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| The unlucky headquarters The ruins of the Phillips house stand as an aftermath of Burnside's unfortunate career at the head of the Army of the Potomac. The wisest decision that he made in that house was in the early morning of December 14th--not to renew the attack. In the old mansion he had formed the fatal plan of direct assault. Here also he issued his order for the famous “mud march” by which, in the dead of winter, he sought to retrieve failure by putting his army in motion to flank Lee, January 21, 1863. All his efforts had come to naught, and not one of his generals longer agreed with him. His resignation from the command followed on January 26th. In February the Phillips house was set on fire; and in the picture on the preceding page the photographer has caught the Federals (now commanded by Hooker) trying to extinguish the flames. |
