, 1862-03-07
!" "F0RWARD:. TO RICHMOND T"
Vin1ication Of the: President fren.
the Charges Of His Enemies.
MAKING HISTORY.

MAKING HIST DRY.
..-----. {: -;
The enemies Of 1.-THE President Who have per.
sistently changed him with yielding to popular
and Congressional clamor, and compelling
General Scott to fight. the battle Of Bull Run,
In opposition to, the Judgment Of TINT CON-
mander, will be enlightened By the following
extracts from the Congressional G1ooe: +. :.
/: Nh. BLAIR (Mo. ~ ask the gentleman from
Massachusetts to Withdraw his demand for
the previous question to enable me to make O
personal explanation in connection with my
remarks On this mltter on Friday.
Mr.. GoocH- will withdraw the demand
for the previous question for that purpose
Mr. BLAIR mo II: stated on Friday, in re-
ply to some remarks made upon the other side
Of the House, that the knowledge or iniorma-
ton that General Johnston had escaped from
Winchester and had eludcd General Patterson
was communicated to the General command
Ing here On Friday afternoon, or Friday night,
or at latest on Saturday! also stated, in that
connection, that General Patterson had sent 4.
dispatch to that effect. That, however, was
lot Important; the point On which wished
ton to insist vas not that General Patterson had
sent the dispatch the point wanted to bring
out was In reply to allegations which threw
the result of that battle, and the responsibility
OF the defeat, upon others than the Generals
commanding the army at that time. We all
know that in July lost the whole odium Of
wl,at WIS known US the son to Richmond
c1iquen connected with the Government, en-
bracing Congressman and others.
In July last, or on the lst Of August, when
I first spoke upon the subject in this House,
1oE the purpose Of putting that responsibility
be fact, and reiterated that fact on Friday
last, that the Generals in command Of the
army knew that General Johnston had e1uded
General Paterson, andl left Winchester to REIN
force General Beauregard at Manassas.
That Is what said; but it seems that gen
tlemcn upon the other side were 50 full Of
some secret they had got in committee that
they at once raised this side issue with me as
to whether General Patterson sent the dis
patch himself or not.
MT: GoocH.-M the gentleman will permit
me to interrupt him, i desire to say that. go
far IS am concerned, desire to raise no is-
sue with him so far as the maia question is
concerned as to this information being rcceiy-
ed by the authorities here I did, However,
desire to correct the gentleman in reference to
hls statement that General Patterson furnish-
ed this information.
Dir. BLAIR {Mo.)-I believed at the tine
that Ibis information had come direct from
General Patterson to the General In command
here, but that General Scott received the in.
formation there is no earthly doubt. Nor is
there any doubt that the President suggested
TO Gen: Scott the propriety Of waiting for
General Patterson's army, In order to SUPPORT
the coln1nn Of. General Mcdowell. I have no
doubt Of that fact, for have knowledge Of it.
1t is Of no importance whether General Pat
terEon sent the information or not; but it ap-
pears from the letter which I hold in my hand
that am correct, and that Gen. Patterson did
send Il dispatch to Gen. Scott on the subject.
received the letter from 4 gentleman with
whom am very well acquainted, and will
read it for the Information Of the House.
WAsnEtToN, February II, 1962.-lEy dear CN,o-
been forwarded to me By General Patterson it, as
well as my own recollection, fally confirms the
statement made by you il the House that Genoral
Patterson, On the 10th Of July. communicated to
the headquarters Of the Army at Washington the
full Intelligence that Johnston had with 4 portion
Of hs force, left Winchester by the road to Mill
This dispatch was given in evidence before the
Investigating Committee. AZ appears by irs re-
coEtse.
General Pattereon'E force at atartinsburs was
eighteen thousand two hundred men.
Tue only point in which, permit me to Bay, I do
not agree Mith your Femaske in tie House is n in
Darnesyille can testify to his readiness to expose
himself to danger.
Very sincerely yours, Cnno BtDD1E.
HEADqUAHTEEs DEBT PENNSYLVANIA,
tHAR1Es7oS, VIRGINIA, July 20, 1861. !.
II ILL a HGTL49u VI LIS 10fEe+ johnston latG 1t
chester by tho road to Mil1wood on the afternoon
Of the 18th- His whole force is about thirty-ayc
thousand two hund5s3; R1d;o. c.ao-., PArEEHsos.
Colonel E. D, TowSsESo, 4. A. q, 3. S-Au'
Washington. D. G.
Il will be noticed that that dispatch is dated
the Goth dag Of July, 1861. now desire to re-
itelate, whatever information the gentlemen
Of the committee may have ia regard to this
matter, that did not mean to make an issue
with the committee rs to whether this infor.
nation came from General Patterson or not.
As remarked On Saturday last, thought that
General Patterson had at least done that much
Of his duty. That information vas published
in the newspapers. The Presidens heard Of it,
and went to GeneIa Scott, and suggested de-
lay until General Fatterson's forces could be
brought up to General AfcDoweil's assistance,
to support him in his proposed assault upon
Manassas. hare this from tho best sources.
I know that it is true. can youch for its ac-
cuTacy.
Mr.. STEyESs-N my recollection serves me,
it was reported in the papers, and I wish to
know from the gentleman whether am cor
rect, that General Scott stated in the presence
of the Cabinet, that this battle was fought
against bis Judgment and against his wishes.
Now, vas that declaration correct?
Mr. CR1TTENDESI did not hear that uues-
ton, and hope that tie gentleman will re.
peat it.
Mr.. sTEyESs--1 wish to know from the gen
tfeman from Missouri, as suppose he knows,
whether the statement made III the papers and
By the gentleman from Illinois {Mr. R1cnAgD.
soS) upon this floor was correct. understand
that the gentleman from Illinois stated he was
present When Gen Scott: declared to the Cabines
and the President that the battle OF Bull Run
had been fought against Lis wishes and his
Judgment, and under instructions from Aigle,
authority, and that he deserved to be dismissed
from the army in having yielded his judgment
to those above him. Is that true?
Mr. BLAIR {Mo. )-In addition to that the
gentleman from Illinois stated, in reply to a
question which put to him, that the hePresident
asked Gen. Scott whether he had given lin
claimed it in the most emphatic manner, then
and there. It will not do for the gentleman
from Pennsylvania to state 4 portion of what
took place. He ought to state all that trans
pire6.
Mr.. SrEyESs-I au the partizan Of no one
did not rise for the purpose Of vindicatinf
anybody only wished to know whether
was correct in my understanding Of what llat
! taken place. Did General Scott state tha
that battle had been fought against his judg
ment and wishes, and upon pressure from 9th
ers? wish to know whether that is correc
Or not.
Dir. BLAIR {Mo- (--The gentleman said thai
he had been forced to fight that battle agains
lis Judgment by the highest authority
Mr. sTEyESs.I understood the gentleman
from Illinois to say that the pressure upo1
General Scott had proceeded from those Hhs
were hi chcr In authority than him.
11r. BLAIR {Mo. 1.-The gentleman S recollec
| ton is correct, SO far as his statement goes
| but it is incorrect in emitting portion O
| what occurred at TINT interview. The Presi
| dent appealed to General Scott to say whethc
! he had urged him into that battle prc;naturel,
| and General Scott frankly admitted that he hatt
not. -
I eMR. S1EyEss-Thc gentleman does not IN
| derstand me. I understood that Gen. Scot
| declared that the battle had been foueh
! against lis wishes and his Judgment Til
| gentleman from Missouri states that the bat
Tie was fought By General Scott against til
| protest Of the President Which il correct
t 9Mr. BLAIR Mo.eIn reply to the President
| General Scott stated that the President hat
| not urged him to fight that battle. I kno7
that the President suggested to General Scott
| when he :asceytaincd that General Johnston
!! had eludcd General Patterson, that he ghoul
| delay his attack upon Manassas until Genera
| Patterson's forces could be brought up, bu
| in that he was oyerru1cd By General Scott
have made this statement more than once, an
| In reply to the gentleman from :Pcnnsyl 9ania
| InoW make it again.
| The Rebel Prisoners at indianapolis
from the Indianapolis Journal]
! OF the sick prisoners at the Military prisol
and hospitals Of this city, the greater proper
| ton arc Missfssfpptan6. Though some Of th
! Tennessccans and Kentucktans arc quite i'll
| their maladies are not 30 deep eeated as thos
Of the LIST, 4th and 26th Mississippi prisoners