morning report on the 20th of September shows that about 500 men, sick and others, had been left behind by the brigades before they reported to me in Washington. There were therefore about 500 straglers, or men who had been unable to keep up during the night march of more than twenty-three miles, or rejoin their regiments when my division marched past your headquarters and took up the position in rear of Morell. As to the condition of my men for battle and their spirit, it is to be remarked that, unused to fatigue, their making such a march with the object of being up in time for the expected battle that day was good evidence before trial that they would do their duty, and they have proved it since. Refreshed by two hours' rest and by food, they were ready to do their part in the expected encounter. Having, I hope, recalled the facts to your mind upon the points of time of arrival and numbers present, I now wish to present to you those respecting the forced marches I had made. In reality I had made but one - the night march that brought me to the Army of the Potomac. On Sunday, the 14th of September, at daylight, I marched from Washington and reached Monocacy depot, three miles from Frederick, or fifteen miles. Here I received orders from General Porter, commanding the corps to which my division was attached, to take post in front of Frederick, in order to cover it and to watch my left. I passed the next morning in examining my ground and country in front of Frederick, and making the necessary arrangements with the military governor of that town, &c., and was returning to camp to move my division when, at about 3.30 o'clock in the afternoon of Wednesday, the 17th, I received an order from you, signed by General Marcy, directing me to join the army. I set my division in motion immediately, and at sunset, after marching five miles, received a communication from General Porter informing me of the battle at Antietam, going on as he wrote, and directing me to march all night and join the army by daylight if possible. The effect with which I carried out those directions I have just stated. I and my command thought we had done our duty under great difficulties in a manner that entitled us to approval. Nothing but the spirit of heroism would have carried men who had recently entered the service and who were unused to fatigue and hard-recognized, one sensitive to approbation may imagine. I am responsible for their acts, and your report would make me as a laggard, and as such I am convinced it is received at the War Department. Under this conviction I have recited to that Department the facts I have just repeated to you,* with the hope you will do me and my command the justice of correcting the error I have pointed out.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

A. A. HUMPHREYS,

Brigadier-General.

[19.]

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF WASHINGTON, Numbers 57.
April 14, 1863.

* * * * *

7. The following troops will embark at daylight to-morrow morning for Norfolk, reporting at Fort Monroe: The Second Brigade, General Abercrombie's division, with the exception of the Sixteenth Virginia Volunteers; the Third Brigade, General Abercrombie's division; the One

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*See VOL. XIX, Part I, p. 373.

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