The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1904-06-02
ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.
CONTINUED from first pace.)
make attachments from his main force to
meet this menace against his westward
lines of SUNNY

make detachments from his main force to
| meet this menace against his weStw ard
hines of supply.
| This was one Of those combinations that
are more specious in theory than success
| full in practice: for such outlying columns,
lines. are very liable to be beaten in detail,
or. at least. to have their efforts neutral
| lied. and made of no availfS9
| 1t is probable, however that Gen.
Grants main reliance was upon the Army
of the Potomac. which. powerful in num-
bers. and in n high state of efficiency, dis
clplnc and morale. had never been better
fitted to take the field. At the time Gen.
Grant came to Virginia it was reorganizei
| into three cOrps-the Second. under Maj
Cen Winfield Scott Hancock. the Fifth,
under Maj. -Gen. Gouverneur X. Warren,
and the Sixth. under Maj. -Gen. John
Sedgwick. 900 The command of the army
remained under Gen. Meade, who had
proved himself to be an excellent tactician.
THE CORPS COMMANDERS.
| The three corps commanders were men
of a high order of ability. though OF very
diverse types of character Hancock may be
racterized as the ideal of n soldier: gift
ed with magnetic presence and a superb
personal galantry, he was one of those
lordly leaders who, upon the actual field
of battle, rule the hearts of troops with
Il potent and irresistible mastery. War
rem, young in the command of n corps.
owed his promotion to the signal proofs Of
ability he had given. first as Il Brigader.
| then rs Chief Engineer of the Army. and
| latterly as the temporary commander of
the Second Corps. Of subtle, analytic
intellect endowed with an eminent talent
for details, the dearest military coup
d'oei. and fiery concentrated energy he
promised to take the first rank as a COM
1 tho hon cd hinf
OF the Sixth Corps, wrs the exemplar of
steadfast soldierly obedience to duty: sin
gularly gentle and childlike in character
he was scarcely more beloved in his own
command than throughout the army.
SHERIDAN TO THE CAVALRY.
A fit leader for the Cavalry Corps had
long been wanting This desiderat,m was
fully filled by the appointment of Maj.
Gen. p. II. Sheridan. Although his ex
perience had been confined to that of a
divisional general of infantry i'm the West
enough was known of his character to
Justify the nomination. and his first cam
paign left no doubt Of his preeminent fit
ness for the command.
STAFF UNCHANGED.
The staff organization Of the Army OF
the Potomac remained unchanged. Brig
ten. Ill. j. Hunt continued to be the eff
ei"nt Chief of Artillery: Maj. James C.
| Duane was Chlef-Engineer, and Brig.
Gen. Rufus Ingalls,, facile princeps OF
Quar:ermasters, remained at the head OF
that great department of administrative
service so long under his charge.
GRANTS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.
This much for the Army of the Poto
mac. 1t should be added that about the
time it began active operations it was re-
enforced by the Ninth Corps, under Gen
Burnside, who, however, commanded il
independently Of Gen. Meade. This corps
had lately returned from it's campaign n
East Tennessee. and rendeZvoused at An
napOlis, where it had recruited its ranks
and .nceived the addition of division OF
colored troops. All doubt as to it's desti
nation was diSpeled at the end Of April
when it was called to Washington and
thence marched to the Rapidan to make a
junction with the Army of the Potomac
The united strength Of the four corps CAV.
Grant a movable column of about 10000
men of all arms. The rolls Of Lees army
showed force, present for duty, of %
GIG men-foot. horse. and artillery
The Sd of May the order went forth
that the army should that night lancf
forth on its great adventure The cam
paign thus initiated--a campaign ullslIr
passed by any on record. in the elements
that make war grand, terrible and bloody
will form the snbject-inatt tier of the sue
ceeding chapters.