The daily Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1862-1863, 1862-12-27
The Fredericksburg Re-
pulse Accounted for.
Official Report of the Committee on
the Conduct of the War.
Gen. Burnside Frankly Acknowl-
edges his Responsibility. B.

The following abstract of the report
of the Committee on the Conduct of the
War was telegraphed on Wednesday
night, but with our usual bad luck we
failed to receive it:
WASHINGTON, Dec. 23.-Thc report of
the Committee on the Conduct of the
5 War embraces the dispositions of Gems.
Burnside, Sumner, Franklin, Hooker,
Woodbury., Haupt, Halleck and Meigs.
The Committee report the testimony,
without comment. Gen. Burnside said
"When, after the battle of Antietam, Nc
Clellan decided to cross the Potomac, |
said to him, in my opinion, he would
never be able to take the army on that
route, beyond the Rappahaunock, unless
he succeeded in fighting the enemy at
some place on this side. That if he pro-
posed to go to Richmond by land he
would have to go to Fredericksburg, and
in that he partially agreed with me- On
versation, Mcclellan gave an order to
Capt Drum, Chief of Engineers, to have
all the pontoon bridges at Berlin and in
that neighborhood that could be spared,
taken up and sent down to Washington,
with view of getting them dow n to this
town in case he decided to go by way of
Fredericksburg.
The letter conveying that order was
written on the 9th of November, but, as
/ understood, was not received until the
18th of November"
cpao Ec Of fba h
which he received the Presidents order
to take command of the Army of the Po-
tomac, and that he had repeatedly ex-
pressed the opinion that he (Burnside) }
was not competent to command so large
an army, and that Mcclellan was the
fttest person. He then says: Halleck
came to see me November ii. On the
9th L made out plan of operations in
accordance with Hallecks order, and
sent it to Washington. He gives de-
tailed account of this plan, and speaks
of the disastrous delay in receiving pom.
toons, and says on the 18th he started a
column to Fredericksburg, not knowing
of the delay. The pontoons did not,
however, start until the 18th, and that
day it commenced raining, which delay
ed them so much, and the roads became
so bad, that when they got to Dumfries
they lifted the pontoons off the wagons,
sent to Washington for steamer, and
carried them to Acquia Creek by water,
sending the wagons round by land. The
pontoons did not get there until the 22d
or 23d of November. After the fret de-
lay in starting the pontoons, think they
M crriolyl- ~ fbnxr oOul1 bo ya
been, and the supplies and quartermas-
ters stores have always been in as great
an abundance as we could have expect
ed, for after the 18th of November the
weather and roads were particularly had.
After reaching Fredericksburg saw at
once there was no crossing the Kappa.
hammock with the army at that time 1t
commenced raining, and the river began
to rise. [ did not know how much il
might rise There were no means OF
crossing except by going upto the fords
and it would be impossible to do that be-
cause of inability to supply the troops
after they should have crossed. Sumner
arrived here with his troops in advance
He sent to me, asking me if he should
cross the river. | did not think it ad
visable that he should at that time. L
was first decided to cross at Skinner
Neck, about IL miles below here, but
our demonstration was simply for the
purpose of drawing there as large 6
force of the enemy as possible. / ther
retired to cross here, because, in the
first place, felt satisfied that they die
not expect US to cross here, but below
In the next place, l felt satisfied tina
this was the place to fight the mos, ,deci
sive battle, because if we could divide
their forces by piercing their lines a
one or two points, separating their lef
from their right, then a vigorous attacl
with the whole army would succeed il
breaking their army in pieces
Two attacks were made, and we wer,
repulsed, still holding portion of the
ground we had fought upon, but not ou
extreme advance. That night l wen
over the field on our right, and, in fact,
was with the officers and men till nearl
daylight found the feeling against al
attack returned to my headquarters
and, after conversation with Sumner
Army Corps, which originally com
| mandeo, 10 form next morning IN col
umn of attack by regiments.
at consisted of some eighteen olt
regiments and some new ones, and l de
sired the column to make direct attacl
upon the enemy's works. l thought tha
these regiments, by arriving quickly u
after each other, would be able to carr
the stone wall and batteries in front
forcing the enemy on their next line, an
by going in with them they would not b
able to fire upon us to any great extent
l left Gen. Sumner with that understand
ing, and directed him to give the orders
The order was given and the order of at
tack was formed The next mornin,
Just before the column was to have start
ed, Gen. Sumner came to me and said
81 hope you will desist from this attack
] do not know of any General office
who approves of it, and l think it vii