crossing should be attempted, and I have accordingly issued orders to the
engineers and artillery to prepare for it. There is much hazard in it, as
there always is in the majority of military movements, and I cannot begin
the movement without giving you notice of it, particularly as I know so
little of the effect that it may have upon other movements of distant
armies.

The influence of your telegram the other day is still upon me, and has
impressed me with the idea that there are many parts of the problem which
influence you that are not known to me.

In order to relieve you from all embarrassment in my case, I inclose with
this my resignation of my commission as major-general of volunteers, which
you can have accepted if my movement is not in accordance with the views
of yourself and your military advisers.

I have taken the liberty to write to you personally upon this subject,
because it was necessary, as I learned from General Halleck, for you to
approve of my general plan, written at Warrenton, before I could commence
the movement; and I think it quite as necessary that you should know of
the important movement I am about to make, particularly as it will have to
be made in opposition to the views of nearly all my general officers, and
after the receipt of a despatch from you informing me of the opinion of
some of them who had visited you.

In conversation with you on New Year's morning I was led to express some
opinions which I afterward felt it my duty to place on paper, and to
express them verbally to the gentleman of whom we were speaking, which I
did in your presence, after handing you the letter. You were not disposed
then, as I saw, to retain the letter, and I took it back, but I now return
it to you for record if you wish it.

I beg leave to say that my resignation is not sent in in any spirit of
insubordination, but, as I before said, simply to relieve you from any
embarrassment in changing commanders where lack of confidence may have
rendered it necessary.

The bearer of this will bring me any answer, or I should be glad to hear
from you by telegraph in cipher.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

A. E. BURNSIDE,

Major-General, Commanding Army of the Potomac.

HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, WASHINGTON, January 7, 1863.

MAJOR-GENERAL BURNSIDE, Commanding, etc., Falmouth:

GENERAL:--Your communication of the 5th was delivered to me by your
aide-de-camp at 12 M