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The history of the Army of the Potomac in the
Gettysburg campaign has never been written.
That army was unfortunate in having two commanders,
General Hooker having been relieved at Frederick City, Maryland, about a week before the
battle of Gettysburg, by
General Meade.
General Meade's report of the campaign embraces only the time he was in command, and, as a consequence, the operations of the army up to Frederick City are not recorded, except in subordinate reports.
As the commander of the Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Potomac, I occupied the same personal relations to the commanders of that army-
Generals Hooker and
Meade--that
General Longstreet held with
General Lee.
I, therefore, feel constrained to review the campaign of
Gettysburg, as presented by
General Longstreet, to enable the public to arrive at a proper understanding of the relative merits of the armies of the North and South in that campaign.
General Longstreet states that on the 3d of June, 1863, the movement of
General Lee's army from
Fredericksburg commenced, and that on the 8th two full corps and
Stuart's cavalry were concentrated at Culpepper Court-House.
He further says: “That on the 9th of June, a large force of Federals, cavalry and infantry, had been thrown across the
Rappahannock, and sent to attack
Stuart.
They were encountered at
Brandy Station, on the morning of the 9th, and repulsed.”
General Longstreet also expresses the opinion that if there was an occasion which justified
General Lee in departing from his plan of campaign, viz., offensive strategy and defensive tactics, it was at this
battle of Beverly ford,
