
and Fort Albany laid out where it could
command the Columbia, Aqueduct and
Alexandria roads. AS soon as General
Mcclellan assumed command he had these
plans enlarged upon by ries Of earth
works thrown up between Forts Corcoran
and Albany, within supporting distance
Ol tdCu OtutE, anu JULIET NOih s up
controlling all the principal routes leading
to Washington from the north
The ope atoms of the Army of the Poto-
mac were confined to comparatively
small territory between the Apponattox
and Susquehanna rivers, but the fiercest
fighting of the whole army lay inside the
limits of that territory.
General Mcclellan was relieved on Nov.
Z, 1852, and General Ambrose f.. burnside
assumed command. On Jan. ~, 1863, Cen
eral Burnside was relieved and General
Joseph Hooker took command. On June
%, 1853. General George G. Meade was as
signed to that command, then an almost
unknown man. On Dec 80, 1854, he was
relieved by Major General John G. Parkr
but was reinstated on Jan. II. 1865, and re-
manned until the close of the war.
The Principal Battles
participated in by the Army of the Poto-
mac were: Bull Run, Yorktown. Will
liamsburg, Gains Mills, Seven Days be-
fore Richmond, including Fair Oaks and
Seven Pines, Malvern Hill, Second Bull
Run, South Mountain, Antietam, Freder-
icksburg, Charlottesville, Gettysburg
Mine Run, Wilderness, Spottsylvania
North Anna, Cold Harbor, ten months
siege of Petersburg and pursuit and cap
bure of Lee.
1t varied in numerical force from 5000
to 10000 men and lost about 5000 killed
the greatest loss sustained by any one
army during the war. It fought more
battles in shorter perioi of time and
sustained greater losses in every way than
any other army ever mustered in this or
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