Comte de Paris, History of the Civil War in America. Vol. 3.
Henry Coppee , LL.D., Ed.

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[582] the damp ground which was absorbing his blood. Then everything was still again, waiting for the sun to revive the energies of the combatants, a large number of whom were destined to see him rise for the last time.

The critical hour had arrived. The battle was about to be fought under different conditions from any of those that had preceded it; and, if it should accrue to the advantage of the Confederates a new phase of the war would be inaugurated. For the first time the Federals found themselves reduced to play a purely defensive role north of the Potomac River. When, during the preceding year, the clashing of arms had been heard along this bank, it was McClellan attacking his adversary, already driven back to the river and ready to recross it. This time, on the contrary, the Army of the Potomac was the only barrier which still interposed obstacles between the large Northern cities and an invader stimulated by the hope of seizing so rich a prey. Everything seemed to conspire against it, even the government whose last hope it was. The chieftain that the government had just given to this army had only been in command for the last three days: how could one expect of him that quickness of perception, that precision in his orders, and from his subordinates that blind confidence so necessary on the battlefield? Lee, who had exercised the supreme command for the last thirteen months, and had already won four great victories, possessed on that very account a superiority which was worth many battalions to him. The superiority of numbers was undoubtedly on the side of the Federals, but it was not sufficient to guarantee them success; and Meade, deceived by exaggerated reports regarding the strength of his adversaries, was even ignorant of this advantage. Consequently, during this night, full of anxiety, how much must he have regretted the scattering of the Federal forces against which all his predecessors had vainly protested! Out of the sixty thousand men, more or less well organized, who were in Washington, the Federal government could easily have detached ten thousand to reinforce the Army of the Potomac: the same thing may be said of the fourteen thousand under Peck, who since the 1st of May had scarcely had an enemy before them