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William Swinton, Campaigns of the Army of the Potomac, I. The Army of the Potomac in history. (search)
the Potomac into Maryland, either with the view of penetrating Pennsylvania or of manoeuvring towards Washington. It was by this line that Lee issued upon the soil of the loyal States on the occasion of both the Confederate invasions—to wit, the Maryland invasion of 1862, and the Pennsylvania invasion of 1863. This circumstance compelled, throughout the war, the constant presence of a considerable army to guard the debotuche of this great valley and the passes of the Blue Ridge; and the Shenandoah region was the scene of a series of operations having an intimate relation with those of the main theatre, which in general terms may be defined as the territory between the Blue Ridge and the Chesapeake, and between the Potomac and the James. This region has, as its characteristic feature, a dense forest of oak and pine, with occasional clearings—rarely extensive enough, however, to prevent the riflemen concealed in their margins from covering the whole opening with their fire. The ro
William Swinton, Campaigns of the Army of the Potomac, chapter 4 (search)
omplished about the middle of June, Lee was ready, with the knowledge thus gained, to strike. To mask Jackson's intended withdrawal from the Valley, General Lee detached a division from the force around Richmond (the division of Whiting) and sent it to join Jackson. This was done ostentatiously, and in such a way that it should become known to General McClellan; Lee judging that the intelligence of this movement would give his antagonist the impression of a revival of operations in the Shenandoah region. If there was, as seemed likely, a renewed intention of sending forward McDowell's army to join McClellan, a fresh appeal to the fears of the administration for the safety of Washington was the shrewdly chosen means of again diverting that force. When this had had its intended effect, Jackson, with his whole command, now raised to about twenty-five thousand men, was ordered to march rapidly and secretly in the direction of Richmond. He set out from the vicinity of Port Republi
William Swinton, Campaigns of the Army of the Potomac, chapter 12 (search)
f all others the man best fitted for the peculiar command intrusted to him. To the column of active operation under his command, consisting of the Sixth and Nineteenth corps and the infantry and cavalry of West Virginia, under Generals Crook and Averill, were added two divisions of cavalry from the Army of the Potomac, under Torbert and Wilson. This gave him an effective in the field of forty thousand men, whereof ten thousand consisted of excellent cavalry—an arm for the use of which the Shenandoah region affords a fine field. General Sheridan was appointed to the command on the 7th of August, and his operations during that month and the fore part of September were mainly confined to manoeuvres having for their object to prevent the Confederates from gaining the rich harvests of the Shenandoah Valley. But after once or twice driving Early southward to Strasburg, he each time returned on his path towards Harper's Ferry. General Grant had hesitated in allowing Sheridan to take a re