Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1862-12-25
NUMBER 81.

give the orders. Tho order was given
and the order Of attack was formed. Tho
next morning Just before the column was
to have started, Sumner came To me and
said +: Il hope you will dcsist from this
attack. do not know Of any general
officer tina, approves Of it, and think it
will prove disastrous to tie army" Ad-
,icc Of that kind from Cen. Sumner,
nho had always been in favor of an ad.
vance whenever il was possible, caused
me 10 hesitate
kept the column of attack forward,
and seat over the division and corps com
mandcrs aud consulted with them. They
all unanimously voted against the attack.
ihen went over to see the officers Of
the command on the other side aud found
that the same opinion prevailed among
them. then sent for Gen. Franklin
who was on the left, and he wa. Of the
same opinion. This caused me 10 de-
eide that | ought mol - make the attack
| had contemplated, aud besides the
President had told nc not to be in haste
IN making the attack that he would
give me all the support he could, but he
did not want the Army Of the Potomac
DESTROYED.
fclt that could not take the rcspon.
slhihty Of ordering the attack, notwith-
standing my own belief at the time that
tho works OF the enemy could bc carried.
While on his way here, Hooker on the
morning Of the 20ih If November, wrote
me note, which received on the 2lst,
in which he suggest i that he would
cross his forces over the Il ppahanr ock
at the ford nearest the town, Richards
Ford, and move rapidly doan. lie
stated that he had three days provisions,
and that he could meet aov toice of the
enemy IN front Of him. replied that |
was ALWAYS very glad To- take tho adslce
Of my general officers, aud shoul be 10th
to move without consulting them, but |
could not approve oi the movement he
had suggested, because, III the first place.
ho would have 10 march some 80 miles
lo Saxon Station. II was raining, aud
hc would have to ford two rivers, which
might rise and en-, him of from tho main
body Of the command, and as ! had
means Of crossing nj Fredericksburg, |
would be- prevented from sending him
supplies aud assistance, aud although ho
NIGH, reach Saxtou Station aud not meet
any force of the enemy At TINT { me, yet
II would be u very hazardous movement
To throw column like that beyond tho
reach Of lis proper support. He thanked
ne, and said he made il as suggestion.
md MS ii was raining it rendered it OF
course impossible to make the movement
he suggested.
Ia answer TO the question:, what reasons
do You assign for the failure Of Your at
tack
Answer-It was found impossible to
get the men mp the works.
The cncmy's fire was too hot. The
whole command fought most gallantly.
The enemy thcmsclyc say they never saw
our men fight so hard as on that day.
Question: Were the eucml's works
very strong
A.--Thcir works were not strong, but
! they he'd strong positions. 1t Is possible
The points OF attack were strongly order
ed. " such is the case | can only say
did 20 the best Of my ability. IL IS also
possible that We would have done better
/ to have crossed Mt skinner Neck, but
Tor good reasons ! fit it better that We
crossed here that wc would have more
decisive engagement here, and that If We
had succeeded in dc'caling We would
have broke up the whole Of the army
here, which think now IL the most de-
sirahlc thing, not even second 70 tho
taking Of III hmond for if this army
was broken up, though they might defend
1 Richmond While, they could not make
/ any protractcd defence there.
Q-Was i your understanding that
Gems lIallcck and Meigs, while at your
I headquarters in Warrcnton and before
I YOU commenced the movement OF your
army, sent orders to Washington for the
pontoons 10 be Immediately forwarded to
Falmouth
A.-That was my understanding, GER
tainly.
On your judgment could the pom.
toons be forwarded in time for you to
cross the Rappahannock ~hcn you ex-
pcctcd if all possible efforts had been
maze bv those charged with that duty !
A.-Yes; il they had received their
orders in time.
Odd the non-arrival Of these pom
toons at the expected time, prevent your
crossing when yoa expected TO cross, and
interfere with tho success oi your attack
A.-Yes.
l Fr0m NNshtuy TOM