,
FREDERICKSBURG FROM THE FOOT OF WILLIS’S HILL.
From a war-time photograph.
line. A third line was on the brow of this hill, now the National Cemetery. Between the steeples on the outskirts of Fredericksburg is seen the end of Hanover street, by which, and by the street in the right of the picture, the Union forces filed out to form for the assault.
In the middle-ground is seen the south end of the stone wall, and it may be seen that the f rout line of defense formed by the wall was continued still farther to the right by the sunken Telegraph road. At the base of the hill, this side of the stone wall, is seen an earth work which was a part of the second
THE BATTLE OF FREDERICKSBURG.

THE UNION SIDE —THE STORMING OF MARYE’S HEIGHTS.
BY DARIUS N. COUCH, MAJOR-GENERAL, U. S. V. Commauder of the Second Corps at the battle of Fredericksburg.
brave, loyal man, but we did not think that he had the military ability to command the Army of the Potomac.
McClellan took leave on the 10th. Fitz-John Porter sent notes to the corps commanders, informing them that McClellan was going away, and suggesting that we ride about with him. Such a scene as that leave-taking had never been known in our army. Men shed tears, and there was great excitement among the troops.
I think the soldiers had an idea that McClellan would take care of them — would not put them in places where they would be unnecessarily cut up; and if a general has the confidence of his men he is pretty strong. But officers and men were determined to serve Burnside loyally.
A day or two afterward Burnside called the corps commanders together, mapped out a course that he intended to pursue, and among other things he said that he intended to double the army corps and he proposed to call the three new commands
General Burnside. McClellan drew in his horse, and the first thing he said was :
“ Couch, I am relieved from the command of the army, and Burnside is my successor.”
I	stepped up to him and took hold of his hand, and said, “General McClellan, I am sorry for it.” Then, going around the head of his horse to Burnside, I said, “General Burnside, I congratulate you.”
Burnside heard what I said to General McClellan; he turned away his head, and made a broad gesture as he exclaimed:
II	Couch, don’t say a word about it.”
His manner indicated that he did not wish to talk about the change ; that he thought it was not good policy to do so, nor the place to do it. He told me afterward that he did not like to take the command, but that he did so to keep it from going to somebody manifestly unfit for it. I assumed that he meant Hooker. Those of us who were well acquainted with Burnside knew' that he was a 165
thought there was, and quickly added, “Yes, Couch, I expect to be relieved from the Army of the Potomac, and to have a command in the West; and I am going to take three or four with me,” calling off by their names four prominent officers. I queried if “so and so” would be taken along, naming one who was generally thought to be a great favorite with McClellan. His curt reply was, “ No, I sha’n’t have him.”
This brief conversation opened a new world for me. I had never before been to any extent his confidant, and I pondered whether on a change of the commanders of the Army of the Potomac the War Department would allow him to choose the generals whose names had been mentioned. I wondered what would be the future of himself and those who followed his fortunes in that untried field. These and a crowd of other kindred thoughts quite oppressed me for several days. But as the time wore on, and preparations for the invasion of Virginia were allowed to go on without let or hindrance from Washington, I naturally and gladly inferred that McClellan’s fears of hostile working against him were groundless. However, the blow came, and soon enough.
On the 8th of November, just at dark, I had dismounted, and, standing in the snow, was superintending the camp arrangements of my troops, when McClellan came up with his staff, accompanied by
ON the evening of October 15th, 1862, a few days after McClellan had placed me in command of the Second Corps, then at Harper’s Ferry, the commanding general sent an order for Hancock to take his division the next morning on a reeonnoissance toward Charlestown, about ten miles distant. The division started in good season, as directed. About 10 in the morning General McClellan reined up at my headquarters, and asked me to go out with him to see what the troops were doing. Our people had met the enemy’s outpost five miles from the Ferry, and, while artillery shots were being exchanged, both of us dismounted, walked away by ourselves, and took seats on a ledge of rocks. After a little while McClellan sent to an aide for a map of Virginia. Spreading it before us, he pointed to the strategic features of the valley of Shenandoah, and indicated the movements he intended to make, which would have the effect of compelling Lee to concentrate in the vicinity, I think, of Gordonsville or Charlottesville, where a great battle wouldbe fought. Continuing the conversation, he said, “ But I may not have command of the army much longer. Lincoln is down on me,” and, taking a paper from his pocket, he gave me my first intimation of the President’s famous letter. He read it aloud very carefully, and when it was finished I told him I thought there was no ill-feeling in the tone of it. He
A-i.