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General Hooker immediately left, and General Meade * assumed command in the following address :

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"By direction of the President of the United States, I hereby assume command of the Army of the Potomac. As a soldier, in obeying this order, an order totally unexpected and unsolicited, I have no promises or pledges to make. The country looks to this army to relieve it from the devastation and disgrace of a hostile invasion. Whatever fatigues and sacrifices we may be called upon to undergo, let us have in view constantly the magnitude of the interests involved, and let each man determine to do his duty, leaving to an all-controlling Providence the decision of the contest. It is with just diffidence that I relieve in the command of this army an eminent and accomplished soldier, whose name must ever appear conspicuous in the history of its achievements; but I rely upon the hearty support of my companions in arms to assist me in the discharge of the duties of the important trust which has been confided to me. "GEORGE G. MEADE, Major-General Commanding.

"S. F. BARSTOW, Assistant Adjutant-General.”

The enemy continued his forward movement, and his cavalry, which was very numerous, made demonstrations in various directions, collecting cattle and such drugs and merchandise as were most useful to him. A march in the direction of Pittsburg caused great excitement in that city. Business was suspended, and the citizens turned out to work on the defences. Ewell, in command of the Second Corps, which constituted the advance of the Confederate army, had previously pushed on to Carlisle, and thence proceeded eastward towards York, where he cut the railroad which connects Harrisburg and Washington. Chambersburg was occupied, and many supplies drawn thence. The cavalry under Early entered York and levied a contribution of one hundred thousand dollars upon the place. He then issued the following proclamation:

GENERAL EARLY TO THE PEOPLE OF YORK.

"To the Citizens of York:

"I have abstained from burning the railroad bridges and car-shops in your town because, after examination, I am satisfied the safety of the town would be endangered; and acting in the spirit of humanity, which has ever characterized my government and its military authorities, I do not desire to involve the innocent in the same punishment with the guilty. Had I applied the torch without regard to consequences, I would then have pursued a course that would have been fully vindicated as an act of just retaliation for the authorized acts of barbarity perpetrated by your own army on our soil; but we do not war upon women and children; and I trust the treatment you have met with at the hands of my soldiers will open your eyes to the odious tyranny under which it is apparent to all you are yourselves groaning.

*George G. Meade was born in Spain in 1816, | during the temporary residence of his parents in that country, and was graduated at West Point in 1839. He was brevetted first lieutenant for gallantry at Monterey in 1846, and at the outbreak of the rebellion was captain in the Topographical Engineers. He was soon after commissioned a brigadier-general of volunteers; served throughout the Peninsula campaign as commander of a brigade in McCall's Division of Pennsylvania Reserves, and was severely wounded at the battle of

"J. A. EARLY,

"Major-General, C. S. A."

White Oak Swamp. In September, 1862, he took command of a division in Reynolds's First Army Corps, and subsequently succeeded to the command of the Fifth Corps On June 28th, he assumed command of the Army of the Potomac, which he retained with great credit to himself and benefit to the country until the capitulation of Lee and the termination of the war. He now commands the several departments bordering on the Atlantic, and is a brigadier-general and brevet major-general of the regular army.

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General Hooker immediately left. and General Meade * assumed com

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