J. J. Bartlett, Barnes, and Rice, all veterans by reason of continuous service in the present war.

The Second Corps was commanded by Major-General Winfield Scott Hancock, an officer of infantry, who had received an appointment in the Quartermaster's Department; who had also risen with great rapidity; and who, in bearing, personal appearance, splendid gallantry, and influence over his troops, fully deserves the epithet which he received at Williamsburg— "Hancock the Superb." His divisions were commanded in the following order: by Generals Barlow, Gibbon, Birney, and Barr. The brigade commanders were Generals Webb, Owen, Ward, Alexander Hayes, and Mott; and Colonels Miles, Smyth, Frank, Brooke, Carrol, and Brewster. Colonel Tidball was chief of artillery.

The Sixth Corps was under Major-General John Sedgwick, highly esteemed as an officer, and greatly beloved as a man, throughout the army. Originally an officer of artillery, he had been made, before the war, a colonel of cavalry; and by his services since, he had risen to the first rank, having more than once been offered command of the Army of the Potomac, which his modesty caused him to decline. His division commanders were Generals H. G. Wright, Getty, and Prince; and the brigades were commanded by Generals Torbert, Shaler, Wheaton, Neill, Eustis, and Russell; and Colonels Upton, Burnham, and Grant. Colonel C. H. Tompkins commanded the artillery.

The reserve park of artillery was under the general direction of Brigadier-General Henry J. Hunt, chief of artillery; and under the immediate command of Colonel H. S. Burton. of the Fifth Artillery.

A brigade of engineer troops, and the ponton-trains, were under the command of Major (now General) James C. Duane, of the United States Engineers. The immense park of supplywagons was directed by Brigadier-General Rufus Ingalls, chief quartermaster.

The cavalry of the entire army was consolidated under General Philip H. Sheridan, an officer of Regular Infantry,

who had already distinguished himself in the Southwest, and whose services in this campaign were to fill the country with

his fame.

Of the principal commanders in the former army, MajorGenerals Sykes, French, Newton, Pleasonton, and BrigadierGenerals Kenly, Spinola, and Meredith, were relieved and sent to other fields. General Kilpatrick was sent to command Sherman's cavalry.

THE NINTH CORPS.

The Ninth Corps, composed in part of colored troops, who were now for the first time fighting for their country, and who, after the experience of Fort Pillow and Plymouth, felt that there was no surrender for them, had been recruiting at Annapolis. It was commanded by General A. E. Burnside, already well known to the world as the captor of Roanoke and Newbern, and for his ill success at Fredericksburg. It was reviewed by President Lincoln on the 23d of April; and then, dispelling all doubts as to its destination, it was marched at once to Culpepper, to join the Army of the Potomac.

THE CHARACTER OF THE ARMY.

Such was the aggregate force with which General Grant was about to move upon his greatest campaign, bearing with him the hopes, the prayers, and the confidence of the country. As to its character, we may be permitted to say that it was as good an army as it was possible to produce, taking into consideration the rapidity of its organization, and the great numbers of new troops. Its generals were good men and true, thoroughly schooled and tested by former services; the lieutenant-general, General Meade, and all the corps commanders, most of the division, and many of the brigade commanders, were graduates of the Military Academy at West Point. The men were of admirable material, but many of them new troops, who had never been under fire before, and de

pended, therefore, upon the nucleus of veterans upon which they were formed, and upon the example and directions of the company and regimental officers immediately commanding them; and here, what had been the weak point of the Army of the Potomac, as indeed of all our armies, in the early stages of the war, had grown into robustness and strength. The subordinate officers who had been at first appointed, were uninstructed and unfitted to command the men. The generals directed the movements, and the men carried them out as well as they could; and the successes of the best manœuvres would frequently not have been achieved had it not been for the superior intelligence, bravery, and dash of the private soldiers, who had left their homes with their lives in their hands in defence of the country. But now, we have the authority of competent judges for saying, all this was changed. The worthless had been weeded out; brave men had risen from the ranks; and a new generation of officers, who had become so after hard service, directed the men, and were connected with them by a sympathy of the strongest kind.

The following officers composed the staff of General Grant in the field:

Brigadier-General John A. Rawlins, chief of staff;' Lieutenant-Colonel T. S. Bowers, assistant adjutant-general; Lieutenant-Colonel C. B. Comstock, senior aid-de-camp; Lieutenant-Colonel O. E. Baca Babcock, aid-de-camp; Lieutenant-Colonel F. T. Dent, aid-de-camp; LieutenantColonel Horace Porter, aid-de-camp; Lieutenant-Colonel W. L. Duff, assistant inspector-general; Lieutenant-Colonel W. R. Rowley, secretary; Lieutenant-Colonel Adam Badeau, secretary; Captain E. S. Parker, assistant adjutant-general; Captain George K. Leet, assistant adjutant-general, in charge of office at Washington; Captain P. T. Hudson, aid-de-camp; Captain H. W. Jones, assistant quartermaster, on duty at headquarters; First-Lieutenant William Dunn, junior, Eightythird Indiana Volunteers, acting aid-de-camp.

General Meade's chief of staff was Major-General A. A.

Humphreys, a field-officer of engineers, who, as a division commander, had gained reputation at Gettysburg. His adjutant-general was General Seth Williams, an officer of the greatest value, on account of his ready, rapid, and systematic discharge of the duties of his department.

From what has been said, it will be seen that Grant's programme was an admirable one, and the prospect bright. If the collateral movements of Butler and Sigel should be successful, and the southern communication cut off by Petersburg and Lynchburg, Lee, although holding an interior position, and acting upon the defensive, would be obliged to divide his forces, and Grant's march to Richmond would be comparatively easy. But if they failed, Lee could concentrate upon Grant, and give him the more difficult task. Grant had a right to expect the success of these movements; but, as the sequel proved, he was fortunate in not placing entire dependence upon them. The resources of a great general consist in many alternatives, and in rapid modifications of his plans, when they are thwarted by the failure of subordinates or the hazardous chances of war. Such resources Grant was to find necessary in the impending campaign.

CHAPTER XXVII.

THE CROSSING OF THE RUBICON.

ALL READY.-GRANT MAKES FINAL PREPARATIONS. THE POSITION OF THE ARMY.LEE'S POSITION. THE ROADS.-THE WILDERNESS.-MEADE'S ORDER. THE CORPS MOVE. PLANS AND COUNTERPLANS.-THE REBELS COME UP IN COLUMN.-EWELL

ON OUR RIGHT, BY THE TURNPIKE.

EVERY thing was now in readiness for the Army of the Potomac to move. During the month of April, re-enforcements had been pouring in. Grant makes a tour of inspection; examines into the details of the organization; clears the army of citizens and sutlers; is closeted with the authorities at Washington, receiving their directions, and explaining to them his purposes; visits Butler's command, and gives general directions for the control of all the armies. And, just eight weeks from the day of receiving his commission as lieutenantgeneral, he issues the order of advance, to turn, if possible, the right flank of the enemy.

The position of the Army of the Potomac, just before the grand movement, was along the north bank of the Rapidan, confronting and watching the army of General Lee. That army, composed of the corps of Ewell, Hill, and Longstreet, and the cavalry under J. E. B. Stuart, lay upon and near the south bank of the river, with its front strongly protected by field-works. The left flank was covered by the Rapidan, and the mountains lying near Orange Courthouse;