1.  General Butler.

2.  About six thousand men, here and at Newport’s News.

Making together more than twelve thousand men.

Of the first army, consisting of the General, I will not speak.  Let his past supreme services speak for him, as I doubt not the future will.

Next to the array of a man comes the army of men.  Regulars a few, with many post officers, among them some very fine and efficient fellows.  These are within the post.  Also within is the Third Regiment of Massachusetts, under Colonel Wardrop, the right kind of man to have, and commanding a capital regiment of three-months men, neatly uniformed in gray, with cocked felt hats.

Without the fort, across the moat, and across the bridge connecting this peninsula of sand with the nearest side of the mainland, are encamped three New York regiments.  Each is in a wheat field, up to its eyes in dust.  In order of precedence they come One, Two, and Five; in order of personal splendor of uniform they come Five, One, Two; in order of exploits they are all in the same negative position at present; and the Second has done rather the most robbing of hen-roosts.

The Fifth, Duryea’s Zouaves, lighten up the woods brilliantly with their scarlet legs and scarlet head-pieces.

* * * * *

These last words were written upon the day that the attack in which Winthrop fell was arranged.

The disastrous day of the 10th of June, at Great Bethel, need not be described here.  It is already written with tears and vain regrets in our history.  It is useless to prolong the debate as to where the blame of the defeat, if blame there were, should rest.  But there is an impression somewhat prevalent that Winthrop planned the expedition, which is incorrect.  As military secretary of the commanding general, he made a memorandum of the outline of the plan as it had been finally settled.  Precisely what that memorandum (which has been published) was he explains in the last letter he wrote, a few hours before leaving the fort.  He says,—­“If I come back safe, I will send you my notes of the plan of attack, part made up from the General’s hints, part my own fancies.”  This defines exactly his responsibility.  His position as aid and military secretary, his admirable qualities as adviser under the circumstances, and his personal friendship for the General, brought him intimately into the council of war.  He embarked in the plan all the interest of a brave soldier contemplating his first battle.  He probably made suggestions some of which were adopted.  The expedition was the first move from Fort Monroe, to which the country had been long looking in expectation.  These were the reasons why he felt so peculiar a responsibility for its success; and after the melancholy events of the earlier part of the day, he saw that its fortunes could be retrieved only by a dash of heroic enthusiasm.  Fired himself, he sought to kindle others.  For