The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-06-18

! A. J. ELLIS, I'd Lieut. Company c.
T - COWARD, I'd Lieut. Company 7,
| G. s. SLAUGHTER, I'd Lieut. Company ~
| +. J. Watt, I'd Lieut. Company H.
| EUGENE SuIIIvAY I'd Lieut. Company o.
! JNo r. BELL, I'd Lieut. Company u,
JAMES FORREST, I'd Lieut. Company H.
TO THE PUBLIC.
An article in the Picayune OF the both ut signed py
Co Haskell and other officers of the I'd Tennessee req,
men addressed 10 the public calls for some nohce from
me This article PROCESSES to be ga simple statement q
facts" and in advance, disclaims any other mouVe IN
making the publication than such as arises rom desire
10 do Justice to others, and to have Jusce Tor them
selves"
il those gentlemen had made correct statement OF
facts, and had left the pubic 10 form It's own Judgment
passed the publication by unnotieed for from statement
of facts haze nothing TO fear.
This article processes to describe the enemy scorks,
and the order Of attack of my brigade in the battle OF
Cerro Gordo. 1t says: There on the line OF works
extending from the National road TO the gorge OF the
mountains through which the river passes three works,
known TO our engineers batteries Nos l. 2, and 80 and
that by the order of battle for my brigade battery NO
situated upon the river bluff was to have been assaulted
by Col Wynkoop's regiment, supported by Col Camp
BELLS; and battery No. was TO have been assaulted by
Haskelrs regiment supported by Colonel Roberss reg
ment.
Instead of three works in this line of works, those
gentlemen say, there known TO be four before the
battle Battery No. situated the river bluff and No
3 at the extreme left OF the enemys line Of breast lcorks,
and to the point assaulted than from 400 to
600 yards; and batteries Nos and were still farther
towards the National road The place assaulted made
the 9th battery Col Haskell (who tine author OF this
article and whose motives for this assault upon me will
be apparent enough by and byD says further that he
was assault battery No. 2, and Col Wynkoop bat
terry No. l.
1t never was however, intended by to assault bat
teries Nos and 2, and order given to that
effect He was not ordered to assault battery No p nor
that battery assaulted. Col Wyakoop was not
ordered TO assault battery No The position intended
to be assaulted was, what believed by both the engi
and myself TO be the angle OF those batteries formed
from battery No L. In my official report, bearing date
18th April s47 and prepared immediately after the battle
by officer OF my staff for being disabled in my right
could not write distinctly stated that the points of
sau ''the adjacent ang OF batteries Nos and %
But in the after part OF that report for the sake OF brevy
and for the purpose OF designating the positions of the two
assaulting forces speak OF batteries Nos and 2, with
repeating in each paragraph the words, adjacent
angles"
believed to be therethough, on the last day OF
connoissance something presenting the appearance OF
one gun Still it was beevedto be the reakest
point in the line OF works and was therefore, selected by
the engineers duty with my brigade Tor the assault
Agreeably TO my plan of attack, Haske's assaulting
force to attack the left OF this angle and Wynkoops
the right engage at the tme the forces upon
both sides of the angle Gen SCOTS order OF battle was
long, and reached about o'clock the night of the l7h
and late for to have the necessary copies OF pre-
pared and issued TO my command therefore sent for
Coils. Campbell Haskell, Wynkoop, and Roberts, and at
my quarters read to them the general order OF bat
te and explained to them particularly the position OF the
different batteries, my position for assault and the order
OF movement for each regiment and the position to be
assumed by each, preparatory to the assault
| The assault made al the place previously deter
mined upon, and made known to these officers; and
though this point turned out to be strong work mount
ing eight pieces of artillery Immediately in 'front.' and
two more on retired lne-all which were, to the mo-
men OF attack, entirely concealed and completely masked
by the stone wall and brush-ye up that time.
believed to be angle in the large breastwork
connecting the batteries Nos and q That such the
position intended 70 be, and actually assaulted, will
clusvey appear from my official reports of this battle
made almost Immediately after the battle dated 18th and
2Sth April marked and B. and prepared long before the
appearance OF this attack OF Col Haskes; and yet, in
the face OF these startling interpretations OF
facts, this assault upon me modesty processes 10 be
simple statement of facts and made solely for the pur
pose Of justice to the signers OF that article.
Col Haskell cannot understand why his regiment
placed between Wynkoop's and Campbe's and Camp
BELLS between his (Haskels) and Robertss regiment on
the march from the encampment
This Ito hm) incomprehensble order OF march, which
he seems to think was blunder Of NINE will perhaps be
understood by him when state to him the object
The narrow pathway along which were obliged to
march, pierced the enemys line OF works just at the
Wynkoops assaulting column TO form the left OF
the path fronting the right side OF the angle and Has
kefs assaultng force was to form the right side OF
the path, and to attack the works the left side of
the angle. Wynkoop's position was further advanced
the road than askels, and therefore he placed
in the advance. When Wynkoop's regiment reached
its position was to FORM and did form, on the proper
side of the path. When Haskefs regiment had formed
it cleared the path for Col Campbells regiment to pass
up w sHkoOps support Inc passage OF JaHlp0eIIs
regiment left the way clear for Robertss 10 come for
ward to Haskels support Thus it will be that the
only order OF march by which possible to have
placed the regiments with their supporting forces in
proper POSITIONS adopted and resulted in the pro-
per formation OF each assaung force, without the least
confusion disorder although there was no road but
narrow pathway
Again Col Haskell says that placed his regiment in
position by directing him ito rest his right the right
the ep ah e5t a. IL lii ts left sggqre IF to the l 90 g
trork Of me enemy" He then says, that by this man9u
vre, will be perceived that the ranks of Col HaskelPs
command were reUersed-the front rank becoming the
rear and the right OF the regiment its LETT" Now how
II is possible Tor regiment which is marching by the
flank to its ranks and change its wings from
right to left, by this ORDER it will be difficult for any mil
was upon the right of the path, and the left extended
square on to NE tgt, he says ordered by me- it
was as impossible Tor the rings to have been reversed by
that order, II would be for to the position
Of has arms, and equally for the ranks to have
been reversed; for they could not possibly be reversed
except by the whole regiment being ordered 10 face by
the ranks, which would have turned the backs OF
the men to the enemy and yet Col Haskell comes TO
the conclusion that, by this order. his y,ngs and his
ranks reversed! cannot account for such inexp
cable confusion of mind in military To suppose
him SO ignorant of the principles of military science
would show him utterly unfit for the command of reg
ment and yet forced 10 this conclusion, to the
belief that he much peturbed by sensiba
y, that he did not know his right wing from his left nor
his rear rank from his front | defy himself or any Of
his friends to extricate him from this dilemma II would
be entirely immateria by which flank he marched-the
order which, he says did give would il executed place
the regiment in proper position for the assault upon the
enemy's works
First, then, Col Haskell msstates the number OF
a. IL c. IL