The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1862-08-21

"They had all got this story, whicl
was without the slightest shadow o
! foundation, for there had not - singl.
man arrived at the camp since we hat
, got full information that their Who'll.
force consisted of twenty thousanf
men, OF whom eighteen hundred were
sick with the measles. The story WIS
however, that they had ascertained b,
reliable Information of this reinforce
ment. Where they got their informa
ton DO not know. None such reached
me, and | picked up deserters and 9th
er pickets to get all the information
could. And we since have learned, a,
a matter of certainty, that Johnston's
force never did exceed twenty thousand
men,"
Upon this melancholy statement q
facts ! will neither comment nor dwell
2. The second cause of this disaster
was the failure 10 attack on Friday be
fore the arrival of the enemy's rein
forcements, instead Of on Sunday, after
they had arrived. Why was not thi.
done? 1t il averred that the fault was
in the qnartermaster's department, in
not furnishing transportation at the
proper time aud place.
General Heintzelman says:
"The delay at Centerville, | suppose
was principally waiting for provision,
and for the information of the position
of the enemy.
"The day after we left Alexandria
the provision train was to start. The
wagons had not yet been collected, as
| understood and the consequence was
that they did not start the next day,
but the day after.
General Franklin states, in relation
to the delay of the army at Centreville
from Thursday to Sunday:
My i prission is that it was on nc
count of the non arrival of the supplies
for the army until some time on Satur-
day"
General Mcdowell states that he was
forced To leave to those in the CITY the
duty of forwarding provisions to him,
but there was delay in doing so.
8. The delay of the whole army for
three hours On Sunday morning in con.
sequence of the delay of Keyes' bri-
yade in Tyler's division, in getting into
the assigned position. The enemy was
defeated AT two O'clock, and but for the
timely arrival of portion of Johnston's s
force, their route would have been com
plete. The three hours lost in the early
morning could not be regained. The
men were fatiyued and overworked in
the heat, and the precious moment for a
crushing blow passed. Gen. Mellow.
ell says on this point:
"Tyler was to move at halfpast two
O'Clock A. NJ, and Hunter was to move
half an hour erlier, so that he might
close up OH Tyler's division. Hcintz
Gilman was to move at halI-past two,
"A. NJ, SD as to fall in the rear Of Hunt.
er's division. Tyler was expected to get
over the ground between The encamu-
ment of his advanced Brigade and
where the road turned off to the right,
at the blacksmiib's shop, in time 10
offer TO Olstructions to the road to be
used i'm common by all the divisions.
81 was sick during that night and
morning, and did not leave nv quar-
ters-'a little over a mile, perhaps a
mile and quarter east of Centreville-
until thought all the divisions were
fully in motion, so as To give myself as
much rest az possible. When had got
beyond CenlrevilIe about mile, i passed
the troops lying down and sitting down
on the wayside. Upon asking why thy
did not move forward, the reply came
to me that the road was blocked up. !
saw some men comming from the left
ofthe road through cornfield, into the
road. When asked to what regiment
they belonged, they said the Second
New York, which formed part of
Schecnk's brigade, (Tylcr's division.)
| went forward, urging the troops To
move on, until got to the blarksmith's
shop where the road turned off tu Sud
ley's Springs, to carry out the plan of
battle"
In reply to the question, +" Whose
division blocked up the road ?" Gen.
Mcdowell says:
"The first division; General Tylcr's
division. Major-now General-Bar-
nard, who was the chief of engineers
on my staff, in his report tn me, dated
July 20, 1861, says as follows:
"You are aware of the unexpected
delay. The two leading Brigades of
Tyler's Division did not clear the
road for Hunter to this point, (black.
smith shop) where the road turned to
the right, until halt past five.'
"That was three hours after the time
fixed TO start.
"Col"ncl Heintzelmau-now Gene
raj IIeintzleman-in his report to me
of July 81, states as foll"ws:
SAT C-nterville we found the road
filed with the troops, and were de-
taind three hours to allow the divisions
of Generals Tyler and Hunter to pass.
| followed them with my division, i'm
mehiately in rear of the latter"
General lIeintzelman SAYS:
'The next morning (Sun.lay,) pre-
cisrly at the hour fixed, left. The
head of The column got to Centerville,
and found the road obstructed with
troops. General Tyler's division had
not passed vet. waited there three
hours for Tyler's and Hunters divis.
ions to pass"