Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-03-12

toCus and tho artillery. and after Stru:
sing in the mud for two days. the
attempt to cross tho river was abin-
doEcd. General Burnside n3cr'bc3 his
f:ilure TO the elements aud tho I'M
avoidable delay In getting his troops
in position. Thus ended wha. Wa:
thereafter known as the Mud March"
Of General Burnside.
RESUIT Is NOT
INSPIRING 10 YANKEES
Tho result was anything but inspir-
ing to the Yankee troops. Open and
undiscuiScd sentiments of disgust were
manifested by the leading officers OF
General BurnSidcs army SO pro-
nounccd was the feeling. so dctrimcn-
tai 10 the army, as TO Cause General
Burnside. on January 80, to issue an
order. subject To the approval OF l'rcSi-
dent Lincoln dismissinE from. the SER
vice Of the United States Generals
Hooker, Brooks. Newton and Cochran.
and relieving from duty with his army
Generals Franklin, w. +. Smith and
S,urgis This order failed To meet the
approval OF president Lincoln. ana. OF
course. was not effective. On .Ianu-
airy -. by order of President Lincoln.
General Burnside WAS relieved of the
command OF the Army Of the poto-
mac NJ his own request. and Gcncral
Joe Hooker was assigned 10 its COM
maud.
On January - another storm com
ncnCcd. ana continued until the morn
inE of the 10th. The ground WAS now
covered with snow. Under such condi-
tions the roads We're impracticable for
active operations. and both armies set
tied down into winter quarters.
want to impress the reader that
General Burnsidcs term of command OF
the Army of the Potomac" was of
short duration, only lasting about three
months.
General Burnside. in my opinion was
not SupcrStitiouS ur iic would not have
crossed the Rappahannock River with
an army whose number ended with
thirteen. Ills force was estimated ut
$4,000 men.
tiitIGADES ENGAGE. IN
nIt. SNOW RAILING
Now that the Army OF Northern
Virginia" was settled down Into win
ter quarters, / want to ask my old
comrades that arc now living If they
remember that big snow ballinS that
took place while in winter quarters
lliltS Division. one man WAS killed
and the fun was stopped afterwards,
but. nevertheless the snow ballirg was
simply grand. Again 10 YOU remember
the poor young fellow who was shot
for drscrtion. belonging to Ficldss
taken out TO witness tho execution. l
can see IL all now, just as plainly as
if IL happened yesterday: and do you
remember his poor mother who did
not arrive In time TO try TO save his
life? Can't You see her walking to
and from the place of execution. weep
ing and wailinG, saying, My poor boy
my poor boy" II cast n profound sor-
row over the entire division for this
poor mother. This young man enlisted
from one Of the lower counties in Nir-
gina. King and Queen. as we'll as / HOW
remember. when quite youn. and
from what ] could learn, left his COM
mhnd without permission to visit his
parents He stayed too long, and n
guard was sent TO arrest him, brought
him back to his company. and no was
court-martialed and sentenced 10 be
shot.
My next war experience Will he the
battles of Second Frederick sburg and
charlottesville.
j. y. CRADDOCK.
Co G. ODD Battl.. Va. Inf. FieldSs
Brigade. y. =. IIill's Division.
panvillc. Va.