The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-07-29
GENERAL PATTERSON'S COMMAND.
Qua HARiAi'S FERRY CORRESPONDENTS.

rENE hAII PAITEhSON y COMMAND.
DUG HAhi as FERRY CORRESPONDENTS.
HARpER's FERRY July "a, 1861.
His Conduct Canrasscd-P Patterson Not she Right Nan for
the Right Place'--He is a B,nneyer and No T1cician--
ISLANDERS upon The Troops under His Command Whispers
Ola Cotpiracyto Cheat The Gorc7,meat-Gredt IndiC,a-
hos Eristing against the Unsuccessful Geneat-Leters
fran Hupa's Ferry, Hagersto,vn. DEC.
General Banks Is momcntariy expected here and il he
does not arrive speedily, the retiring prophet will
take care That the Generalization among tho troops which
he predicted will be thoroughly accomplished. General
Patterson has covered himself with inramy and brought
disgrace upon the troops, and upon the country SEQ
reported in the papers that the troops under John
son that struck tho decisive blow If So General Pat
terson and line alone rests the responsibility Aud now
he is pesisteny attempting to throw upon others tho
consequences Of his own imbecility or treachery To
General Scott he assigns among other for his pre-
cipitate march from Bunker HILL the decentralization
among the troops their demand home that they
were barcfooted &c, and that when he proposed for
ward movement, he was met by circumstances and
plants from officers and men. While to the men, he De
clares that the occupation of Charlestown cose
quence Of pcromptory orders from General Scott These
allegations are both equally false The Infamous Islander
upon the troops have already exposed That there
any barcrooed in these regiments Is also news here
do not believe that there a dozen in the whole
column While at Chambcrsburg and Hagerstown the
State OF Pennsylvania sent her agent to furnish clothing
to all who needed them, and 1t was done So far from
there being any remonsranccs at forward movement
repeat that the men all anxious to be led to Win
chester and the only complaints that heard were
those against the rerograde Then for the first
time that the began to talk about going home
And even then serious effort his part to retain
them would, have no doubt, have been successful
An order to follow the enemy towards Manassas would
have done IT, But this did not suit his purposes. He had
already assigned their dsaection, according to his de-
scription amounting almost to open mutny, reason
for naction and 1t would not do after remaining
Charlestown fasfy his statements Consequently all
his appeals were only perfunctory They were simulated
not real And now he is fastening away the troops as
rapidly possible, although the from Manassas has
created profound sensation among them and many who
might have hesated before would cheerfuy remain now
If desired. He las of some vino at Charles
town had expressed q willingness to ROMAN. Over ten
regiments have been sent and others being pushed
homcward as rapidly transportation will allow The
design appears to be to cbarass his successor as much
possible
But il won't answer Neither the government nor the
people will be deceived The people never had any con
ndence in him. During the first excitement in Phia-
deipha the mob visited his house compelled him to
hoist the American flag and the here tonight is
that they are now very much excited and again threaten
to destroy his dwelling Gen. Scott who has oil! along
treated him with great indulgence meeting to the utmost
all his calls for rcnfocements (and like Oliver Twist he
always asking for morc appears at last have seen
his mistake The only for him to go into pcrpe-
tua retirement and to repent in sackclo ashes But
instead of hanging his head in shame he is s carrying on
the system Of Misrepresentation and exaggeraon Of
the forces Of the enemy and depreciation of his own
bovo
General in Chief from the first L has al along been
charged by that General Patterson never designed
and never woui kcomplsh anything. 1t has been said
from the first t his design trie aw sy the time
and By creating difficulties avoid action until the terms Of
the expired He Is charged with having designed TO
inure the administration and TO prevent them from shar
ing in any glory the of his arms might gain.
Heaven knows will be anxious share his rcputa
tiun We think review Of his course, and ven
say his spondence, if IL Is ever published will
go great way prove both these charges although the
latter must always remain to great extent matter of
We are informed by an officer that the Gene.
raj is most basey engaged circulating most
the enemy Winchester excuse and justification Of
his conduct According 10 this account the strength Of
Johnston at Winchester AZ 900 men, including about
100 cavalry and large force of artillery many riled
cannon-thirty two and forty two pounders-and that
they had in position in the Notifications around Winches
In opposition to this statement f indeed it be necessary
to refuto SO absurd an exagseration put the account
returned from the neghborhood Of winchester aud who
has many friends and acquaintances in that vicinity He
says that Johnsons force did not exceed 600 armed
men, with about 5000 militia, some partially armed,
others not at all with two heavy guns and about eighteen
six Founders BE says this Is the outside This CORES
his wSo was o.
eighteen thousand and he bad only received from Beanre-
gard sIgrs three each 'st before the
1t not necessary TO examine this statement much in
detail consider II transparcny fass like most other
% hs 'sS e. ny ap thus
Frstt is suspicious as On after thought seized upon to
justify preceding fault, and stated thought
of as the original ground Of inaction.
Second-It comes after the Union army has left the
vicinity and therefore not as reliable that obtained
near the spot
Thrdlt Is contradcted by witnesses, and is unreason
able in itself but even if true, it fails in tho pur
General Patterson was merely his failure
to attack Winchester this statement might be an excuse
but in that case was needed for the statements al
ready given Of the strength and ntrenchment Of the
my II true and we say nothing about that how, suf
hcient. But this is not the complaint The gravaman of
the charge is that although he fully informed of tho
intended advance upon Manassas, and knew that his
movement intended to keep Johnston occupied he
first moves day before he was expected or ordered and
then retres quietly retres Charestewu await the
result Mt Manassas leaving the enemy perfectly free
join the rebel forces at that point which he Immediately
proceeded to do.
although the enemy may have been 10 900 strong
reason why he should be left unmoes,ed to pr
should remain behind. much smaller force might have
prevented or delayed the march Of large force as hrt
reported particularly il he had such heavy guns-soYne
OF them reported as requiring twenty horses haul
Finally AZ 70 the charge that General had ordered
the occupation and retention of Chaestown We venture
to say no such order given and shall believe only
when VIC see II under the hand Of the tcneran Chief
Acting necessarily upon the information received
from the commander of the column, General
SCOTS orders TO upon the enemy
n Tuesday ii too strong to attack and defeat,
to occupy him with feints and demonsratons If here.
tired from Winchester and the federal forces
strong enough to follow him in that direction take the
route by Charlestown Keys Ferry and eesburg and join
the main army in the neighborhood Manassas Instead
of this the movement, is made Monday. the retreat
Wednesday and when arrived at Chaestown. further
advance is made but the whole column is allowed to
main Inactive NJ Charestovn, while the decisive move
ment Is going on at Manassas until they become com
pleely Disguised and demoralizcd
But this letter has already been drawn out TO i'm
moderate length and ! conclude by saying that what
have written is from private poue or spite whatever
conscious Of such feeling and have occasion for
any II is written purely from public considerations