Abstract from return of the Army of the Potomac, Major General George B. McClellan, U. S. Army, commanding, for May 20. 1862.

Present for duty.

Command. Officers. Men. Present for

duty

equipped.

General staff 46 --- ---

U. S. Engineers (Duane) 4 233 237

Engineer Brigade 60 1,243 1,298

(Woodbury)

Regular Cavalry Reserve 78 1,783 1,837

(Cooke)

Escort to headquarters 4 104 105

(McIntyre)

Sturges Rifles (Steel) 3 76 79

Provost guard (A. Porter) 37 556 583

Regular Artillery Reserve 86 1,802 1,888

(Hunt)

Siege train (Tyler) 57 1,228 1,285

Second Army Corps 792 16,945 17,664

(Sumner's)*

Third Army Corps 767 17,438 18,199

(Heintzelman's)+

Fourth Army Corps 864 18,059 18,869

(Keyes')++

Fifth Provisional Army 698 14,960 15,455

Corps (Fitz John

Porter's)#

Sixth Provisional Army 872 19,212 20,074

Corps (Franklin's)$

Yorktown and Gloucester 55 1,139 1,139

(Van Alen)

Advance guard (Stoneman) 152 2,949 3,101

Williamsburg (Camphell) 24 399 423

Total 4,599 98,071 102,236

Command. Aggregate Aggregate Field

present. present pieces of

absent. artillery.

General staff 46 57 ---

U. S. Engineers (Duane) 241 281 ---

Engineer Brigade 1,336 1,697 ---

(Woodbury)

Regular Cavalry Reserve 1,927 2,214 ---

(Cooke)

Escort to headquarters 111 144 ---

(McIntyre)

Sturges Rifles (Steel) 79 90 ---

Provost guard (A. Porter) 640 734 ---

Regular Artillery Reserve 1,992 3,187 100

(Hunt)

Siege train (Tyler) 1,330 1,377 ---

Second Army Corps 18,278 20,892 48

(Sumner's)*

Third Army Corps 19,731 23,331 34

(Heintzelman's)+

Fourth Army Corps 19,596 25,512 38

(Keyes')++

Fifth Provisional Army 16,120 19,845 24

Corps (Fitz John

Porter's)#

Sixth Provisional Army 20,894 24,143 44

Corps (Franklin's)$

Yorktown and Gloucester 1,171 1,296 ---

(Van Alen)

Advance guard (Stoneman) 3,166 3,166 12

Williamsburg (Camphell) 430 476 ---

Total 107,088 128,864 300

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* Richardson's and Sedgwick's divisions.

++ Couch's and Casey's division.

$ Slocum's and W. F. Smith's divisions.

+ Hooker's and Kearny's divisions.

# Morell's and Sykes' divisions.

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WASHINGTON CITY, May 21, 1862.

Major-General McCLELLAN:

Your long dispatch of yesterday [to-day] just received.* You will have just such control of General McDowell and his forces as you therein indicate. McDowell can reach you by land sooner than he could get aboard of boats, if the boats were ready at Fredericksburg, unless his march shall be resisted, in which case the force resisting him will certainly not be confronting you at Richmond. By land he can reach you in two weeks, judging by past experience. Franklin's single division did not reach you in ten days after I ordered it.

A. LINCOLN,

President United States.

McCLELLAN'S, May 21, 1862 - 12.10 p. m.

Honorable E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War:

Notwithstanding rain of last night, everything has advanced except headquarters camp. Franklin is at Cold Harbor, 3 miles from New Bridge; Porter a few miles behind him. Our light troops have crossed at Bottom's Bridge, and reconnaissance now being pushed beyond to ascertain position of enemy. All goes well. Weather is again cloudy. I am starting for Bottom's Bridge and Cold Harbor, returning to this camp to night.

GEO. B. McCLELLAN,

Major-General, Commanding.

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* See part I, p.28.

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