The Union commander, Irvin McDowell was under huge pressure from Lincoln to move his army against the Confederates as part of the "On to Richmond" clamor of the press.
On July 15, the Union Army left its camps around Washington and marched west toward Centreville, Virginia, about 25 miles away. This march was exactly the disorganized procedure that Sherman had feared from undisciplined volunteers.
Many fell out of the ranks of their own accord to rest, sight see or forage, which is confiscating food from civilians. Foraging was allowed by the laws and customs of war, but when it was carried on in a disorganized manner, such as was happening at this point, it tended to further disorganize and demoralize the army.
Plus, Federal authorities were still trying to woo the South back into the Union, so wanted these people to be treated as friendly rather than enemy civilians.
Sherman strove to suppress foraging in his command.
Catching Alpheus T. Budlong of the Second Wisconsin with a quarter of freshly butchered mutton, Sherman had the meat confiscated and the man arrested. He was unmoved by Budlong's excuse: "I was hungry, and it was rebel mutton anyhow."
I did not find any follow up to this story.
--Old Secesh
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