Auburn, N. Y., where they were buried with military honors at Fort Hill cemetery. Colonel McNeil was not only an accomplished scholar and a gallant soldier, but he was what is more and greater, a devout Christian. The precepts of the Bible taught him by his father, he made the rule of his life. He entered the service of his country from a sense of duty; devoted to the cause of the constitution, he laid down his life a willing sacrifice on the altar of universal liberty, and died in the defence of republican government. The army rested on the battle-field of Antietam during the night of the 17th, and on Thursday, the 18th, the hostile troops were, by a voluntary truce, on the field removing their wounded, and burying their dead. During Thursday night, General Lee silently withdrew his army across the Potomac, and retired into Virginia, and thus ended the enemy's first attempt to invade the Northern States. CHAPTER X. BURNSIDE'S CAMPAIGN-FREDERICKSBURG-HOOKER'S CAM PAIGN-CHANCELLORSVILLE. Camps at Sharpsburg—Effort to withdraw the Reserves—Resignation of Colonel Roberts—Colonel Potts—Major Todd--Colonels Talley -Baily—Kirk—Warner—General officers—Supplies for the soldiersMcClellan's delay—Ordered to advance—Stuart's raid—Advance into Virginia—March of the Reserves—McClellan relieved—Burnside assumes command—Plan of campaign—Organization of the armyMovement to Falmouth--Battle of Fredericksburg—Line of battleThe Reserves in the advance—Charge of the First and Third brigades -They pierce the enemy's line—Unsupported—Forced back—Casualties—General Jackson—Death of three sergeants—Captain O'RourkeGeneral Meade's report—Sumner's and Hooker's attacks- Withdrawal of the army to the north bank of the river—Second campaign—Burnside requests to be relieved—Hooker placed in command of the armyGeneral Meade promoted to the command of the Fifth corps—General Doubleday in command of the Reserves—The Reserves transferred to Washington—Hooker's administration—Condition of the armyHooker's campaign—His plans—Movements—Battle of Chancellorsville—Jackson's assault on the Eleventh corps—Desperate fightingDeath of Colonel Peissner—Generals Berry and Whipple—Sedgwick victorious at Fredericksburg—The Sixth corps struggles against Lee's whole army—Hooker retreats across the river—Loss in both armies. As soon as General McClellan had ascertained that the forces of the enemy had withdrawn from Maryland, he determined to reorganize his army, and to rest his troops. The several corps established comfortable camps, on the bank of the Potomac between Williamsport and Harper's Ferry, and in Pleasant valley below Sandy Hook. The Pennsylvania Reserve Corps, which had marched from the State fourteen months before the battle of Antie tam, a corps of fifteen thousand men, with well proportioned and thoroughly organized arms of infantry, artillery, and cavalry, was now a mere brigade, mustering less than four thousand men fit for duty. While the army was at Sharpsburg, the governors of the loyal States called on President Lincoln to confer with His Excellency on the subject of recruiting the old regiments in the field, up to their maximum strength. At the request of the President, the governors addressed him in writing, each setting forth the plan proposed for recruiting in his own State. The following is the letter from Governor Curtin : Pennsylvania Executive Mansion, Sir: I have the honor to refer to some of the topics of our conversation last week, at which time you were pleased to say, that you desired the governors of the loyal States present to put their suggestions in writing. "I proposed, at that time, to fill the regiments in service most reduced by the casualties of war, by retiring a given number from the more active service with the armies in the presence of the enemy, and having filled them and obtained a perfect re-organization, return them to the field and retire others until they were all filled to the standard established by the government, in the meantime supplying their places in the field with new regiments. I named ten regiments as the number to be retired at each time from this State. Most of our regiments that have participated in the recent battles are reduced to mere skeletons, and although we have furnished about fifteen thousand recruits for regiments from this State, no efficient strength has been given to any of them. "The Pennsylvania Reserve Corps, numbering thirteen regiments of infantry, one regiment of cavalry, and one of artillery, with a numerical strength of fifteen thousand seven hundred and sixty men, were taken into the service of the United States in July, 1861, immediately after the first battle at Manassas. The thirteen regiments of infantry did not muster four thousand men after the battle of Antietam. All of these regiments are much reduced in number, whilst many of them can scarcely be said to retain regimental organizations. The brilliant history of the Reserve Corps in the war, and the State pride which has followed them since they entered the service, together with the circumstances surrounding their organization, would, I have no doubt, prove such incentives to enlistment that the Corps could be filled to the maximum in a short space of time. "I suggest that the Corps be returned to the State, and placed in the camp at this Capital, and, if I am correct in my impression, the success would affect the minds of our people favorably and other regiments in the service could be filled in their turn promptly. "It is proper that, in this connection, I should say that the suggestions reflect the opinion of all the officers of the Corps, I take this opportunity of again renewing the suggestions of all the governors on the occasion referred to, that so far as consistent with the interests of the public service, sick and wounded volunteers be taken to the hospitals within the State in which they were enlisted. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, A. G. CURTIN. To His Excellency, A. Lincoln, President." Not receiving any reply to this communication, on the 9th of October, His Excellency, the Governor, addressed a similar letter to General McClellan, who thought favorably of the plan, but having immediate use for the troops, was unwilling to retire them at that time. Finding it impossible, therefore, to fill up the skeleton regiments by recruiting in the State, the officers commenced the work of re-organization. Many of the regiments were commanded by captains; companies were commanded by non-commissioned officers, and the division had become so reduced in strength, that it became necessary to reinforce it by the addition of other regiments. The One Hundred and Twenty-first regiment of Pennsyl vania volunteers, a new and full organization, commanded by Colonel Chapman Biddle, was attached to the First brigade, and the One Hundred and Forty-second, commanded by Colonel Robert P. Cummins, was joined to the Second brigade of the Reserve corps. Numerous changes in officers had also become necessary. At the close of the Peninsular campaign, the President of the United States had nominated Colonel Roberts of the First regiment for promotion to a brigadier-generalship, for gallant conduct on the field; the nomination was sent to the War Department, hat on account of circumstances of a personal character, was most unjustly delayed, and on the following day the Senate adjourned. Colonel Roberts, in command of a brigade, conducted it in safety from the Peninsula, fought gallantly in the battles of Bull Run, South Mountain, and Antietam, after which his name was again forwarded, for promotion, by his superior officers, and his friends urged the appointment as a matter of justice to a gallant soldier. But, in the latter part of October, Governor Curtin requested General McClellan to accept the resignation of Colonel Roberts, that he might be returned to his staff. After the first call for five hundred thousand troops had been filled, in 1861, Colonel Joseph D. Potts, who had superintended, with great ability, the transportation of troops and materials of war from Pennsylvania, resigned his commission as staff officer to the governor, and retired from the public service to assume the management of the Philadelphia and Erie Railroad. At the request of His Excellency, therefore, that Colonel Roberts should return to his staff, he resigned, and took leave of his regiment and compatriots in arms, on the 2d of November, 1862. His soldiers, to whom he had endeared himself by an impartial administration in camp, and gallant conduct on the field, parted with him in tears, and loudly cheered him as he rode from the camp near Sharpsburg. Soon after Colonel Roberts had arrived at Harrisburg he received from his |