The New York herald., 1862-12-25

ter aud the coninissary deparnents. The quarter
| means required for these andipgs l may say al
totally destitute OF means. With the very short
st 1og Sns posDs % & WAY S ,s s
gency been made known to in ary manner could
disregarded The forms Of service, zea leans, teas
and wagon mashers for instant service whenever ce
/ ind them. Then, with good roads and good Wcat N
they might possibly have bean in time; but had
warrant for such course. which, alter all, could
have been CARRIED ont by the authority OF the eneras
Chief. had conversation with General Meies
10Th, in which much said about the work TO be d
at Aqua creek not a word 80 far as RENE m.
about the laad pontoon trains the department OF vii
General Megs ls chief, cannot be Justly blamed in
matter. My requsilions for horses were answered
medatoy. 8 e &6aS
TESTIMONY OF GENERAL HAL LEcK.
Major General n w. Hsleck was duly sworn and
mined Eli
Queston-By the Chairman.-By resolution Of the
nate instructed to inquire into the assault
Fredericksburg and the for the delay in attack
the cnemys works. There seems to be misunderstood
ing to whose duty was furnish the pontoon
appeared to be material tina. they should have be
thcrs At the same time the army got there. The arm
got there first, and the pontoons did not get there
some time afterwards through mistake or delay. Th'
is matter OF inquiry. State, in your own way auythi
yen think material which win throw light upon the 50
ect OF our inquiry. aud especially as to the delay
Answcr.--I will state that all the troops in washngtd
and its vicinity were under the command OF Gener
Mcclellan when he relieved and he issued his orde
directly to the commanding officer at Washington, wi
one single exception, that no troops should
notified by General Mcclellan or the commanding Office
here In all other respects they all under directo
that they remained precisely the before. On
visit to General Burnside at Warrenton on the 18th
Navembcr In speaking about the boats and things thu
he required from here repeated 10 him that they
all SUBJECT to his orders with that single exception.
prevent the necessity Of the commanding officer here
porting the order for tho boats here the order draw
up upon his table and signed by directly Geners
Woodbury. On the evening Of The Izth think the even
ing that was there, General Woodbury. on my return
told me he had received the order tod him iha, in al
these matters be was under General Burnsido's dircc
tons. ] had nothing further 70 give him cxcep'
veTsation with him him ana General keigs J.
should % sag v na hsy the ca s be s,ln sa
IN that way, without interfering with the sup
plies which had to be sent TO Aquia creek. gave nc
other order direction IN regard To the mattor than thai
all other matters were under General Burnsdes direc
tion. He also informed me, whiis at WarrentonI
ready an order 10 Harpers Ferry for the pontoon
train there to 90 down. The order had been issued
They being under General Burusides immediate and di
rcc command did not interfere At all in relation to tcm
| Qacs s,on Do you know whether there was any de,ay
in s.artl.g them nh. in their prasress there , -,
steamers getting aground with the pontoons, and there
| was delay, understood. in the train goiig down
by land account of tue difficulty Of the roads and the
nexperencc perhaps Of the officer in command. and IL
had to be taken by water part Of the way could not
get throug1by land considered. from the reports
received that these delays resulted mainly from accident
ara the eeeus tnat no man had any control Gen
Burnside elegraphed to me in rcati ion to Cen Woodbury.
thinking that he had used due diligence but aftee
wards told he was perfectly satisfied with what Gen.
Woodbury. had done and that lie did mot know but that
tho commanding officer OF the train that went down had
done his duty also that he Disposed make fur
ther investigation Of that matter that he pretty we'll
Questionwas there any request Tor you to delay the
advance of the until the boats arrived anything
Answer-No, sir. I remcmber this, tha. General
woodbury., in conversation with me, said that Genera!
Burnside could not get down for several days after told
him. and that lie could need the boats till General
Burnside arrived. think remarked TO him that did
h he c % M & the s
| know himself While was at Warrenton he proposed
this movement. and be was directed 70 make all prepa-
ratiohs for II. but not 70 begin till the PreSt.
dent consulted returned On tho after
noon Of the 18th, and think the morning
of the 14th had an interview with the President. in
which he consented TO General BGrnsdcs plans aud i'm
medatsly tecgraphed him to 60 ahead he had pro-
posed understood that there considerable delay
getting The boats from AQua creek dewn Kappa
hannock river account Of the bad roads, difficulty o6
would naturally rough country like that and
! accidentally.
delay ang the bridges was reported TO me from the
nexperience Of the rontooncers, who laid the upper
bridges There WAS considerable delay Ia that. We
could not commence the repairs Of the railroad until Gen.
sion OF the enemy. That understood between Gen.
IIaupt and Gen Mcgs in my presence Gen. Haupt went
roads early possible Iremember the conver saio
He could not have anything, but would have everything
n.
| Burnside in possession he would commence
Question BY Mr. GoocH-Whcn you were at warrento0
had General burnside just assumed command Of the Army
| Of the Potomac
Answer.-Five days before, think
QuestionWns there, or not, any agreement UNDER
standing between you and General Burnside that the pom
toons and stores either OF them should he
nshed 10 HIM by the authorities here without his look
| ing after them hnsef'
\ Answer.--No, sir
Question u win say any stores necessary hin 70
cross the river and Onward for Fredericksburg?
L 4 IA
Qartermaser and General Haupt In charge OF the rail-
roads to 60 with me to consult with General burnside
and told him that every thing ut his disposition
he must make his own requisitions and give his
| orders; that would not interfere, except 70
| assist 10 carrying his views out much az I
could; whenever any thing was reported TO me
mol being done that world render ali the assistance
In my power, and just previous TO that time, with
renee 70 requsition which lie had sent me- told him
not TO send me any requ.sors, but to make them
the proper heads o. departments, and IL they did
their duty then immediately report IL to me, but that
could not attend 70 any relriscns at all.
on, you were tisfe was the time Sa,-
was 70 Falmouth, opposite Fredericksburg?
Answer-No, sir, fcI was not determined at that
Questicn.--Was IL ne, determined that Il should be
made, provided the President assented to hf
Answer.--Yes, Fir; and he immediately to
mence his preparations though IL had assentcd
to, until teegraphed to the contrary but not TO nuke any
oucst,cnwas or was not the time requisite for the
movement Of the army from where II was 10 Falmouth
considered al that timer
AnswcrIt may have been spoken Of in conversation
We had long conversation OF three four hours and IL
may have been alluded Nothing definite decided
upon in relation the time would take. Indeed
marked when left him that he Of opinion that he
would portion Of his forces AZ the ords above the
junction Of the rivers That was the opinion expressed
before left.
Question And the residue at Falmouih9
Ansver.-Yes, sir.
Queston-Do you recollect whether or no there was
any discussion when yon tors as 10 the point that
IL necessary that the ronoons and tho army should
arrive az Falmouth at the same period Of time that the
enemy should not know the point designated for the
crossing?
Answer.-l do not think that was mentioned This
matter knew was mentioned that the pontoons should
be there as soon as they could after had got posscx
sion OF the road, so that they could be taken down.
Question any time did Gen. Woodbury. 20 TO you
and suggest to yon that would be impossible 10 get tho
pontoons or stores at Falmouth as as was
expected, and that tho reason would be advisable
that the movement of the army Of Gen. Burnside should
be doayedY