The National tribune., 1904-02-04

mhI We LIE EN- ~ 9
important war-orders issued on the 9Th of
March. The first of these orders directed
the organization of the Army of the Po-
tomac into four corps, and nominated four
Generals to their command. These officers
were not of Gen. McClellan's selection,
while their appointment excluded certain
other officers upon whom he had fixed for
corps commanders. (19)
ANOTHER PRESIDENTIAL ORDER.
The second of these orders prescribed
would be allowed, and is in the following
terms
GENERAL WAR ORDER, No. 3.
EXECUTIVE MANSION,
WASHINGTON, March 8. 1862.
Ordered, That no change of the base OF
operations of the Army of the Potomac
shall be made without leaving in and about
Washington such force as, in the opinion
of the General-in-Chief and the command
ers of the army corps, shall leave said city
entirely secure.
That no more than two army corps
(aEout $4,000 troops) of said Army of the
Potomac shall be moved en- route for new
the. Potomac from Washington to the Ches-
apeake Bay shall be freed from the enemy s
batteries and other distractions, or until
the President shall hereafter give express
permission.
That any movement as aforesaid, en-
route for a new base of operations, which
may be ordered by the General-in-Chief,
and which may be intended to move upon
the Chesapeake Bay, shall begin to move
upon the bay as early as the 18th of
March and the General-in-Chief shall be
responsible that it SO moves as early as
that day.
ordered, That the army and navy CO.
operate in an immediate effort to capture
the enemy's batteries upon the Potomac
between Washington and the Chesapeake
Bay.
l.. THOMAS, Adjutant-General.
MANASSAS EVACUATED.
1t is easy to see what must have been
the result of this fatal indecison, yacilla-
ton, and want of harmony between the
Administration and the Chief of the Army /;
but it happened that this clash of opinion
was suddenly interrupted by an event that
made complete change in the military sit
uation. This event was no less than the
sudden evacuation of Manassas by the Con-
federate army, and its retirement behind
the line of the Rappahannock. Gen. John
ston, who, considerable time previously,
had formed the design of retiring nearer
his base, had for two weeks been preparing
tie evacuation by the quiet removal of the
army stores and war material; and when
he finally withdrew his army from Manas-
sas, on the Sth of March, SO skilfully was
the enterprise managed that the first init
nation thereof gained by the Union forces
was from the smoke of the burning huts,
fired by the Confederates on their retire
nient! With view rather Of giving the
troops some experience on the march and
b,youac than for the purpose of pursuit,
Gen. Mcclellan ordered forward move
nsent of the army toward Centerville the
y. ~. <xtx~
regiments of cavalry under Col. Averill to
Manassas. few days afterward, a large
b5dy of cavalry, with some infantry, un-
der command of Gen. Stoneman, was sent
along the Orange Il Alexandria Railroad
to determine the position of the enemy, and
if possible, force his rear across the Kappa
hammock; but the roads were in such cOndi-
ton that, finding it impossible to subsist
his men, Stoneman was forced to return
after reaching Cedar Run. 1t was found
that the enemy had destroyed all the
s.-..d0es. This expedition was followed by a
zss-lg reconnaissance of Howard's Division
OF Summers Corps to the Rappahannock,
and under cover of this mask, the main
10. The officers nominated to the COM
mand of the corps into which the Army OF
the Potomac was divided were, Gems
keyes, Sumner. Heintzelman and Mellow.
| ell. The latter was well fitted for the com
mand by his ability, but the relations be-
| tween him and the commander were not
cordial. Gen. Sumner was the ideal of a
8oldier; but he had few of the qualities
that make a General. The others do not
call for any analysis. have, in a previous
Fart Of this narrative, set forth the
views Of Gen. Mcclellan touching the or.
ganizatiOn of corps and, as there remarked
his failure TO make appointments to these
Commands at the time he was all-powerful
resulted in his having forced upon him as
Iieutenants men he did not wish i'm thai
capacity. 1t would appear from a curious
piece Of history detailed in the Journal OF
She Committee on the Conduct of the War
chat it was through the pressure of the
Eaembers of that committee. and of the
corps were ut this time formed; and. in
deed, by them. as species of Aulic Coun
cil. that all the larger war-questions were
determined.