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BURNSIDE'S MUD MARCH' HE IS RELIEVED.

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they had made on the President's attempts to assail our stalled and mind.

Returning to the army, Gen. Burnside soon ascertained that certain details of the proposed cavalry movement had transpired-in fact, he was assured by Gen. Pleasanton that they were known among Secessionists in Washington two or three days after his first interview with the President -so he abandoned that movement; intending to make one somewhat different, in the course of a few days.

This new movement contemplated a crossing in force at Banks's and at the United States fords, above Fredericksburg; the crossing below being also made, or at least menaced, as originally proposed: and again his preparations were perfected and his army now put" in motion; when, at 10 P. M., there burst over it one of the severest and most trying storms ever experienced in that region. Snow, driving sleet, pouring rain, a general breaking up of the roads, hitherto hard and dry, and a chaos of the elements which rendered locomotion impossible and life under the drenching sky scarcely endurable, arrested that advance at its outset, and fixed our army in the mire wherein it for hours wretchedly, sullenly, hopelessly floundered. Daylight exposed to the enemy across the stream movements which were intended to be consummated under the cover of night they were not foolish enough, had they been able, to squander their men and animals in

21 Jan. 20, 1863.

"Maj.-Gen. Hooker, with Brig.-Gens. W. T. H. Brooks and John Newton, were designated in this order for ignominious dismissal from the service; while Maj.-Gens. W. B. Franklin and W. F. Smith, and Brig.-Gens. John Cochrane and Edward Ferrero, with Lt.-Col. J. H.

struggling forces; but they guarded the fords so strongly that Burnside was glad to order his men back to their old camps-some of which they had burned on quitting, in the confident expectation that they should nevermore need them.

Gen. Burnside, having discovered, as he believed, the officers who had paralyzed his efforts by fomenting discontent in his army, and by disheartening communications to Washington, now prepared a general order (No. 8'), dismissing 23 them from the service; but, on the advice of a trusted friend, decided to submit it to the President before giving it publicity or effect. He did so; and the President, after consultation with his official advisers, decided, instead of approving the order, to relieve Gen. Burnside from command; which was accordingly done: the order stating that Gen. B. was so relieved at his mon request—against which, Gen. B. remonstrated as most unjust, pressing his demand that his resignation should be accepted instead; but he was finally persuaded to withdraw it, and agree to serve wherever his aid might be required, allowing any order to be published that might be deemed essential to the public weal. Thus ended" his command of the Army of the Potomac.

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Rebel raiders in the readiness of the White inhabitants to give them information, and even to scout in quest of it, throughout that dreary Winter, that nothing that might be asserted of Rebel audacity or Federal imbecility is absolutely incredible.

The somber cloud is lighted by a single flash, not of victory, but of humor. In a Rebel raid far within our lines, Gen. Stoughton, a young Vermont Brigadier, was taken in his bed, near Fairfax Court House, and, with his guards and five horses, hurried off across the Rappahannock. Some one spoke of the loss to Mr. Lincoln next morning: "Yes," said the President; "that of the horses is bad; but I can make another General in 5 minutes."

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by J. E. B. Stuart across the Rappa- | the very great advantage enjoyed by hannock to Dumfries, where 25 wagons and some 200 prisoners were taken, and thence toward Alexandria and around Fairfax Court House, burning the railroad bridge across the Accotink, and returning in triumph with their spoils; another," by a party of Imboden's troopers, farther west, from the Valley to Romney, where the guards of a supply train were surprised and routed: 72 men, 106 horses, and 27 wagons taken and carried off; a third," by Fitz Hugh Lee, across the Rappahannock, near Falmouth, surprising a camp, and taking 150 prisoners, with a loss of 14 men; a fourth," by Gen. W. E. Jones, in the Valley, routing two regiments of Milroy's cavalry, and taking 200 prisoners, with a loss of 4 men only; while a more daring raid was made by Maj. White, of Jones's command, across the Potomac at Poolesville, taking 77 prisoners. Lee further reports that Capt. Randolph, of the Black Horse cavalry, by various raids into Fauquier county, captures over 200 prisoners and several hundred stand of arms; and that Lt. Moseby (whose name now makes its first appearance in a bulletin) "has done much to harass the enemy; attacking him boldly on several occasions, and capturing many prisoners.' One or two minor cavalry exploits, recited by Lee in General Order No. 29,' read too much like romance to be embodied in sober history; yet such was the depression on our side in Virginia, such the elation and confidence on the other, such

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25 Feb. 16. 26 Feb. 25. 27 Feb. 26. 28 Jan. 26.

29 So Gen. Hooker testified before the Committee on the Conduct of the War. But this

When General Hooker assumed* command of the Army of the Poto mac, its spirit and efficiency were at a very low ebb. Desertions were at the rate of 200 per day; soldiers clandestinely receiving citizens' clothing by express from relatives and others to facilitate their efforts to escape from a service wherein they had lost all heart. The number shown by the rolls to be absent from their regiments was no less than 2,922 officers and 81,964 non-commissioned" officers and soldiers-many of them in hospitals, on leave, or detached on duty; but a majority, probably, had deserted. The frequency, audacity, and success, of the Rebel cavalry raids that Winter forcibly indicate the elation and confidence felt on one side, the apathy, born of despondency, on the other. Superior as its enormous total probably includes all who had deserted from the regiments composing that army since they were severally organized, as well as the sick and wounded in hospitals.

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