Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-06-19


case merely dlvesting it of some personal illusions
to Col. HASKELL, which do not seem to be neces-
sary to an understanding of the facts, and respect
ing which personal matters we do moi desire to
have any controversy through our columns.
TO THE PUBLIC.
An article in the Picayune Of the 29th umo signed by
Col Haskell and other officers of the I'd Tennessee Regiment
addressed TO the public calls for notice from me- This
article processes to be simple statement of facts y and, in
advance, dsclalms any other motive making the publca
ton than such arises from desire sto do Justice to others
and have justice for themselves" If those gentlemen had
made correct statement of facts and had left the public
form Its own Judgment upon those facts should have been
content TO have passed the publication by unnocl for from
statement of facts have nothing TO fear.
This article processes to describe the enemys works. and the
order of attack OF my brigade in the battle of Cerro ordo
1t says: "Ihee the line of works. extending from
the National Road to the gorge Of the mountains, through
which the passes three works. known to our engineers
batteries Nos J. and g. and that by the order of battle
for my brigade, battery No. l. situated upon the river bluff
to have been assaulted by Col. Wynkoops regiment,
supported by Col Campbers and battery No TO have
been assaulted by Haskels regiment supported by Col Ro
berts's regiment"
Instead of three works in this line Of works those gen
eman say there known to be four before the battle
Battery No |, situated the river bluff, ami No. at the
extreme left OF the enemy line of beaswork and
to the point assaulted than from four hundred hundred
yards, and batteries Nos. and still further towards
the National Roadhe place assaulted made the 9th battery
that he assault battery No 2 and Col Wynkoop bat
terry No. l.
1t was however, intended by me to assault batteries
Nos and ?, and order given that effect He
not ordered to assault battery No that battery
ever assaulted Col Wynkoop not ordered assault
battery No l. The position intended to be assaulted was
what believed by both the engineers and myself be the
angle of those batteries formed by the long line of stone breast
works. about four hundred yards from battery No. i. In my
official report, bearing date 18th April, s47, and prepared
Immediately after the battle by officer Of my staff or be-
ing disabled in my right arm could write, distinctly
stated that the points of assault the adjacent angles of
batteries Nos and b. But, in the after part Of that
port for the sake of brevy, and for the purpose of desgna
ing the positions of the two assaulng Forces speak of bat
tees Nos and without repeating in each paragraph the
words g adjacent angles
AT this supposed angle guns could be SEEM and
believed 10 be there-hough, the last day of
nosance something presenting the appearance of gun
Still believed to be the ,oeaket point the line
Of works. and therefore selected by the engineer duty
with my brigade for the assault.
Agreeaby my plan of attack Haskels assauing force
10 attack the left of this angle and Winkoops the right
o engage the time the forces upon both sides of
the angle Gen SCOTS order of battle long, and reached
me about o'clock the night Of the l7th and late for
to have the copies of it prepared and issued my
command. | therefore sent for Coils Campbell Haskell,
Wynkoop, and Roberts, and at my quarters read them
the general order Of BATTLE and explained to them pacu-
ay the position of the different batteries my position for as
sau and the order of for each regiment and the
position to be assumed by each preparatory the assault
The assault made al the place previously determined
upon and made known to these officers and, though this
point turned to be strong work. mounting eight pieces
of artillery Immediately in front, and two retired
line, all which to the moment Of attack entirely
cealed and completely masked by the wall and bush
yet up TO that time, it believed to be angle in the
large stone breastwork connecting the batteries Nos and
That such the position intended to be and actually
saued will concusively appear from my official reports of
this battle made almost Immediately after tho bae dated
18th and 2sth April.
Colonel Haskell cannot understand why his regiment was
placed between Wynkoops and Campbells, and Campbes
between his Hakes and Roberts, regiment the march
from the cncamPn,en This (to hm) incomprehensbe
der of march, which he to think blunder of
mine, will perhaps be understood by him when state him
the object
The pathway along which Obliged march
pierced the enemy line Of works just the place selected for
the assault By my order Of attack, Wynkoops assaultng
column TO form the left of the path, fronting the right
side Of the angle, and Hakel assautng force form
the right side of the path, and attack the on
the left side Of the angle Wynkoops position further
advanced on the road than Haskes and therefore he was
placed in the advance When Wynkoops regiment reached
its position, to form, and did form, the proper side
of the path When Haskels regiment had formed il clear
ed the path for Col Campbes regiment pass up Wynn
hoops support The passage of Campbes regiment left the
way clear for Roberss forward Haskes support
Thus will be that the only order of march by which
possible to have placed the regiments with their support
ing forces in proper position, adopted and resulted in
the proper formation of each assaung force without the
confusion or disorder, although there road bat mar
pathway
l. Again Col Haskell says that placed his regiment in po-
stlon Ivy directing him " to his right the right of the
path extending his left square of to the left form his
line OF battle parallel with the field work OF the enemy
lie then says that by this manguvrc il will he perceived
that the ranks of Col Hakes command reversed the
front rank becoming the rear and the right of the regiment
left Now how is possible for n regiment which is march
ing by the flank its ranks and change from
right TO left, by this order, it will be difficult for any military
man to comprehend If the right of the regiment upon
the right OF the path and the left ended square off the
e, as he says ordered by me, il impossible for
the wings to have been reversed by that ORDER would be
Tor man to the position OF his arms and equally
so TOR the ranks 10 have been they could pos
sby be reversed except by the whole regiment being ordered
to face by the ranks which would have turned backs
Of the men to the enemy and yet, Col Haskell the
conclusion that by this ORDER his wings and his ranks
reversed cannot account M such nexpcabe confusion of
mind in military To suppose him ignorant of the
principles Of military SCIENCE would show him utterly unfit
for The command OF regiment 1t would be entirely imma.
ena by which flank he marched the order which he says
did give, would if executed place the regiment proper po-
stion Tor the assault upen the enemy's works.
First, then, Col Haskell mssates the number of rks in
the enemys line and their positions Secondly he misstaes
the work which in fact intended either himself ynkoop
to assa and the work which actually assaed Thirdly
the order of march, which he regards a bunder Of ine
proper and the only by which the assaung parties
could possibly reach their positions and the regiments
each placed IN the march with this express object Fourhy
my order for the formation Of his command into line Of battle
which he says reversed the wings and the ranks of the reg
men, was right and proper; ond ogrccaby that ORDER
there possibility of his wings and his ranks being
versed and yet the public told in the very Of his