It is, therefore, incumbent upon us, who were their comrades in the field, to do all in our power to preserve their deeds from oblivion.
And yet it is no easy task to relate contemporaneous events.
Whoever attempts it must be prepared for severe criticism and the exhibition of much personal feeling.

Some of this may be avoided, it is true, by writing a colorless history, praising everybody, and attributing all disasters to dispensations of Providence, for which no one is to blame.

I cannot, however, consent to fulfill my allotted task in this way, for the great lessons of the war are too valuable to be ignored or misstated.

It is not my desire to assail any of the patriotic men who were engaged in the contest, but each of us is responsible for our actions in this world, and for the consequences which flow from them; and where great disasters have occurred, it is due both to the living and the dead that the causes and circumstances be justly and properly stated.
Richelieu once exclaimed, upon giving away a high appointment: "Now I have made one ingrate and a thousand enemies." Every one who writes the history of the Great Rebellion will often have occasion to reiterate the statement: For the military critic must necessarily describe facts which imply praise or censure.

Those who have contributed to great successes think much more might have been said on the subject, and those who have caused reverses and defeats are bitter in their denunciations.
Nevertheless, the history of the war should be written before the facts have faded from the memory of living men, and have become mere matters of tradition.
In a narrative of this kind, resting upon a great number of voluminous details, I cannot hope to have wholly escaped error, and wherever I have misconceived or misstated a fact, it will give me pleasure to correct the record.
A.D.
NEW YORK, January, 1882.
CONTENTS.
LIST OF MAPS CHANCELLORSVILLE CHAPTER I.
THE OPENING OF 1863--HOOKER'S PLANS CHAPTER II.
FRIDAY, THE FIRST OF MAY CHAPTER III.
THE DISASTROUS SECOND OF MAY CHAPTER IV.
THE ROUT OF THE ELEVENTH CORPS CHAPTER V.
JACKSON'S ADVANCE IS CHECKED CHAPTER VI.
SICKLES FIGHTS HIS WAY BACK--ARRIVAL OF THE FIRST CORPS CHAPTER VII.
THE BATTLE OF THE THIRD OF MAY CHAPTER VIII.
MAY FOURTH--ATTACK ON SEDGWICK'S FORCE CHAPTER IX.
PREPARATIONS TO RENEW THE CONFLICT CHAPTER X.
BATTLE OF BRANDY STATION (FLEETWOOD) GETTYSBURG CHAPTER I.
THE INVASION OF THE NORTH CHAPTER II.
HOOKER'S PLANS--LONGSTREET OCCUPIES THE GAPS IN THE BLUE RIDGE-- ALARM IN RICHMOND--HOOKER SUPERSEDED BY MEADE CHAPTER III.
STUART'S RAID--THE ENEMY IN FRONT OF HARRISBURG--MEADE'S PLAN CHAPTER IV.
THE FIRST DAY OF THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG, WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 1863 CHAPTER V.
BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG--THE SECOND DAY CHAPTER VI.
THE BATTLE OF THE THIRD DAY--JOHNSON'S DIVISION DRIVEN OUT CHAPTER VII.
GENERAL RETREAT OF THE ENEMY--CRITICISMS OF DISTINGUISHED CONFEDERATE OFFICERS APPENDIX A APPENDIX B INDEX LIST OF MAPS.
FIELD OF OPERATIONS IN VIRGINIA OPERATIONS ON THE FIRST OF MAY, 1863 JACKSON'S ATTACK ON HOWARD, MAY 1 BATTLE OF THE THIRD OF MAY SEDGWICK'S POSITION FROM THE POTOMAC TO HARRISBURG DIAGRAMS OF POSITIONS IN THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG: I.
II.
III.
IV.
GETTYSBURG: FINAL ATTACK OF THE FIRST DAY AND BATTLE OF THE SECOND DAY DIAGRAM OF THE ATTACK ON SICKLES AND SYKES CHANCELLORSVILLE.
CHANCELLORSVILLE..