Grand Review of the Army, at Bailey’s Cross Roads.—Pleasant
Acquaintances formed.—Changes and Deaths at Camp
Griffin.—Dissatisfaction at the General Inactivity.—President’s
War Orders.—Gen. McClellan’s Plans and Correspondence with the
President.
The grand review by Gen. McClellan took place while the Thirty-third
was encamped at Camp Griffin; the troops, over seventy thousand, were
assembled at Bailey’s Cross-Roads, early in the day, to await the arrival
of their Chief. Towards noon Gen. McClellan appeared, accompanied by
the President and other distinguished personages, and as the party rode
along in front of the line, cheer after cheer rent the air. Having
assumed a stationary position on an elevated spot, the various commands
passed in review before them. The day was mild and beautiful, the roads
in good condition, men in fine spirits, and the review presented a most
imposing spectacle, surpassing anything of the kind ever before witnessed
in America. Surgeon Dickerson was unfortunately thrown from his horse
by a collision on this occasion, receiving a severe concussion. The
Surgeon attending pronounced the case a fracture of the skull producing
compression of the brain, when a Herald attaché, standing by, added:
“died in a few moments,” and a telegram was published to that effect in
the Herald of the following day.
During their stay here, the officers and men made the acquaintance
of several interesting families in the vicinity. Among them was the
“Woodworths,” residing on the picket line. Mr. W., who originally moved
from Oswego County, New York, had suffered much at the hands of the
enemy. After the first battle of Bull Run, the rebels entered his house,
robbing it of many valuables, and conducted him to Richmond, where he was
imprisoned. Being released in the following October, he returned to find
his once happy home nearly in ruins. The officers spent many pleasant
hours in the society of his entertaining daughters, and in listening to
the old man’s narrative of the wrongs inflicted upon him for his Union
sentiments. All the members of the family apparently vied with each
other in their efforts to render the sojourn of the Thirty-third in that
locality as pleasant as possible.
The following changes occurred at Camp Griffin: Major Robert H. Mann
resigned; succeeded by John S. Platner, Captain Co. H, who in turn was
succeeded by First Lieutenant A. H. Drake. Chaplain George N. Cheney
resigned; succeeded by Rev. A. H. Lung, Pastor of the First Baptist
Church Canandaigua. John R. Cutler, Captain Co. D, succeeded by Henry
J. Gifford, 1st Lieutenant, transferred from the Thirteenth New York.
Samuel A. Barras, 2d Lieutenant Co. D, resigned, George T. Hamilton,
1st Lieutenant Co. F, resigned. Henry G. King, promoted from 2d to
1st Lieutenant Co. F, vice G. T. Hamilton, resigned. Henry A. Hills,
promoted to 2d Lieutenant, from 1st Sergeant, vice H. G. King, promoted.
George W. Brown, promoted from ranks to 1st Lieutenant Co. D, vice H. J.
Gifford, promoted. Jefferson Bigelow, promoted from 1st Sergeant to 2d
Lieutenant Co. D, vice S. A. Barras, resigned. John W. Corning, appointed
2d Lieutenant Co. B, vice H. J. Draime, promoted.
Prior to his departure, the Chaplain was presented with an elegant gold
watch, as a testimonial of the regard entertained for him.
The following deaths occurred from disease:
Company B, David Hart; Company C, Corporal George A. Langdon; Company C,
Pierre Outry; Company E, Peter Zimmer; Company F, George E. Prentice;
Company F, Gardner Bacon; Company F, Irwin Van Brunt; Company G, Patrick
Conner; Company G, Wm. Cooper; Company H, James H. Gates; Company I,
Archibald Coleman; Company K, Augustus Murdock.
William Humphrey, Company J, and Joseph Finnegan, Company K, were
accidentally killed.
The long inactivity which prevailed in all our armies was as
unsatisfactory as it was inexplicable to the country. Day after day,
week after week, and month after month, brought the same story, “All
quiet along the lines,” until the patience of the people became well nigh
exhausted, and they began to clamor for the removal of this and that
leader, declaring that they all
“Like peasant foot-boys did keep the walls
And dare not take up arms like gentlemen.”
On the 19th of January, however, the President issued orders for a
general movement of all the Federal forces; one result of which was the
series of victories at the West, which so revived the drooping hopes of
the nation. Twelve days afterwards, he issued a special order directed to
the Army of the Potomac, which had not yet moved. It read as follows:
EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, January 31st, 1861.
President’s Special War Order No. 1.
Ordered, that all the disposable force of the Army of the
Potomac, after providing safely for the defence of Washington,
be formed into an expedition for the immediate object of
seizing and occupying a point upon the railroad south-westward
of what is known as Manassas Junction; all details to be in the
discretion of the General-in-Chief, and the expedition to move
before or on the 22d day of February next.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
General McClellan replied, in writing, to this order, objecting to the
plan which it proposed, as involving “the error of dividing our army by
a very difficult obstacle (the Occoquan), and by a distance too great to
enable the two portions to support each other, should either be attacked
by the masses of the enemy.” In conclusion he expressed himself desirous
of moving against the enemy, either by the way of the Rappahannock or
the Peninsula. This reply explains the reason of his having so long
delayed operations. His aim was to mass together a large army, thoroughly
equipped and drilled, and leaving a sufficient force to guard Washington,
throw the remainder of his army suddenly in the enemy’s rear, or hurl
them swiftly upon the rebel capital, before they could move to its
support.
The President did not agree with his young General, as will be seen from
the following communication, which he addressed him in reply:
“EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, February 3d, 1862.
“MY DEAR SIR:—You and I have distinct and different plans for
a movement of the Army of the Potomac; yours to be down the
Chesapeake, up the Rappahannock to Urban, and across land
to the terminus of the railroad on York river; mine to move
directly to a point on the railroad south-west of Manassas.
If you will give me satisfactory answers to the following
questions, I shall gladly yield my plan to yours:
“1. Does not your plan involve a greatly larger expenditure of
time and money than mine?
“2. Wherein is a victory more certain by your plan than mine?
“3. Wherein is a victory more valuable by your plan than mine?
“4. In fact, would it not be less valuable in this—that it
would break no great line of the enemy’s communication, which
mine would?
“5. In case of disaster, would not a safe retreat be more
difficult by your plan than by mine?
“Yours, truly,
“A. LINCOLN.”
He afterwards, however, yielded to General McClellan. Thus affairs stood,
until the first week in March, when the enemy were discovered to be
retreating from Manassas, and the grand advance commenced.