Mr. Seward to Mr. Adams, December 15, 1862

Mr. Seward to Mr.
Adams.

Sir: The excitement which attended the late
political canvass having subsided, the public mind returns again from
its wanderings to engage itself with the military situation.

The army under General Burnside, which had been some time gathering upon
the north bank of the Rappahannock, crossed that river on Friday and
Saturday last in perfect order, and with signal exhibitions of heroism.
The insurgents were dislodged from the town, and retired to their
defences upon the hills beyond it. At the moment when I am writing,
however, General Burnside, for reasons not yet explained, has withdrawn
his forces to the north side of the river, and the two armies are now
separated from each other by its shores. General Burnside had, when he
commenced crossing the river, one hundred and thirty thousand men under
his command. The addition of General Sigel’s corps gave the commanding
general last night fifteen thousand more, and to-day he will receive
still another fifteen thousand. It is not easily understood how a
general could handle a force larger than this.

Major General Banks sailed from New York fifteen days ago with
re-enforcements for New Orleans, and we suppose that he must before this
time have reached and taken command in that city. With the additional
forces which are now descending through the valley of the Mississippi
under Generals Grant and Curtis, and a very large land and naval
expedition that is waiting at Cairo, as I understand, only for a slight
rise of the river, it is expected that the Mississippi will be entirely
freed from the insurgents, and become a base for operations eastward through Alabama and
westward to the Rio Grande. Generals Curtis and Grant have had
satisfactory successes. General Rosecrans, who is in command at
Nashville, and is expected to operate against Chattanooga and the passes
in East Tennessee, has been less demonstrative than was expected, but we
have no reason to apprehend any ultimate failure of his projected
campaign.

The political atmosphere begins to exhibit phenomena indicative of a
weariness of the war, and a desire for peace on both sides. There are
suggestions, perhaps as yet all of them visionary, of terms or bases of
conciliation. No propositions or intimations, however, have come from
the insurgent faction, and of course none have been communicated by the
government. The public mind has been recently too much disturbed by
incidental and collateral questions to study closely the progress of the
war, and to measure the exhaustion of the insurgents. We are, therefore,
without any conclusive evidence of their actual temper at this
moment.

The return of members of Congress from Louisiana, and the holding of
elections for the same purpose in North Carolina and Virginia, have
nevertheless an undoubted significance.

The intended demonstration of iron-clad steamers is yet withheld for want
of sufficient vessels. We continually see new vessels launched, and the
workmen engaged in preparing them. But we do not find ourselves in
possession of the overawing force of that kind which is necessary for
watching at Hampton roads, and reaching at the same time Mobile and
Charleston. The Passaic, when she arrived at the place of rendezvous,
was found to be somewhat incomplete. She was sent up to the navy yard
here, and will go out in good condition to-day. The Montauk goes to sea
to-day or to-morrow. The “290” still escapes us, but the navy redoubles
its exertions for her capture.

I am, sir, your obedient servant,