Hooker retired for a while, to allow free expression of opinion; and, with one exception, all present manifested a desire for another attack, in full force,—­Howard, Meade, and Reynolds being especially urgent to this purpose.  The one dissentient voice was Sickles; and he expressed himself, confessedly, more from a political than a strategic standpoint.  He allowed the military reasons to be sound for an advance, and modestly refrained from putting his opinion against that of men trained to the profession of arms; though all allowed his right to a valid judgment.  But he claimed, with some reason, that the political horizon was dark; that success by the Army of the Potomac was secondary to the avoidance of disaster.  If, he alleged, this army should be destroyed, it would be the last one the country would raise.  Washington might be captured; and the effect of this loss upon the country, and upon Europe, was to be greatly dreaded.  The enemies of the administration were strong, and daily gaining ground.  It was necessary that the Army of the Potomac should not run the risk of destruction.  It was the last hold of the Republican party in Virginia.  Better re-cross and recuperate, and then attempt another campaign, than run any serious risk now.  These grounds largely influenced him in agreeing with the general-in-chief’s determination to retire across the river.  But there were other reasons, which Sickles states in his testimony.  The rations with which the men had started had given out, and there had been no considerable issue since.  Singularly enough, too, (for Hooker was, as a rule, unusually careful in such matters,) there had been no provision made for supplying the troops against a possible advance; and yet, from Sunday noon till Tuesday night, we had lain still behind our intrenchments, with communications open, and with all facilities at hand to prepare for a ten-days’ absence from our base.  This circumstance wears the look of almost a predetermination to accept defeat.

Now, at the last moment, difficulties began to arise in bringing over supplies.  The river had rapidly risen from the effects of the storm.  Parts of the bridges had been carried away by the torrent.  The ends of the others were under water, and their entire structure was liable at any moment to give way.  It was not certain that Lee, fully aware of these circumstances, would, for the moment, accept battle, as he might judge it better to lure the Army of the Potomac away from the possibility of victualling.  Perhaps Sedgwick would be unable to cross again so as to join the right wing.  The Eleventh Corps might not be in condition to count on for heavy service.  The Richmond papers, received almost daily through channels more or less irregular, showed that communications were still open, and that the operations of the Cavalry Corps had not succeeded in interrupting them in any serious manner.  On the coming Sunday, the time of service of thirty-eight regiments was up.