Sedgwick, of the United States Army,
pronounced "the best cavalry officer ever foaled in North America." On
June 3, 1862, Gen. Robert E. Lee, the father of my deceased colleague,
assumed the command of the Army of Northern Virginia three days after
the retiracy of Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, caused by a wound received in
the battle of Seven Pines.
The plans of the Federal commander for the capture of the capital of the
Southern Confederacy had been well chosen. His army, according to his
own report, numbered 156,000, of whom 115,000 were ready for duty as
fighting men. All the vast resources of his Government were being
employed to enable him to prosecute his campaign with efficiency and
vigor. His troops had been furnished with artillery and small arms of
the most approved description and best pattern. They had abundance of
ammunition of the finest quality and ample supplies of food and
clothing. Gen. McDowell, then at Fredericksburg with 40,000 men, and
Gens. Banks and Fremont in the valley of Virginia, were expected to
cooeperate in the movement. A line of fire was slowly but steadily being
drawn around Richmond. These plans, as I have said, had been well
conceived and were being executed with great precision and skill.
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