46 THE ARMY' OF THE POTOMAC. selected for the grand assault which was to follow the bombardment, but lite steam transports waited only for the signal to pass up into the York river as soon as the place should fall, and hind the forces of Franklin high up on the line of the confederate retreat. A part of the forces were actually kept on board of the transports. In a few hours they Mould have passed over the distance which it would have taken the enemy two days to traverse. Driven by storm from orktown, followed up step for step, intercepted on their road by fresh troops, the army of the South would have been in a very critical position, and thb Federals would have found what they so greatly nee<Ml, a brilliant military success. This they needed, not only to escape the serious evils with M-hich they were threatened by a prolongation of the campaign ; the political was perhaps more urgent than the military necessity. A victory and a decisive victory alone, could bring on the re-establishment of the Union, that object of the ardent pursuit of all American patriots who set the greatness and the prosperity of their country above the passions of parties and of sects. Bull Run, by humbling one of the adversaries, had for a time shut the door upon all hopes of reconciliation. As soon as the legal government of the country should have recovered its ground, and proved its strength, it M'ould again become possible to negotiate and to establish, by a common agreement, the fraternal bonds of the Union. To secure this, it was necessary to lose no time. The minds of men Mere embittering on cither side ; interests, individual ambitions, foreign intrigues were daily exerting a more active interposition between the two camps, and every delay must make the work of’ reconciliation more ditlicult. A great success of the federal army before Yorktown M’as then of vital importance to the Government at Washington. Unfortunately, the confederate leaders and generals saw and felt this also ; and like tkidfnl men they took the best M'av of preventing it.
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