Daily national Republican., 1862-12-12
TIN MsDowrLL couRr OF INQUIRY
THURSDAY. Dec. IL.

THE MCDOWELL COURT OF INQUIRY
THURSDAY. Dec. IL.
The court met at II O'Clock. The examine
ton Of Gen. Mcclellan was resumed.
The question propounded day before yester.
1 day by The court, and which ives laid over until
yesterday Crhursday) ct the request Of General
Nee, was sgsin rcadto the witness, rs follows
n. r0S Us. s:Us :sssG q 'Ts pS
plans provide for force to be ressined from the
troops then under your command, and II so,
how large was the force to be detained and
whst troops were to compose itf
A. The troops to be retained for the defence
Of Washington were almost entirely from those
under my immediate command. cannot give
! from memory alone an accurate statement OF
their position and strength. On the first OF
April, think 1t was, wrote letter to the
Secretary of War giving full Information In re-
gard to these points. / have not copy Of that
letter with me- but will submit II to the court as
soon as can secure II. The force LEFT dispos-
| able for the defence Of Washington was about
&c, 900 men, independently Of the corps Of Gen.
Mcdowell.
Q. Does the letter to which you refer disclose
what portion of these troops-70,O00 In num-
ber-were present and at for duty; and III IL
does not, state your knowledge Of the subject.
A. The letter does not Ny recollection Is,
/ tnat the uumDcf btattu III tut itttcf Wcft pfts-
i ent with their regiments. l cannot answer the
question without referring to the returns, which
will do.
o. Explain what you refer to rs the ''depen-
denotes" (term used In the letter. Of Washing
ton.
A. referred to either of the approaches to
Washington, both In the direction Of the Orange
and Alexandria railroad and by the Shenandoah
valley. The instructions given in regard to the
posting Of these troops contemplated posting
the mass of them In the vicinity of Manassas
and on the line of the Manassas Gap railway,
near Front Royal, so that the whole force would
be available on either approach to the city.
On the LIST OF April, the date Of the letter re-
ferred to, Wrote letter Of Instructions to Gen.
Banks, for his guidance in posting troops In
front Of Washington, which letter would be a
more full answer to the question than the gen
eral one have given, which will also submit
to the court, If they desire 1t.
Q. Gen. Med. having made known TO the
court that, In his opinion, 1t was safe and prop
er for him to proceed to cooperate with you
against Richmond, and having yielded his pur-
pose so to do only In obedience TO higher Or
ders, You will state your judgment as to the
soundness of that opinion and the military pro-
priety Of that purpose on the part Of Gen. Med.
to that end. You will inform the court what
in your judgment was the object Of Jackson's
movement against Banks on or about the gath
of NAV, and what were the probabilities Of the
success of that movement If left unaided by the
forces of the enemy at Richmond And II
Richmond were at the time additionally threat
ened by McD. 'sproposed cooperation with you,
what force had the enemy to spare at that time
to aid jackson or otherwise to threaten Wash
ingtoni What were the probabilities of force
so disposed reaching Washington, and in what
lime, and In what manneri
A. think that Gen. McD. was correct in his
opinion that IL was safe and proper for him TO
unite with the Army Of the Potomac. think
that Immediately after the occupation Of Han,
over Court-House by portion Of the Army OF
the Potomac there was no rebel force Of any
consequence between Hanover Court-House and
Gen. McD.
I think that the main object of Jackson Is
movement against Gen. Banks was TO prevent
reinforcements being sent to the Army Of the
Potomac, and expressed that opinion In u tele
gram to the President within day Of the time
l received information Of Jackson's move
ments. think that IL Gen. McD. had moved
direct upon Hanover Court House, instead of ID
the direction of Front Royal, Jackson woulG
have rapidly retraced his steps to join the main
rebel army at Richmond. With strong army
of our own In the vicinity Of Richmond ant
threatening ii, do not think the rebels woult
have detached a sufficient force to seriously en-
danger the safety Of Washington.
@. Had Gen. Med. knowledge Of your lette
to the President, and that 1t communicated In
formation as to the strength and position of tn
troops len to cover Washington
A. do not think that he had. sent him
copy.
, disclosed in that communication, either derive
from consultations with you or otherwise, es
pecially in respect to the number Of troops LEI
7 to cover Washington
A. | think he had general knowledge of tn
. facts, resulting from different conversation
which we had, but probably not full knowl
q edge as to the number of troops left.
q. State as nearly as you can what know
edge he had ON that point.
A. cannot pretend to recollect. Being bus
In the details Of an expedition, so large as tn
one referred 10, and holding SO many converse
tions, II Is impossible for me to remember whs
!, was communicated to General Med. No ont
however, knew SO well as myself the details.
Q. Did you, in your consultations, of whic
, General Med was party, talk over the nun
y Der Of troops which would be left when 70
should move with the bulk of the army to tn
Peninsula
4. Yes.
Q. What was the largest number Of troop
C suggested by any corps commander to be lei
/, TO cover Washington, with its dependencies
and in this connection state, II you can, tn
J, number proposed by General Med.
A. My recollection of the suggestions as I
II the forces to be left varied from forty to aft
II thousand. / think, General McD. propose
the latter number. OF one thing / am cont
5 dent, that, with the facts fresh In my mind,
thought that left more than was suggested
], any corps commander
Questions by Gen. Mcdowell:
IS Q. After jackson marched to attack GEL
Banks, did not forces leave Richmond to reii
T. force him before he joined the enemy's lin
and had you not reliable information that sue
u was the case, and did you not so report to Il
er Government
G. A. Yes.
Q. Do you recollect If this was not all III
NJ derstanding up to the time you changed Il
order of embarkation, and directed Sumner
corps to precede that Of Gen. McD.t
4. think II was.
al By the court:
al O. Were the other corps commanders, b
y, side Gen. Mcdowell, advised or informed
a. any way by you as to the position and numb
he of the forces to be left for the defence of Was
n ingtoni
e, A. They were not Informed In writing; on
e. in general conversation. Ny recollection
b. that talked over the matter with him indiyi
ually and collectively.
at O. VIII the witness please state If the for
he TO be left in the shenandoah valley was /
u: cluded in the number for the defence of Was
I'd ington
es 4. Yes.
In q. Can the witness state from memory abo
the strength of the command TO be left in d