Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1862-12-26
GEN. BURNsIDE's TESTIMONY.

GEN. BURNCIDI y i1Ao h1' - =
In his testimony before the Committee on
the Conduct of the War, Gen. Burnside
said:
On the 9TH or 8th of November, | received
an order from the President, directing me to
take command of the Army OF the potomac,
and also copy OF the order relieving UeneIal
Mcclellan from that command: ms oioei
| was conveyed to me by Gen. BucklnSnaAl'
who was attached to the War Departments
After getting over my surprise, the sf1ock' CO.
/ T told Gen. Buckingham that It was matter
+hat roon;red verv serious thought that | did
NOT want the command; that it had been ofter.
ed to me twice before, and did not feel that
7 could take it; [ counseled with two OF ny
staff officers in regard to it for should think,
an hour and a hat They urged upon ne th5t
I had no right, as q soldier, to dlsobey, the or
der, and that had already expressed to the
Government my unWillingness to take toe com
mana. [ told them what my views were WITH
reference to my ability to exercise sucn COM
mand. which views were those l. ha1 unIe-
seryedlv expressed that | was not competent
to command such a large army as this: hao
said the same over and over again to the Pres
ident and Secretary Of War; and also that II
matters could be satisfactorily arranged with
Gen. Mcclellan [ thought he could command
the Army Of the Potomac better than any
other general in it.
Subsequently Gen Burnside said:
After reaching here, | saw at once that there
was no chance for crossing the Rappahannock
with the army at that time. 1t commenced
raining, and the river began to rise-not to any
great extent, but did not know how much 1t
might rise There were no means OF crossing,
except by going up to the lords, and 1t would
be impossible to do that because Of the inability
to supply the troops after they should cross.
Gen. Burnside says his plan was, had the
bridges arrived in season, to have made rapid
movement in the direction Of Richmond, and
fight battle with the enemy before jackson
could make junction with them.
After the repulse on Saturday witness wished
to make another attack the next morning, but
the division and corps commanders unanimous
" opposed to it. From this fact and mas
much also as the President Of the United
States had told him not to be IN haste IN ma
king this attack, that he would give HIM al
the support he could, but he did not want the
army Of the Potomac destroyed, Witness tell
that he could not take the responsibility OF Or
der;ng the attack, Notwithstanding his own be-
lief at the time that the works OF the enemy
could be carried.
Question. What reasons do you assign for
the failure of your attack here?
Answer It was found to be impossible to
get the men up to the works. The enemy,s
fire was too hot for them. The whole command
fought most valiantly. The enemy say they
never saw men fight as hard as on that day.
Question. Were the enemys works very
strong.
Answer. THEN works are not strong works,
but they occupy very strong positions. 1t j:
possible that the points Of attack were wrongly
ordered. IF such is the case, can only say
twat did to the best OF my ability. It is also
possible that we would have done better TO