From The Cannon's Mouth: The Civil War Letters Of General Alpheus S. Williams by General Alpheus S. Williams Milo M. Quaife

Author:General Alpheus S. Williams, Milo M. Quaife [General Alpheus S. Williams, Milo M. Quaife]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781786253293
Barnesnoble:
Publisher: Golden Springs Publishing
Published: 2015-11-06T00:00:00+00:00

FOREBODINGS OF DEFEAT

Frederick, Md., June 29, 1863.

My Dear Daughters:

I have a moment in the office of Dr. Steiner of the Sanitary Commission to tell you where I am. We left Leesburg on Friday last, the 26th inst., and marched across the river at Edwards Ferry on pontoons and encamped that night at the mouth of the Monocacy. The next day we marched to within a mile of Knoxville, which Rene will remember is within two miles of the Longbridges on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, where we generally took the railroad for Baltimore. The Saturday’s march was too tedious and fatiguing for me to go to the Longbridges. Besides, I did not get my brigades in camp until after dark. The whole line of march was crowded by baggage wagons and trains. I expected to march through Sandy Hook towards Williamsport but during the night was ordered to march my division towards Frederick. I reached this [place] yesterday afternoon, when a change of commanders was announced, Meade superceding Hooker.

It was intimated that we should remain at this place a day or so, but at 2.30 this morning I was awakened by a messenger ordering my division to march towards Taneytown at 5 A.M. I was camped in a fine grove and had a great desire for sleep after three days’ fatiguing marches, but there is no help under orders. Besides, we are filled with an idea that the Rebels are getting into Pennsylvania, and of course we are bound to go on, cost what of human flesh it may. For myself, I am rejoiced at the change of commanders. I have said very little in my letters, but enough for you to guess that I had no confidence in Hooker after Chancellorsville. I can say now, that if we had had a commander of even ordinary merit at that place the army of Jackson would have been annihilated. I cannot conceive of greater imbecility and weakness than characterized that campaign from the moment Hooker reached Chancellorsville and took command.

I am not much of a military genius, but if I could have commanded the Army of the Potomac at Chancellorsville I would have wagered my life on being in Richmond in ten days! All we are suffering now in shame and mortification and in the great risk of losing the whole fortunes of the war is the legitimate result of the weakness which characterized that campaign. Since then, and as the results of that campaign, our army has been reduced over 50,000 men, two-thirds by expiration of term of service of three-months’ and two-years troops, and yet not one soldier has been added to our forces. All winter, by the natural disintegration of armies, we have been running down at the rate of 20 per cent per annum; add to this 35 to 40,000 men discharged by expiration of service and 25,000 killed and wounded in battle and you have at least 85,000 men in this army less now than last December, and this, too, at the season when active field duties commence.

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