Washington telegraph., 1847-06-30

prot fSsloaaiiy 10 examine or to know
these works-that belonged etelmircly TO
the engineer corps; but took II upon my.
sell 10 reeonnoitte them, that might have
personal acquaintance with the ground,
which could only be acquired by personal
reconnaissance. Col. Haskell was invited
10 be present at these "Reminiscences, and
was along more Than once, aud was as much
deceived as any one else. Who does net
know thai il Is impossible 10 look through
stone walls, covered over with brnshl-
What means have either engineers or
other officers oil discovering works com.
pleiely masked, when the approach 10 the
vicinity Of those works is guarded by the
enemies picquets, who fire upon them eve.
ry lime they come within sight of any por.
ton Of their lin of worksl The stone
breastwork was extended from Battery No.
| to Ap. =, u distance of about SUI yards
this work was ai all points particularly
concealed with brush, and there was moth.
ing al The point assaulted which indicated
concealed OF masked works ai that place
more than any other portion of the line
No matter what portion Of the line was ap
preached, the enemys piequels fired upon
The reennnoitefng parties, tndrr these
circumstance twas impossible laf the mnsi
skIiIlal engineers, By acts the masl daring.
10 nuke any better reconnaissance than
was here made, during four days arduous
aud periloas duty, exposed 10 the constant
lire nj he enemy pieqnels.
hnaw tho wafks were rsrg strong. aud
spfePnited 10 the denefa.in.ehiri, aud thai
Il you'll cost a large portion oil my command
10 eafty lhcm, Ills reply was. "Thc enc.
my IS there in strong position and force;
and he must he ahippfd, and | direct yon
ioAssanli him in the 'front.' believing ynu
viii do your duty ii we had known the
exact strength Of this position, We woali
probably have sought some other place, 10
have assailed him, but il is not probable We
would havo Jared much better.
Il will be seen that | treat this pnblica.
lion n coming alone from Col. Haskell.
| de- 50. iirst, because having mel the com.
muuiealion and Col. Haskell both nj Mem
phis, | Instantly charged its authorship upon
Haskell, and he acknowledged that be
wfaie il. The officers who have signed il,
| am fully persuaded. did so without rcilec.
ton, and under the impression that | had
not, IN my official report, done them justice.
This impression on their part, II will be
seen from my two official reports, was en-,
lircly erroneous. These reports no, only
lruly ani hlly sci forth the strength Of the
enemy works and position, bat they speak
of the conduct aud bearing Of this regiment,
aud officers, in terms OF high commenda.
ton. That this erroneous impression upon
the minds OF the officers was produced BY
Col. liaskells representations have no
doubt; First, because, acknowledging hc
authorship Of the article, he must have, ol
course originated Il. Secondly, His ex.
ccsscs and .ndulgences whilo at Camargo,
causing neglect of biz regiment, impelled
INC 10 notice his conduct in such a way as
TO produce, on his part, personal ill.wiii 10.
wards my scIi, which has ever since rankled
in his bosom: and | know him to be my
personal and political enemy. Thirdly,
That Haskell has, by representations to
these officers, induced them 10 believe that
| had done them injustice, AMI that their
reputation and that ollho regiment wIs id,a.
third riih his, aud was suffering in the
public estimation, is manifest from their
complaint that injustice had been done them,
when, in fact, il will be seen that my official
reports (Which had not then been published,
or, al least, had not been seen BY thcm,)
do them fall and ample Justice, both as 10
the galianiry aud strength Of the works
assliled.
In these impressions ! am fully confirm
cd, from the fact that Col. Haskell, as |
am informed from the most reliable sources,
presented this paper 10 Capt. Williams,
who commanded the independent Kentucky
company, for his signature, who indignant.
ly refused 10 sign il. lie also presented il to
Lieut.. Anderson, Of his regiment, who had
the mdaimcss and frmHesS 10 pronounce
the article Iaise, and refused 10 sign it. Il
will also be seen that ilaior Furqucson,
who was upon duty with that regime nj in
that battle, and Captain Naylor, oftbo ID
Penn. Rcgl., aud his officers, whose posi-.
ton was, on this day, perfectly identified
with the conduct and character ol the rcgi
mcnt, but who were independent OF Has.
kcIl's influence, have not sgnedit. There
may be, and probably arc, other officers Of
the I'd Tennessee regiment who have not
signed it, but not having list OF the names
Of the officers Of the regiment before me,
cannot say; and as | have moi had an op
portunily of seeing one Of those officers
since tho appearance Of the article, and as
! know them to be brave and gallant men,
| am left to explain and understand their
conduct by circumstance, though they
point uncrringly 10 the truth as | believe.
These are the influences, which, in kind.
ness and charity, believe controlled them,
in appcndlng their names 10 this article
BE this as it may, it is certain they have
acted without due reflection, for they have
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