The national Republican., 1861-11-21
sncnrr HISTORY ur THE WAN.
Con. Pastsrson's De fence.

nation Of the company in l77l, by supper at
the Continental. Gen. Patterson was present,
and; in response to toast and three cheers,
for not interceptiDg Gen. Johnston, previous to
the battle Of Manassas Junction. He returned
thanks for the compliment paid him, and for
said that he was not in the habit of giving rea-
sons for anything he did or did not do, but In |
the presence Of men Of SO much Intelligence as |
the members Of the First City Troop, \ part Of
ley of Virginia, he considered it due to them
AS well rs to himself to give short statement
of facts. i
During the latter part ofJuly, all August, and
aim so gross that It could not be asserted and
reiterated with impunity and swallowed with
avdity. The gentlemen Of the Troop knew how |
false these ISLANDERS we're. He had submitted
ments in his possession to prove that he did all
that he was ordered to do, and more than any
one had n right 10 expect under the circum-
stances In which he and his command were
placed, and he deied any man, high or low, to
,ut his finger on an order disobeyed.
The gentlemen of the troop were witnesses
Of what was done, and he asserted what they
knew to be true. that the column was well con.
a blunder committed. The administers were
always in front, and the TANKS well protected
| They were caught in no trap, and fell into no
am6uscade. They repeatedly offered the enc
them. There was no defeat and no retreat with
It might be asked, "why have you not made
| this statement soonerr' Because the publica.
| ton Of the documents sooner would have been
| most detrimental to the public interests. He
| preferred bearing the odium so literally be.
slowed on him, rather than olear himself at the
| expense Of the cause In which we we're all en-
gagged. The time had arrived when the matter
could, without injury to the service, be in
quired into and he was determined that 1t
should be done, andethat befnre long all the
documents referred TO should be published,
and spread before the American people, unless
| those whose dnty ii was to do so should in the
| mean time do him justice.
| He would state a few facts. On the Sd Of
| June he took command at Chambersburgh. On
the 4th he was informed by the General.in.
Chief that he considered the addition to his
force Of a battery of artillery and some regu
lar infantry indispensable. On the 9Th Of June
u Letter Of Instructions was sent him. In which
he was told that there must be no reverse a
check or a drawn battle would be victory to
the enemy hlng his heart with joy, his ranks
with men, and his mo gazines with untary
contributions; and, therefore, to take his mea.
sures circumspecuy and attempt nothing with.
out clear prospect Of success. This WAS good
instruction and most sensible advice. Good or
bad, he WAS to obey and he did.
On Friday, the 18th. he was informed that, on
the suppostion that he would cross the river
on the next Monday or Tuesday, Gen. Mcdowell
; would be instructed to make a demonstration
on Manassas juno ion. He WAS surprised NJ
the order, but promptly "beyed. On the 18th
he reached Hagerstown. and on the 10th two
thirds Of his forces had crossed the Potomac
The promised demonstration by Gen. Mcdowell
in the direction of Manassas Junction, WAS moi
u made; and on the 10th just three days after he
had been told he was expected to GROSS, he wal
telegraphed by the Gene eral.in Ghetto send hin
T. "at once all the regular troops, horse and foot
and the Rhode Island regiment and battery,
and told that he was strong enough without The
k regulars, and to keep within limits until HI
could satisfy him that he ought to 60 beyont
them. On The 18th, he was again telegraphed
y 1--WE are pressed here. Send the troops hav'
3 twice called for without delay" This was i'm
8 perative, and the troops were sent, leaving b n
without single piece of artillery, and, for the
4 time, single troop Of cavalry. II was a gloomy
: night, but they were all brought over the rivel
again without loss.
8 On the goth Of June. he was asked, by the
o General-in.Chief, to propose. without delay, I
3 plan Of operations. On the 2lst, he submitted
, to the General.inChief his plan, which was Il
u abandon the present line Of operations, move
0 all supplies TO Frederick, occupy Maryland
Heights with Major Doubleday's heavy guns
:. and a brigade of infantry to support them, ant
q with everyth else-hurse, foot, and artillsry
9 TO cross the Potomac at Point Of Rocks, ant
J, unite with Colonel stones foroe at Leesburg
= from which point he could operate as circum
Il stances should demand and the Generals order
r should require. No reply WAS received; but
Y on the 27th, the General telegraphed him tina
81 he supposed that he was, that day, crossing tn
n river in pursuit of the enemy.
= On that day the enemy was In condition T.
II cross the river in pursuit. He had over 1ftee
d thousand men, and from twenty to twenty fou
"a guns. General. Patterson had about ten thou
sand men and six guns, the latter immovab
for want of harness. On the 2Sth, he informe
the General Of tho strength Of the enemy an
70 of his own force; that he would not on hi
own responsibility, attack without artillery
but would do 80 chez rtully and promptly II h
| n al q n
IA No order was given. On the 10th he receive
the harness for his single battery of six smooth
to bore guns, and, on the 30th, gave the order I
ia cross. On the I'd Of July he crossed, mot tn
enemy, and whipped them.
q On the 9th of July council was held, {
r which all the commanders of divisions an
, brigades, and chiefs of staff we're presen
Col. s one, the jut ior line officer, spoke twio
" and decidedly against an advance, advocatin
n 4 direct movement TO Shepardstown an
Charlestown. All who spoke opposed an al
n, vance, and all voted against one. On the sam
At day, he informed the Generalin. Chief of th
80 that he should 60 to Char lestown and oooup
ID Harper's Ferry, and asked to be informe
n when he would attack Manassas. On the II,
!" he was directed to 70 where he had PROPOSED
ut and informed that Manassas would be attacks
l. on Tuesday the 18th. On The 18th he WAS tell
graphed-''lt II not strong enough to beat til
enemy early next week, make demonstration
ye 80 rs to detain him in the valley Of Winche
:, ter" He sde the demOnstr atiOns, and on th
IL 10th, the day Gen. Scott said he would attac
70 Manassas, he drove the enemys pickets int
,. HIS entrenchments at Winchester and on Ii
'' l7th, marched to Charlestown.
III On tho 18th he telegraphed the General il
IN Chief that Johnston was in a position to hav
his strength doubled just rs he could reac
him, and that he would rather lose the chanC
Of accomplishing something brilliant than b
O. hazarding his column, 10 destroy the fruits
- the campaign by defeat, closing his tolegral
}" thus: " If wrong, let me be instrusted." Bl
no instructions came. This was eight days b,
fore the battle Of Manassas.
-. ~ On the seventeenth, General Scott telegraph
81 ed: "McDowell's irst days work has drive
K tho enemy beyond Fairfax Court House. 7,
y, morrow the Junction will probably be Ca
ried."
In With this information he was happy. Johnsto
had been detained the appointed time, and th
60 work Of General Patterson's column had bee