of
being effectively cut off, and to aid his imperilled forces the
Eleventh and Twelfth Corps of the Army of the Potomac were, on
September 24th, ordered west, in command of General Joseph Hooker.

The loss of these corps reduced the relative strength of Meade's
army to Lee's materially below what it was before Longstreet's two
divisions were detached from the latter's army.

Elliott was relieved of the command of the Third Division, Third
Corps of the Army of the Potomac, October 3, 1863, and ordered to
report to Rosecrans. General Joseph B. Carr (Troy, N. Y.) succeeded
him. Carr was a charming man socially, of fine appearance, amiable
and lovable, but not strong as a soldier. He was understood to be
a favorite of the President, who appointed him Brigadier-General
September 7, 1862; the Senate, however, failing to confirm him,
the President reappointed him in March, 1863, with rank from date
of first appointment, thus giving him high rank in spite of the
Senate. He was finally confirmed, on a third appointment in 1864,
through some compromise, after a sharp controversy between the
President and the Senate, but with junior rank, and then ordered
to Butler's army.( 1)

For a time active operations were not contemplated by Meade. But
Lee, about the 9th of October, crossed the Rapidan and commenced
a movement around Meade's right, threatening his rear. This
compelled Meade to retire across the Rappahannock, and by the 14th
to Centreville and Union Mills, near the first Bull Run battle-
field.

On the 13th, while my brigade, with a New York battery temporarily
attached to it, was holding "Three Mile Station," near Warrenton,
and skirmishing with the enemy, ballot-boxes were opened, and a
_regular_ election was held for the Ohio troops, both the boxes
and ballots being carried to the voters along the battle-line so
they might vote without breaking it.( 2)

The Third Corps was encamped that night at Greenwich. The next
morning I was ordered with my brigade and Captain McKnight's battery
(N. Y.) to cover, as a rear-guard, the retreat of the Third Corps
to Manassas Heights _via_ Bristoe Station. My orders were to avoid
anything like a general engagement, but to beat back the advancing
enemy whenever possible, prevent captures, and baffle him in his
endeavors to delay or reach the main column. The successful conduct
of a rear-guard of a retreating army, when pursued by an energetic
foe, requires not only bravery