New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-12-30
The Bridges at Fredricisburg neiss's
Testimony Reviewed-The Destruction
Of BridgCs-Gsen. sige:'s Action iE the

Matter.
FROM Der Special Correspondent:
rIsADquARrERs GIN. ssKL's GRAND REsrnvE DiysIoS.}
STAFFORD CouRTHoUsR. Va, Dec. a. 1902
The Washington Chronicle Of to-day contains tie
testimony in relation to the battle Of Fredericksburg,
and in the course of Gen. Meigss evidence the foe
lowing statement appears:
understand that there large fore, a. FredeF
icksburg Captain DshgIen of General Siges staS hsd
dash into Federick.burs few days before and hsd
BRIDGE the Impression iat he had burned these very
railroad bridges that they burned then and not before
what the facts in that matter do not know
This statement of Gen. Megs is contradiced by
his own testimony. In the first place. lie states that
upon Gen. Burnsides evacuation ofAcqua Creek in
August asst 'the work already constructed there was
destroyed, cars aud considerable quantity Of stores
were DESTROYED and the bridges burnt, 10 ny great
regret. I endeayored 70 prevent II, but heard *
their intention too late"
Then again he states that nj the interview WITH
Gen. Burnside on the l2;h OF November az Warren
ton re told Gen. Burnside that the railroad could
not be repaired in day That ~s did not sAoS t.s
condition # the 6r,dges."
Adding as testimony:
" lie (Gen b. under the impression, thni tat tie
bridges nsd no, been burned They Lad been burned how
ever" -
Then follows tie extract first quoted.
The facts Of the ease, a. far as Capt. DahlgIou
expedition is concerned, these: While at
Gainesville. Gen Sigei saw that the forward move
ment of the Army OF the Potomac must be made
either via Culpepper Cour.-House and GordOnsvIle
or via Fredericksburg. II by the latter route, the
railroad from Aoquia Creek became an allimportans
feat ure and The necessity of asceriaining It's eond.
ton was imperative. For this purpose tie eNpedl-
ton under Capt. Dallgren was sent forward, COM
posed Of the Generals own body-guard, his other
cavalry being employed elsewhere. On the return
Of Capt. DaLgren on the 10th Of NovemoeT-two
IA h.fa no a h.fKv
Burnside and Meigs-Gen. Sigel teiegraphed beth
TO Gems. Burnside and Heinzelman that Captain
Dahlgen reports the bridges over Potomac and
AccaAe Greeks, on the Acquia Creek and Freder-
icksburg Railroad, destroyed"
Thus it VIII be seen that Gems Burnside, Hent2ei-
man and Megs kaep the bridges were des royeo.
How Gen. HeIntzeman could nave drawn the in.
ference which lie also conveyed TO Gen. Meigs, that
Capt. Dahgren destroyed The bridges Is not clear.
The foresight Of Geu. S,eI, in sending cut the
expedition, must be apparent 70 All loF AZ Tue very
time when information was desired as TO the eondi
ton of the bridges, 1t was furnished by Gen. Sige.
fresh ana Trustworthy.
Your correspondent desires to add that wherever
Gen. SiQel il stationed, he at nee makes himself
thoroughly converssnt with the surrounding coun-
try its roads, creeks, rivers, fords mills, plains, for.
es,s, Sc. An incident may be given as an illustra-
ton: Upon the return Of this corps 10 Stafford
Courthouse on Wednesday week, scouts were as
once sent out upon every road running toward the
enemy aud before retiring to rest the General knew
the exact condition of all those roads, whether pass-
able for artillery, &c., or not.
The information thus obtained had an important
bearing upon TWO movements, viz, attack by the
enemy or q march in that direction by this eorpe,
both of which were not improbable.
As TO the matter of moving pontoon trains, 1t may
be stated that the heavy pontoon train Of Gen. Free
mont army, during the chase after Jackson ovel
the mountains, was always up with the army and
In position for the troops to cross, without caueinH
any delay whatever. The train was then under the
charge OF Lieut.. Geo. 7. Robinson, now Capt. Rob-
insop, aud aide.de.camp " Gen. Sigs