Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1847-06-17
trsoa IN. N, o. rlsAysns.
10 the Ruhlic.

An article in the Picayune Of the 29th nil, ,,,.d h,
COL Haskell and other officers 81 the I'd Tennessee Re
giment addressed 20 the pabe calls Tor some notice from
me. This article Processes be "a simple .,atemen, o.
aes" aud. in advance, disesins any other motive IN
making the pnehesnon than such AZ arises from desir,
ITO do justice TO Others and have justice for
II those gentlemen had made correct staemen, of facts
and had LETT the public form Judgment upon ho..
ae should have been content to have passed the publ
csuon by unnoueed-ior from statement OF facts have
| nothing o. fear.
This article Processes describe the enemys works ant
the order OF attack OF brigade battle OF Cerrc
Gordo. ltsays-"There on the line OF wo,k. extend
ing from the National Road the gorge OF the
through which the river pssse-, three works. known
engineers as batteries Nos and and by the order
oil oaue Iot my brigade, battery No. situated upon the
river bluh was to have been assaulted by Col wynkoop
regiment, supported by Col Csmpbe's; and battery No
was to have been assaulted By Haskes resiment sun
ported by Col. Roberts regiment"
instead OF three works in this line. Of works. hose
gentlemen there known be four before tho
tie. Battery No. situated on the river bluf aud No. 2
nj the extreme LETT OF the enemys line Of work and
not nearer to the point assaulted than from 400 to 500
yards, end batteries Nos. and were su farther 10.
wards the National Road-,he place assaulted made tho sh
battery Col Haskell (who lie the author Of this article
and whose motives for this assault upon will be appar
en enough by and by further that he TO
battery No 2, and Col. wynkoop battery No l.
never was however. intended BY me TO assault bate.
res Nos and and order ever given to that eff.
iect He ordered assault battery No 2 nor wa.
that battery ever assaulted Col wynhoop not or
dered TO assault battery No. The position intended 10
be assaulted was what believed by both tho engineer,
and myself 10 be the angle OF those batteries formed nv
the long line OF stone breast works about 400 yards
battery No j. Ia my official report, bearing date 18Th
April ls41 and prepared Immediately after the battle BY
an officer OF staff. or being disabled in nv risht arm
could not wnte0 distinctly stated tina, points of as
sau were the adjacent angles OF batteries Nos aud
Blu, in the after part that report for the sake OF brevy
anu Tor the purpose .: designating the position of the vo
assaulung forces, speak OF batteries Noe and p with.
out repeating IN each paragraph the words an.
giles"
Al this supposed angie guns could be scen and nons
were believed TO be here-hough the last day of re-
connossanee something presenting the appearance of one
gun was seen Snll 1t believed To be tho
point IN the line OF works and was therefore selected nv
the engineer on duty with brigade for the assault
Agreeably TO my plan of attack, Haskelrs assaultnp
force was to attack the left Of this ANGLE and
the right so as TO engsge AT the time forces up
on both sides OF the angle Gen SCOTS order Of battle
was long, and reached about o'clock the night of the
lh and too late Tor TO have the necessary copies of
prepared and issued TO command. therefore sent
tor Coils Campbell. Haskell, Wynkoop and Roberts ana at
my own quarters read them the general order of battle
and explained To them particularly the position of the DIFF
ereni batteries, poson for assault and the order Of
movemen, Tor each regiment, and the position assum.
ed by each, preparatory TO the assault
The assault made the place previously
upon, and made known TO these officers and though tb.
point turned out TO DO strong work. eight pieces
OF artillery Immediately in front and more on retired
line, all which 10 the of attack entirely con.
ceaed and completely masked by the stone wall and brusb
yet up to that time it believed be an angle in the
large stone beaswork connecting the batteries Nos and
That such the position intended to be and aca
y assaulted, will ecncusively appear my official re-
ports OF the battle. made almost Immediately after the bat
e dated 18th and 2Sh April marked and b. and pre-
pared long before the appearance OF this attack of Colonel
askes and yet in the face OF these startling errors or
misrepresentation OF facts this assault upon modesy
pro TO be "smpe statement facts and made sole.
y for the purpose OF justice the sgners of that article
Col Haskell understand why his regiment was
placed between Wynkoop's and Campbers and Campbers
between his (asks) and Roberts regime on the march
| from the encampmenL
This ito hm) incomprehenrble order of march, which
ne seems to think was bunder OF mine, will perhaps be
understood by him when to him the object.
The narrow pathway along which were Obliged 10
march pierced the enemy's line of works Just the place
selected tor the assault BY order of attack Wynkoop
assautng column form the left Of the path 'front.'
ing the right side Of the angle, and Haskelrs assaung
force 10 form the right side Of the path and was
attack the works the left side OF the angle Wynkoop
position was further advanced the road than Haskes
and therefore he placed in the advance. When wyn-
koop's regiment reached its position it was TO form
and did form on the proper side of the path When Has
kes regiment had formed cleared the path for Col Camp
bels regiment TO pass up TO Wynkoops support. The
passage Of Campbes regiment left the way clear for Ro
berts TO come forward to Haskel's support Thus il will
be that the only order OF march by which pos
sble To have placed the regiments with their supporting
forces in proper portion adopted and resulted in the
proper formation OF assauing force without the least
confusion or disorder, although there road but
narrow pathway.
Again-Col. Haskell says that placed hi, regimen, in
position by directing him o his right on the ri hit Of
the PATH extending his left squares of to the left go as 10
form his line of battle parallel with the centre field work of
the enemy" He then says that "by this uyre IL will
be perceived that the ranks Of Col Haskers command
were reverted the front rank becoming the and the
night oil the regiment It's eft Now, how is possible for
regiment which marching by the flank to reverse its
ranks and change Its wings from right left by this order
1t will be difficult for any military comprehend. II
the right OF the regiment upon the right of the path
and the left extended squares off the left he says was
ordered by me- 1t impossible for the wings have
been reverted by tbst order as IL would be for
verse the position OF his arms-and equally for the
ranks have been reversed for they could not possibly be
reversed except by the whole regiment being ordered face
by the ranks which would have turned the backs Of
the men to the enemy and yet Col Haskell the
conclusion that by this order his wings and his ranks were
reversed cannot for such nexpcable confusion
| oil mind in military man. To suppose him ignorant
OF the principles Of military science would sho him
" unit Tor the command OF regiment and yet we are
forced TO this conclusion, belief that he
much peturbed by sensby that he did know
his right wing from the left his rank from his 'front.'
defy himself or OF his friends exucate him from
this dilemma IL would be entirely immaeria by which
hank he marched-the order which he did give would
executed place the regiment in proper position for the
assault upon the enemys works.
First them Col Has kel msstaies the number Of works
IN the enemys lines, and their positions SecOndlyhe
misstates tbs work which in fact intended either himself
OF Wynkoop TO asss, aud the work which actually
assaed Thrdy-the order Of march, which ne regards
as blunder OF mine, was proper and the only by
which the sssaung parties could possibly reach their po
siuons-snd the regiments each placed in the
march, with this express object FOurhly-my order for
the formation Of his command into line Of battle which
ays reversed the wings and the ranks Of his regiment
right and proper aud sgrseably that order, there
possibility Of his wings and his ranks being reversed
and yet the public told, IN the Of this article
that the publication Is TO be ga simple statement Of facts
(which is by complimentary the generals tai
ents as military maD" lie my military reputation TO be
Affected before an intelligent nahon by such assault
hisi In the very effort 10 assal me he exposes degree
Of imbecility and ignorance a military which eG-
cites IN my bosom nothing but sense Of pity aud
| tempt.
Again he says proessed have carefully reeonnoiteed
these works, "but the truth IL the General ignorant Of
the ground and Of the enemy's strength and preparations
OF defence" did profess to have accommodated these
works and ground, carefully from tho Of the
ground and other Obstacles could but deny that either
the engineers myself did could carefully reconnoiue
them, ssid had. Col Johnson, engineer, while
engaged in reconnaissance Of these works, shot
through the body twice. Lieut. Tower engineer and my
self devoted three other days to the examination Of these
works-were repeatedly shot a. aud once holly pursued
and narrowly escaped capture. On this last Col
Haskell was along himself Lieut.. Tower and myself had
carefully reeonnoered these works possible 10
do under FIRE 10 fron,