Chapter I: Preface

It will be many years before a complete history of the operations of the armies of the Union can be written; but that is not a sufficient reason why historical pictures may not now be painted from such materials as have come to hand. This volume, therefore, is a sketch of the operations of the Army of the Potomac from August, 1861, to November, 1862, while commanded by General McClellan. To avoid detail, the organization of the army is given in an Appendix. It has not been possible, in a book of this size, to give the movements of regiments; but the narrative has been limited to the operations of brigades and divisions. It will be comparatively easy, however, for the reader to ascertain the general position of any regiment in the different battles, by consulting the Appendix in connection with the narrative.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER PAGE
Introductory 9

I. Organization of the Army of the Potomac 11

II. Ball's Bluff 22

III. Battle of Dranesville, and the Winter of
1862 38

IV. Siege of Yorktown 49

V. Battle of Williamsburg 65

VI. On the Chickahominy 82
Affair at Hanover Court-House 84

VII. Fair Oaks 88

VIII. Seven Days of Fighting 108
Battle of Mechanicsville 111
Battle of Gaines's Mills 115
Movement to James River 121
Battle of Savage Station 123
Battle of Glendale 125
Battle of Malvern 131

IX. Affairs in front of Washington 138
Battle of Cedar Mountain 140

X. Battle of Groveton 147
The Retreat to Washington 157

XI. Invasion of Maryland 158
Barbara Frietchie 160
Battle of South Mountain 165
Surrender of Harper's Ferry 171

XII. Battle of Antietam 175
Hooker's Attack 187
Sumner's Attack 194
The Attack upon the Center 206
Richardson's Attack 212
General Franklin's Arrival 216
Burnside's Attack 221

XIII. After the Battle 238

XIV. The March from Harper's Ferry to
Warrenton 250
Removal of General McClellan 269