Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-06-08

lying on the ground. Here We were greeted byN
seven pieces artillery Immediately in front oil US.
No. opened one oil our TANKS with two guns,
No. 3 on The other with hree, while two small
pieces on an extension Of the reGoubt behind No,
kept lime with the others. This terrible ha
was rendered still more terrible BY the help OF
1900 muskets which drove hailstorm OF bull
lets into the faces Of the men as they approached.
Nothing daunled, however, they continued The
assault until they had approached near enough
10 The works 10 perceive their srea, strength, Iha
number Of the enemy and the utter madness OF
advancing further without orders from their Of
hcers, they commenced giving way before the
tre and retiring 10 fhe chaparal where they were
quickly reformed for another assault. They did
not commence Ibis retrograde movement, however,
until they had perceived that every field officer
but The colonel had fallen, until, of The COM
mandeIs Of companies, two had fallen dead,
third MORALLY and fourth dangerously wounded,
10 say nothing Of The leutenan.s not in commando
killed and wounded, and OF the awiu hayocS
among their comrades. In less than three miQaC
u.es, OF less Than 4U0 men, about SO had been
killed and wounded, many OF whom fell in forty
yards OF the works.
Here two inquiries naturally present Them
selves: Where was Col. Wynkoop that he was
not assauliing No. II Where was Col Roberts
that he was no, supporting Col. Haskel.2 Col.
Wynkoop, speaking for himself, answers The first
inquiry. He declares Iha, he was ordered moi 10
advance from his position until ordered TO do so
BY Gen. Pillow, either through one OF his aids or
by a concerted signal. He states that he receiv-
ed no order, heard or saw no signal. Ii nc had
assailed No. l, il would have been better Tor Us.
Then the guns here, instead OF annoying orr
flank, would have been directed al him. No.
was in tact the real point Of attack. u The whole
brigade had assailed that work, il would have
been easily carried. Then we could have turned
his own guns on the enemy, and attacking him
in reverse, have driven him from the field. This
was really what Gen. Scott desired Gen. Pillow
10 do, If circumstances tdrored him, with proper
opportunity ITO pierce The enemy's line OF baue-
ries."
The second inquiry is answered by the order in
which the regiments were moved TO The scene OF
action. General Pillow had actually placed Co
lionel Haskell between Colonel Wynkoop and
Colonel Campbell, who was 10 support Colonel
Wynkoop, and Colonel Campbell between Colo
nell Haskell and Colonel Roberts, who was 10
support Haskell Moving as The regiments did
by flank tosomey along narrow dehle, often
in single file il will be readily perceived what
great distance there was between the assauing
| and the supporting regiments. In fact when The
command OF Colonel Haskell returned 10 the spot
from whence il commenced the ASSAULT, Colonel
| Campbes regiment was in the acl OF filing past
that point, for the purpose oil gaining lis position
| In rear OF Colonel Wynkoop. while Colonel Ro-
bens was still in rear of Colonel Campbell, and,
Of course, had not reached that point.
It's generally believed tina, General Pillow led
the assault on No. 3 The General neither led
nor followed in that assault. So far as we ale
advised he did not advance any nearer 10 the
enemy's line than the point from whence The as.
sault commenced We do not make This state
meni because We deny TO General Pillow personal
courage or gallant bearing in action-we are
| willing 10 Weld him bolh-we simply cofrec, the
| error.
One inquiry and we drop this painful subject,
Why did Gen. Pillow assail No. 2 atall, ami why
did he do il with so small force, and before he
was ready2 II cannot be said that Gen. SCOTS
order directed him to do il. This is the language
OF that order "Gen Pillows brigade will march
al o'clock tomorrow morning along the route
he has carefully rcconnoitered, and stand ready as
soon as he hears the report OF arms on our right
or sooner, IL circumstances should iauoy 1im-to
pierce the enemy's line Of batteries j. The neGyer
| The rireT The better,-as he may select" The ia
| licisine is our own. Gen. Pillow protested 10
have "cqreflUu rrrnnmnfD~-A" .I:- ii.e of ba''e-
| ries, and frequently spoke Of his ability TO carry
them, and of the fact that he was satisfied tront
tso,cn reeonnoissa,ces that there were no guns or
| il any, not more than one on No. =. The ruth
is, the general was ignorant Of the ground and OF
the encmy's strength and preparations for defence.
We have performed an unpleasant task. We
are sorry that we had il TO do; but justice to our
selves, 10 the great fame of the States represented
by The command OF Col. Haskell on tina, field,
and TO the memory of The dead who fell there, re-
auire that we should tell "lhe truth, the whole
| truth and nothing but the truth"
| VIM. r. HASKELL, Col. CONG Cd Tenn. Vols.
DAVID n. CUMMINGS, LII. Col. I'd Tenn. Vols.
| G. W. McCOWN, Captain Company A.
| HENRY r. MURRAY, Captain Company b.
| W. q. McADOO, lst Lieut. CONG Company.
| WIN. b. DAVIS lat Lieut. CONG Company r.
ALEX P. GREENE, I'd Lieut.. CONG Comp. +.
WIN ]. STANDIFER, Captain Company D.
C. W. BOWNDS, ist Lieut.. Company a.
JAMES w. CHAMBERS, I'd Lieut. Comp. A.
A. J. ELLIS, ID Lieut.. Company C..
- COWARD, Cd Lieut.. Company &.
G.. =. SLAUGHTER, I'd Lieut.. Company d.
E. J. WATT, ID Lieut. Company +.
EUGENE.SULLIvAN, I'd Lieut.. Company G.
mo. r. BELL. I'd Lieut.. Company G.
JAMES FORREST, I'd Lient. Company H.