Year: 1863

OF the United States that the Army Of the Potomac un
der Gen Meade had again smtten the INVADER Sure
that with the ascrpons of praise that HEAVIER
from twenty millions OF freemen, with the acknowledg
ments that breahed from patriotic lips throughout the
length and breadth Of America to the surviving officer
and who had rendered the country this nestimabs
service there beat in every loyal bosom throb of tender
and sorrowfu gratitude to the martyrs who had fallen
tie serny contested field Let nations fervent thanks
make some amends for the tolls and suerng of those who
survive Would that the heartfelt tribute csuld penetrate
these honored graves!


In order that we may comprehend to their full extent
our obligations to the martyrs and surviving heroes OF
the Army OF the Potomac let contemplate for few
moments my friends, the train of events which cum-
mated in the battles of ls Cd and Sd of July OF this


fnpendous rebellion, planned, its orgnators boast
more than thirty years ago, matured aud prepared for
during an entire generation finally commenced because
for the first time since the adoption of the Constitution
an election OF President had been effected without the
votes Of the South (Which retained however the CON
troll OF the two other branches of the Government the
occupation of the national capital with the seizure Of the
puoc archives and OF the treaties with foreign Powers
was an essential feature This in substance, within
my personal knowledge admitted in the winter of IS60'I
by one of the most influential leaders of the rebellion
and was fondy thought that this object could be effected
by bold and sudden movement on the 4th of March,
1861 There is abundant proof ALSO that darker pro
ject was contemplated if not by the responsible chiefs
OF the rebellion, yet by nameless ruans willing to play


subsidiary and murderous part in the REASONABLE drama
lt was accordingly maintained by the rebel emissares
abroad, 10 the circles to which they found access that
the new American Minister ought not when he arrived





much as before that time Washington would be captured
and the capital of the nation and the archives and mum
ments OF the Government wout be in the possession of
the CoDederates In full accordance also with this threat
it declared by the rebel Secretary of War at Mont
gomery in the presence of his chief and of his colleagues
and of five thousand hearers, while the dngs Of the
saut on Sumter were travelling the wires on that
fatal 18th of April 1861 that before the end of Nav the
flag which Haunted the breeze he expressed itl
would float the dome OF the Capitol at Washington"


At the time this threat made the rebellion was con-
OVyIu nd
stood by them that the only hope of drawing any of the
other savehodug States into the conspiracy by bring
ing about conflict of arms and firing the heart of te
South by the efuson of blood This declared by the
Charleston press to be the object for which Sumter was to
bo assaulted and the emssaries sent from Richmond to
urge on the unhaowed work gave the promise that with
the first drop of blood that should be shed Virginia would
place herself by the side Of South Carolina.


In pursuance of this gnal plan of the leaders OF the
rebellion the capture of Washington has been continually
had in view not merely for the sake OF it's public buildings
the capital of the Conederacy but the necessary
preliminary to the absorption Of the Border States and for
the moral effect in the of Europe of possessing the
metropolis of the Union.


aude these facts not perhaps enough borne in mind
sufficient refuaton of the preence the part of the
rebels that the is of sefdefence waged for the
right of self government 1t s in reality war originally
levied by ambitious men in the cotton growing States for
the purpose OF drawing the savehodng Border States
into the vortex of the conspiracy first by sympathy which
in the case of Southea tern Virginia North Carolina part
of Tennessee and Arkansas succeeded and then by force
and for the purpose OF subugatng Western Virginia Ken
lucky Eastern Tennessee Missouri and MAINLAND and
IT Is most extraordinary fact considering the camors Of


the rebel chic the subject of invasion that not sol
der OF the United States has entered the States named
except to defend tn r unonovDg inhabitants from the
armies and guerrillas of the rebels


In conformity with these the CITY of Wash
iDgton and notwithstanding the disastrous results OF the
invasion OF 1862 it determined by the rebel Govern.
ment last summer to the offensive in that direction
Unable to force the passage Of the Rappabannock where
Gen. Hooker notwithstanding the Chanceors
vile in May, was strongly posted the Confederate Gene
raj resorted to strategy He had two objects in view
The first was by rapid movement northward, and by
maneuverng with portion of his army on the east side
Of the Blue Ridge to tempt Hooker from his base of ope
ratons thus leading him to the approaches to
Washington TO throw it open to raid by Stuart's caval
ry aud enable Lee himself to the Potomac in the
neighborhood of Pooesve and thus fall upon the capital
This plan OF operations wholly frustrated. The de-
sign Of the rebel General promptly discovered by Cen
Hooker and moving himself with great rapidy from Fre-
dencksburg, he preserved unbroken the ne and
stationed the various corps Of his army at all the points
protecting the approach to Washington from Centreville
up to Leesburg From this vantage ground the rebel e
neral in vain attempted to draw him. In the mean time
by the vigorous operations OF Peasontons cavalry the
cavalry Of Stuart though greatly superior in numbers
so crippled as TO be disabled from performing the part
signed It in the campaign. Ia this Gen. Lees
first object viz the defeat OF Hookers army the south
of the Potomac and direct march Washington,
baffed


The second part of the Confederate plan and which il
supposed to have been undertaken in opposition to the
views OF Gen Lee to turn the demonstration North
WhTn INTO INVASION oil Iennsylvana,
in the hope that, in this way, Gen Hooker would be
drawn to distance from the capital; that opportu-
nifty would occur Of taking him at disadvantage and after
defeating his army of making descent upon Baltimore
and Washington. This part Of Gen. Lees plan, which
was substantially the repetition Of that Of 1862 not
less gnay defeated with what honor to the arms Of the
Union the heights on which this day assembled
will forever attest.


Much time bad been uselessy consumed by the rebel
general in his unsvang attempts to out manBuvre Gen
Hooker. Although Gen Lee broke up from Fredercks-
burg on the Sd Of June, il not till the Oath that the
main body OF his army entered Maryland aud instead Of
crossing the Potomac he had intended east of the Blue
Ridge he compelled to do it at Shepherdstown and
Wilamsport thus materially derangng his entire plan Of
campaign north of the river Stuart who had been sent
with his cavalry to the east cf the Blue Ridge guard
the passes of the mountains to mask the movements OF
Lee, and to harass the Union general in crossing the


river having been very severely handled by Peasonon at
Beverly Ford Ade, and Upperve instead of being able
to reard Gen Hookers advance, driven himself away
from his connexon with the army Of Lee and cut of for
fortnight from all communication with it; a crcum
stance to which Gen Lee in his report audes than
once, with evident Letus rapidly glance
at the incidents of the eventful campaign.


detachment from Ewell's corps under jenkins had
penetrated the 18Th of July far as Chamhersburg
THIS movement intended at first merely demon
strati0n and maraudng expedition for supplies, 1t
had however the sautary effect OF alarming the country
and vigorous preparations here in Pennsyvania and the
sister States made TO repe the nroad After two
days passed at Chambersburg, Jenkins anxious for his
communications with Ewel fell back with his pInder to
Hagersown. Here he remained for several days, and
having swept the recesses of Cumberland valley
down upon the eastern flank Of the South Mountain and
pushed his maraudng parties far as Waynesboro On
the 22d the remainder of Ewes corps crossed the
and moved up the valley They we're followed on the oath
L. n aNE2AN Il.