were devoted to the work of final preparation, and, on the 30th, orders were issued for the immediate movement of the troops. But the next morning, an order was received to reënforce General McClellan without delay. The order occasioned some surprise and considerable apprehension for the safety of the Army of the Potomac. It was immediately obeyed, and the troops were embarked. But now came another sudden turn of affairs. Colonel Hawkins at Roanoke Island had heard, through certain sources of information which he deemed trustworthy, that General McClellan had achieved a magnificent success, had driven out the enemy from Richmond and had occupied that city with his army. On the 2d of July, this information was transmitted from Colonel Hawkins to General Burnside, who at once stopped his contemplated voyage to the James River, expecting to receive orders to resume his land

movements.

The information received, however, had no foundation in fact.. Colonel Hawkins had been deceived. What was really true was, that General Lee's entire army had fallen upon General McClellan with great fury, and had forced him from his position in front of Richiuond. The army of the Potomac was struggling in the memorable and disastrous "seven days' fight," and at last succeeded, on the night of the 3d of July, in reaching Harrison's Landing. Vague reports of these disastrous days reached General Burnside on the 4th. The enemy was careful to put them in exaggerated and discouraging forms. But General Burnside, still hopeful, was not willing to believe that the brave Army of the Potomac was yet annihilated. He knew that that could not be, and he did not entirely credit the intelligence even of the enemy's decisive victory. What he did believe is best expressed in the language which he used, in addressing the Secretary of War, on the 5th: "We have Richmond papers giving information, or rather their version of the events up to ten o'clock of the night of the 1st. After making due allowance for the exaggerations, we are led to believe that General McClellan has made a successful retreat to

some point on the James River nearly opposite City Point, thereby securing a new and better base of operations, in which case he can, I imagine, after resting his army and receiving proper reënforcements, work his way up the James to Richmond." In this communication to the Secretary, General Burnside submits three propositions for the disposal of his own command, which sufficiently indicate his ideas of the situation: "First, we can move with 7,000 Infantry (which were started the other day for the James River) at once ;-at the same time holding with tolerable security all the points now in our possession, together with the railroad from this place to Beaufort. Second, or we can send 8,000 Infantry and hold all these points, but cannot protect either the railroad or Beaufort. The latter, however, can be protected by the navy, while we hold Fort Macon. This move will require two days' notice. Third, or we can move from here with from three to five days' notice with the entire command, except the garrisons for Hatteras Inlet, Fort Macon and Roanoke Island, placing our sick at the latter place and leaving this place to be protected by the navy. This would involve the dismantling of the two very strong forts on the outskirts of the city. We can thus add to the Army of the Potomac a force of 11,500 Infantry, one regiment of Cavalry, 20 pieces of light Artillery, and, if necessary one hundred wagons and a supply of ambulances, all in good condition. All these propositions presuppose that the rebel army at Richmond is still occupied at that place by the establishment of the Army of the Potomac at some point on James River near City Point. If such is the case, General McClellan would, I imagine, cut off the enemy's communications with North Carolina by taking Petersburg, thus rendering it unnecessary for the present to cut the two lines in the interior of the State."

The first proposition was evidently that which seemed most feasible to General Burnside himself, and also to the Secretary of War; for on the very day upon which the communication above referred to was dated, the troops-eight thousand in number-began to leave Newbern for the James River. They

all arrived and were landed at Newport News on the 8th. In the course of the next two weeks, this force was joined by a small division from Hilton Head and its neighborhood, under the command of Brigadier General Isaac I. Stevens. Not far from twelve thousand men were thus collected at Newport News, available for a reënforcement of the Army of the Potomac, and for further operations against Richmond, if such were deemed advisable by the Government. But this force was without cavalry, artillery, wagons, or teams, and had for means of transportation by land only a few ambulances and the officers' horses. General Burnside's headquarters were board the small steamer Alice Price.

This departure from Newbern terminated, in effect, General Burnside's connection with military operations in North Carolina. He still retained a nominal authority there, but he never returned to a personal supervision of affairs in that quarter. He finally relinquished all jurisdiction in the Department on the 26th of August, and General Foster succeeded to the vacant command. General Burnside's farewell order was dated from Fredericksburg, and bore witness to the harmony and reciprocal good will which had so eminently characterized the conduct of affairs in North Carolina, and which had contributed so fully to the brilliant successes which had been there achieved.

Major General John G. Foster, who succeeded General Burnside in the command of the Department of North Carolina, had already won for himself a brilliant reputation. He had been for a considerable time in the service of the country, and had always been found to be a faithful and skilful officer. He was born in New Hampshire, in the year 1824, and was appointed from that State to the United States Military Academy at West Point. He graduated from the Academy in 1846, the fourth in rank in a class of fifty-nine. Among his classmates were McClellan, Reno, Seymour, Sturgis and Stoneman, of the loyal service, and "Stonewall" Jackson, Wilcox and Pickett, of the rebel army. He was commissioned as brevet

Second Lieutenant in the corps of Engineers, July 1, 1846. He bore a very active and distinguished part in the Mexican war, and his record of promotion is a sufficient testimony to his bravery and merit. "Brevet First Lieutenant, August 20, 1847, 'for gallant and meritorious conduct in the battles of Contreras and Churubusco;' severely wounded in the battle of Molino del Rey, September 8, 1847; Brevet Captain from that date, for gallant and meritorious conduct in the battle of Molino del Rey;' Second Lieutenant, May 24, 1848." Such is the honorable record of his first two years of service. His gallant conduct and his proficiency in military knowledge attracted the attention of the authorities, and in 1854, promoted to First Lieutenant on the first of April of that year, we find him Assistant Professor of Engineering in the Military Academy at West Point. He was appointed in charge of the fortifications in North and South Carolina, April 28, 1858, and there acquired a knowledge that became serviceable for subsequent operations. He was commissioned as Captain in the Engineers, July 1, 1860, and was brevetted Major on the 26th of December of the same year. During the eventful winter of 1860–61, and the following spring, he was stationed at Charleston, South Carolina, and was one of the officers under Major Anderson in the defence of Fort Sumter. His loyal and fearless bearing on the occasion of the bombardment of Sumter, is fresh in the recollection of all. Returning North after the surrender, he was employed on the fortifications of New York. On the 23d of October, 1861, he was commissioned as Brigadier General of Volunteers, and was in command of the rendezvous at Annapolis previous to the arrival of General Burnside. After he assumed command of the Department of North Carolina, he was engaged in conspicuous services in his own Department and in the neighborhood of Charleston. Subsequently, as will be hereafter mentioned, he commanded the Department of the Ohio. After the surrender of General Lee, he was for a time in command at Tallahassee, Florida, and now enjoys the rank of Major in the Corps of

Engineers, and Brevet Major General in the Army of the United States. As a genial companion, a skilful officer, and an honorable and brave man, General Foster holds a high place in the affections of his friends and the esteem of his fellow countrymen.

It must be with feelings of more than ordinary satisfaction, that General Burnside and his friends can look back upon the record of his campaign and his administration in North Carolina. From the moment of the inception of the plan until the time of departure from Newbern, the story is one of uninterrupted success. The terrible storm at Hatteras Inlet, which, at the outset, threatened the destruction of the expedition, could not appal the heart or lessen the hope of the earnest leader. The battle of Roanoke Island, so skilfully projected and so gallantly executed, was not only a source of grateful pride to the commanding general; it also gave new courage and satisfaction to the country, that had longed for some decisive success in the East. The battle of Newbern, following swiftly, and ending in the victorious assault upon a very strong and well-chosen position of the enemy, justified the expectations of those who had perceived the promise of the soldier whose reputation was now fairly won and firmly established. The reduction of Fort Macon added to the public joy and the public estimation of the officer under whose superintendence it had been accomplished. The undisputed occupation of the North Carolina coast and waters north of Wilmington, resulting from these achievements, was a gain to the cause of the Union not easily to be estimated. That it was not followed up by the capture of Wilmington and the occupation of Raleigh, was certainly due to other causes than those which had their seat within the limits of General Burnside's Department.

But what was most especially gratifying to all concerned, was the extreme cordiality and even affection which existed among all ranks of the service-among all the officers and men towards one another and their commanding general. Jealousy, that bane of military service, was unknown. A hearty,