At Washington, on Saturday, the 30th, the War Department invited the citizens to go out to the battle-field and assist in taking care of the wounded soldiers. A large number responded to the invitation. From three to seven o'clock, P. M., the streets swarmed with people and conveyances loaded with blankets and baskets and rolls of lint. Every public carriage and vehicle was impressed into the service. A thousand persons at least went out. More would have gone on Saturday morning, but the invitation was recalled, and passes refused. The entire movement turned out as ill advised. Very few persons were allowed to go far enough to find the wounded they sought, and some were made prisoners by the Confederates. The movement thus begun at Washington instantly extended through all the principal cities of the Northern States. In Boston, Massachusetts, which will serve as an illustration of the others, the greatest excitement prevailed on Sunday, the 31st. A despatch had been received on the previous evening from Washington, by Gov. Andrew, asking that the surgeon-general of the State should send on twenty surgeons with hospital supplies as soon as possible. This demand was made public at an early hour in the morning, with the notice that contributions would be received at

Tremont Temple. Those notices were also read from pulpits, which is the usual manner of advertising on Sunday in New England, and many congregations were immediately dismissed to procure contributions. At an early hour these contributions began to be received at the Temple, and continued to pour in during the whole day-old sheets for bandages, shirts, dressing gowns, pillows, liquors, jellies, and sweetmeats of all kinds-in a word, every variety of article which could suggest itself to a kind heart as necessary to the comfort of the wounded soldier. Bundles and packages of every conceivable size and shape were momentarily arriving. Ladies brought bundles, who were never seen to carry bundles before; and stout gentlemen in gold spectacles were seen driving heavy-laden carts through the streets, or lending a hand at the boxes. All these articles were received at the side doors of the

Temple and taken within, where corps of packers inclosed them in boxes, which were then taken out of the main entrance to the express wagons, which crowded the streets. Thus twenty-one hundred cases were packed, and all sent forward by the evening train, except about one hundred and fifty. At the same time subscriptions were taken at stands on the sidewalks,

and over five thousand dollars collected.

To an application from Gen. Pope for a truce to gather the wounded, Gen. Lee on the same day, August 31st, replied as follows:

SIR: Consideration for your wounded induces me to consent to your sending ambulances to convey them within your lines. I cannot consent to a truce nor a suspension of the military operations of this army. If you desire to send for your wounded, should your ambulances report to Dr. Guilet, Medical Director of this army, he will give directions for their transportation. The wounded will be paroled, and it is understood that no delay will take place in their removal. Very respectfully, your obedient serv't, R. E. LEE, General.

On Sunday, the 31st, the Confederate army was put in motion toward the Little River turnpike for the purpose of turning the right of Gen. Pope. During Sunday night and Monday morning, Gen. Pope, anticipating this design of the enemy, changed his front by causing his right wing to fall back to the heights of Germantown. Thus when the enemy reached Ox Hill on Monday, he discovered Gen. Pope's army in his front on these heights. The ultimate design of the enemy was to cut the rear of Gen. Pope in the direction of Fairfax Court House. The Little River turnpike runs from Middleburg to Alexandria, and intersects the Centreville turnpike about a mile east of Fairfax Court House. Germantown is a small village between Fairfax Court House and Centreville, and about one-fourth of the whole distance beyond the former.

Meanwhile, during the conflict on Friday and Saturday, Gen. Banks, with his command, was covering the extreme left of Gen. Pope's line, to keep off reënforcements for the enemy, and to be used as a reserve. He crossed to Bristow's Station, on the railroad four miles beyond Manassas Junction, and on Sunday was approached by a large force of the enemy, before which he fell back and joined Gen. Pope. The bridge at Bristow's station having been destroyed by the enemy at the time of their attack upon it, and that over Bull Run not having been repaired, he destroyed the property of the United States before retiring. This consisted of some 200 railroad cars, five locomotives, and a large quantity of fixed ammunition, ordnance stores, &c.

The enemy, however, obtained great spoil. On the same day, Sunday, Sept. 1, Fredericksburg was evacuated by Gen. Burnside. Falmouth station was burned, and a quantity of commissary stores. The bridge erected in place of the old railroad bridge, the wire bridge, and the boat bridge were destroyed. The evacuation of Aquia Creek followed.

Gen. Pope states that by the reports of the commanders of corps of his army it consisted on the 1st of September, of less than 60,000 men. The position taken by his orders on this day was as follows: The division of Gen. Couch and one brigade of Gen. Sumner's corps were at Fairfax Court House. Gen. Hooker was posted at or in front of Germantown, and had command of his own troops and those at Fairfax. Gen. McDowell's corps was stationed on the Warren

ton turnpike about two miles west of Fairfax. Gen. Reno was pushed north of the turnpike at a point about two and a half miles east of Centreville, and supported by Gen. Kearny's division of Gen. Heintzelman's corps.

Late in the afternoon the force of Gen. Lee, composed of infantry and cavalry, approached Germantown by the Little River turnpike, and were met by Gen. Hooker at that place and by Gen. Reno farther west. The conflict raged for an hour, when they concentrated their force on the left of Gen. Reno's line, which was commanded by Gen. Stevens. Their intention was to turn his left flank. Gen. Stevens was soon killed by a bullet through his head, and his troops were driven back. The Confederate force now began to advance on the main body of Gen. Reno, which was short of ammunition, when the division of Gen. Kearny came up and took the position occupied by the troops of Gen. Stevens. Night had now set in, rendered thickly dark by a thunder storm. The rain fell in torrents, and the position of the contending armies was revealed only by the flashes of lightning. At this time Gen. Kearny, anxious to know the nature of the ground upon which he expected so soon to fight, rode out to examine it. Inadvertently he passed the line of his own pickets and approached those of the Confederate force, when he was shot by one of them. He was soon missed from his camp, and not being found, Gen. Birney took command of the division. During the next day his body was brought in under a Confederate flag of truce. Thus two most valuable

officers and brave soldiers were slain in this conflict. After Gen. Birney had taken command, he ordered a bayonet charge to be made by Col. Egan, commanding the 1st and 40th, and Col. Ward, of the 38th New York regiments, before which the enemy retired.

By morning, on the 2d of September, the whole of Gen. Pope's army was massed behind Difficult creek, between Germantown, Flint Hill, and Fairfax. On that day orders were issued by the general-in-chief for the Army of Virginia to fall back within the defences of Washington. The object of the general-in-chief in giving this order was "to reorganize the different corps, to get the stragglers back into the ranks, and to supply deficiencies of ammunition, clothing," &c. This movement was executed on the 2d and 3d of September. During these days might be seen on the roads leading to Alexandria and the fortifications around Washington, the worn and bleeding fragments of the once proud armies of the North, as they straggled in from their fifteen bloody days of fighting and retreating. There were the remnants of the decimated regiments of Maine, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Michigan-stragglers belonging to every army corps, wounded, weak, and dispirited, retiring before a victorious enemy to obtain safety in the fortifications. Many of them had fought their way up the peninsula, contesting almost every inch from Williamsburg against bullets and bayonets until they stood in sight of the spires of Richmond, and then were required to abandon their position and withdraw.

THE rebel force which was repulsed near Centreville on Monday night, September 2d, moved toward Vienna, about twelve miles west from Washington, for the purpose of making a demonstration near the Chain Bridge, and the fords of the Potomac above Washington. The chief object in this movement was to divert the attention of the Federal officers from what Gen. Lee was doing elsewhere. The with drawal of the army of Gen. Pope left the field clear for the army of Gen. Lee to follow it, and assault the strong fortifications of Washington, or to pass over the Potomac into Maryland. The assault upon the fortifications of Washington was not to be thought of. But the invasion of Maryland might be followed by such a welcome from the mass of the citizens, and such cooperation, as to enable Gen. Lee not only to hold a portion of the State, but to

attack Washington in the rear, and perhaps invade Pennsylvania. In any event it would be a demonstration to the Federal Government, and to nations in Europe, of the vigorous energy and strength of the Richmond Government. Accordingly, on the 31st of August, while Gen. Pope was resting his exhausted forces at Centreville, Gen. Lee drew off the main body of his army and moved to Leesburg. Thence he moved to the Potomac, near Point of Rocks, and crossed at Noland's Ford, five miles below, and at a ford three miles above on the 5th. His force consisted of the divisions of Gens. Longstreet, Jackson, Ewell, A. P. Hill, and D. H. Hill. It proceeded along the eastern slope of the Catoctin Mountains, in the direction of Frederick, Maryland. On the night of the 5th the advance reached White Oak Springs, about three miles from that city, which is fifty

miles from Centreville. On the same night information was received at Frederick of the approach of the Confederate force, and it produced much excitement. A large number of the inhabitants fled toward Pennsylvania and Baltimore. Frederick, the capital of the State of Maryland, is forty-four miles northwest of Washington, and sixty miles west of Baltimore. It is the second city of the State in wealth and commercial importance, and the third in population, containing 8,143 inhabitants. The military force in the city consisted of only one company, which could make no opposition. The Federal provost marshal removed all the military stores possible, and, leaving enough for the hospitals, in which there were about six hundred patients, burned the remainder. About ten o'clock the next morning, the 6th, the Confederate troops quietly entered the city. These soldiers were in a destitute condition, in respect to clothes and shoes, yet the most scrupulous regard was had to private property. They had no tents, nor were burdened with any baggage. Their only trains were ammunition trains. If enduring great hardships without a murmur, and most bravely and heroically fighting, are evidences of good soldiers, seldom has the world witnessed better than those who composed the army of Gen. Lee. A Confederate provost marshal was appointed (Bradley Johnson), and a proclamation issued to the citizens, stating that the army came as friends, and not as enemies, to relieve the people of Maryland from the tyranny by which they were oppressed; that they did not purpose to interfere with any non-combatants, or to disturb private property, or to inquire into the opinions of citizens; and that whatever stores they required would be paid for, either in Confederate notes or United States Treasury notes, as the seller might prefer. At night the soldiers were all ordered to their camps outside of the city. Meantime foraging parties were sent out in various directions, which returned at evening with droves of sheep, cattle, hogs, and horses. These droves were all taken toward the Potomac. Pickets were thrown out from Frederick both east and west for considerable distances. On Sunday they were reported to have advanced within seven miles of Westminster, causing a great excitement in the town, but disappeared during the night. No Confederate force, however, came farther east at that time than Uniontown, twenty miles from Westminster. The main body encamped for some days on a line between Frederick and the Potomac river. Recruiting offices were opened in the city, and citizens invited to enlist. Very few volunteers, however, were obtained.

On the 8th, Gen. Lee issued the following address to the people of Maryland:

limits of your State, so far as that purpose concerns yourselves.

watched with the deepest sympathy the wrongs and The people of the Confederate States have long outrages that have been inflicted upon the citizens of a Commonwealth allied to the States of the South by the strongest social, political, and commercial ties, and reduced to the condition of a conquered province. but in violation of its most valuable provisions, your Under the pretence of supporting the Constitution, citizens have been arrested and imprisoned, upon no charge, and contrary to all the forms of law.

A faithful and manly protest against this outrage, whom in his better days no citizen appealed for right made by a venerable and illustrious Marylander, to in vain, was treated with scorn and contempt.

The government of your chief city has been usurped by armed strangers; your Legislature has been dissolved by the unlawful arrest of its members; freedom of the press and of speech has been suppressed; words have been declared offences by an arbitrary decree of the Federal executive; and citizens ordered to be tried by military commissions for what they may dare to speak.

Believing that the people of Maryland possess & spirit too lofty to submit to such a government, the people of the South have long wished to aid you in throwing off this foreign yoke, to enable you again to enjoy the inalienable rights of freemen, and restore the independence and sovereignty of your State. you, and is prepared to assist you with the power of its arms in regaining the rights of which you have been so unjustly despoiled.

In obedience to this wish, our army has come among

This, citizens of Maryland, is our mission so far as is intended-no intimidation will be allowed within the you are concerned. No restraint upon your free will limits of this army at least. Marylanders shall once more enjoy their ancient freedom of thought and speech. We know no enemies among you, and will protect all of you in every opinion.

It is for you to decide your destiny freely and without constraint. This army will respect your choice, whatever it may be; and, while the Southern people will rejoice to welcome you to your natural position among them, they will only welcome you when you come of your own free will.

R. E. LEE, General Commanding.

On the 10th Gen. Lee began to evacuate Frederick, and by the 12th his entire force had left. His forces moved in the direction of Hagerstown. That same night the city was occupied by the advance of Gen. McClellan's army, under Gen. Hooker.

On the afternoon of the 10th, Hagerstown was entered by a Confederate force. On the 6th and 7th the banks of the town, anticipating this approach, removed their specie to Harrisburg and other places east for safety. The Government stores there were also removed.

The

Meantime, on the first approach of the Confederate army across the Potomac, the greatest excitement prevailed in Pennsylvania, especially in York and Adams counties, and through the Susquehanna and Cumberland valleys. farmers sent away their wives, children, and cattle, and hastened to take up arms. In many of the towns of the State stores were closed, bells rung, guns fired, public meetings held, and citizens in their excitement assembled in mass to drill. On the 10th Gov. Curtin issued an order calling upon all the able bodied men of Pennsylvania to organize immediately for the defenco of the State, and to be ready

for marching orders upon an hour's notice. On the 11th he issued a call for fifty thousand of the freemen of the State to enter immediate service to repel the imminent danger of invasion. On the same day he addressed the following despatch to the mayor of Philadelphia: We have reliable information this evening that the rebel generals have moved their entire army from Frederick to Cumberland Valley, and their destination is now Harrisburg and Philadelphia. We need every available man immediately. Stir up your population to-night. Form them into companies, and send us twenty thousand to-morrow. No time can be lost in massing a force on the Susquehanna to defend the State and your city. Arouse every man possible and

send him here.

Gov. Bradford, of Maryland, also issued a proclamation calling upon the citizens to organize without delay such a force as might effectually assist in defending their homes and firesides. The effect of these appeals, especially in Pennsylvania, was to bring to the governor a response from more than seventy-five thousand men. Harrisburg, the capital, overflowed with troops. The excitement, however, was not confined to Pennsylvania. In the adjacent States, troops under the first call for three hundred thousand men were hurried to Washington and to Harrisburg. It created another military excitement, and volunteers promptly came forward in all the States to fill up the call of the President.

On the 2d of September, the following order was issued by the general-in-chief:

WAE DEPARTMENT, ADJUTANT GENTRAL'S OFFICE
September 2, 1862.

General Orders, No. 122. Maj.-Gen. McClellan will have command of the fortifications of Washington, and of all the troops for the defence of the capital.

By command of Maj.-Gen. HALLECK. E. D. TOWNSEND, Assist. Adj.-Gen.

When Gen. McClellan arrived at Washington from Harrison's Landing, he was in the department of Gen. Pope, which included the District of Columbia. This was about the middle of August. Subsequent to that time he was without a command, excepting a body of ninety-six men, until this order was issued. Each corps of his army had been sent forward to Gen. Pope. In fact the active forces under the command of Gen. Pope consisted of the Army of Virginia, embracing the corps of Gens. McDowell, Banks, Sigel, a portion of Gen. Cox's force from western Virginia, a part of Gen. Burnside's force from North Carolina, about ten regiments from Port Royal in South Carolina, under Gen. Stevens, and the Army of the Potomac, consisting of the corps of Gens. Heintzelman, Sumner, Porter, and Franklin, and the divisions of Gens. McCall and Couch, without including the troops stationed in the fortifications around Washington. With this force he was not able to withstand the overwhelming march of the Confederate army. Yet this same Confederate army was the force which the Army of the Potomac, under Gen. McClellan, single handed and unaided, was re

quired to meet and conquer, and thus obtain the capital of the Confederacy, which was in their possession. In this unequal struggle no dishonor ever tarnished the Army of the Potomac.

On the 4th of September, Gen. McClellan, having received the order above stated, issued another assuming command of the forces above mentioned, together with some new levies which had arrived at Washington under the call of the President for three hundred thousand men. His order assuming the command acted like an electric shock upon these dispirited, defeated masses. It was as follows:

HEADQUARTERS, WASHINGTON, Sept. 4, 1862.
General Orders, No. 1.

1. Pursuant to General Orders No. 122, from the War Department, Adjutant-General's Office, of the 2d instant, the undersigned hereby assumes command of the fortifications of Washington and of all troops for the defence of the capital.

of the Potomac will be in charge of their respective 2. The heads of the staff departments of the Army departments at these headquarters.

3. In addition to the consolidated morning reports required by circular of this date from these headquar ters, reports will be made by corps commanders as to their compliance with the assignment to positions heretofore given them, stating definitely the ground occupied and covered by their command, and as to what progress has been made in obedience to orders already issued to place their commands in condition for immediate service. GEO. B. MCCLELLAN, Maj. Gen. Official: S. WILLIAMS, Assist. Adj.-General.

Three

It was now known that Gen. Lee had march-. ed into Maryland, and the orders given to Gen. McClellan, were to pursue him with all the troops which were not required for the defence of Washington. On the next day most of his army was in motion, and rapidly advanced into Maryland. Gen. Couch's division, consisting of three brigades, commanded by Gens. Howe, Devens, and Cochrane, on the morning of the 6th had reached the road from Rockville to Great Falls, eight miles beyond Tenallytown. Other corps were rapidly pressing on. days after assuming command, on the 7th, at six P. M., he left Washington to take the field. That night he passed through Rockville, fifteen miles from Washington, stopping only long enough to refresh his horses. On the morning of the 10th, the army had advanced to Damascus, thirty-four miles from Washington and sixteen miles from Frederick. The first movements of the army were such as to occupy positions which commanded all the lower fords of the Potomac, thus presenting to the Confederate army the alternative of meeting him in battle, or retiring before him, and crossing the Potomac higher up, which would take them further from Washington, and oblige them to retreat through the Shenandoah Valley.

Meantime Gen. Lee, after his successes against Gen. Pope, had no reason to apprehend that the same army would soon be in pursuit of him; yet, like a prudent commander, he, upon learning of the approach of Gen. McClellan, immediately took precautions to secure his own safety. His army had met with no such