n, the remainder of the cavalry
being at Frederick.

Hooker thought it useless to keep a garrison of 10,000 men in a
passive attitude at Harper's Ferry. I think he was quite right,
for the war could not be decided by the possession of military
posts or even of cities, for hostilities would never cease until
one army or the other was destroyed. He therefore applied to
Washington for permission to add this force to that of Slocum, in
order that the two might act directly against Lee's communications
by following up his rear while preserving their own line of retreat.
Slocum had been already ordered there, for this purpose, but Halleck
would not consent that the garrison of Harper's Ferry should be
withdrawn under any circumstances, and positively refused Hooker's
request. Hooker then considering himself thwarted in all his plans
by the authorities at Washington, offered his resignation. It was
promptly accepted, and Major-General George G. Meade, then the
commander of the Fifth Corps, was assigned to the command of the
Army of the Potomac. He was a general of fine intellect, of great
personal bravery, and had had a good deal of experience in the war
in handling troops, but had never achieved any brilliant success,
or met with any serious reverse.

Upon ascertaining that the enemy were at York and Carlisle, Hooker
had determined to throw out his different corps in a fan shape
toward the Susquehanna, and advance in that direction with three
corps on the left to defend that flank, in case Longstreet and Hill
should turn East, instead of keeping on toward the North. At the
same time it was his intention to have Slocum follow up Lee's
advance, by keeping in his rear, to capture his trains and couriers,
and to cut off his retreat should he be defeated.

General Meade's first order was for all the troops to concentrate
in Frederick, where he proposed to have a grand review; but at the
urgent remonstrance of General Butterfield, who had been Hooker's
Chief of Staff, and who stated that this delay would give Lee time
to cross the Susquehanna, and capture Harrisburg and Philadelphia,
Hooker's orders were allowed to stand, with some exceptions. Meade
appears to have disapproved all movements against Lee's line of
retreat, for he ordered Slocum to rejoin the main army, and had
the hardihood to break up the post at Harper's Ferry, in spite of
the fact that Hooker had just been relieved from command for
requesting permissio