Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-09-03

In Gen. Johnston's official report Of the bat
lie Of the Seven Pines" / am censured for
not having my division in position at an earlier
hour. This was impossible That there was 8
delay, admit ard regret, but il was caused by
the sudden rise Of a stream on which the troops
were encamped, and the stream had to be
bridged. Gen. Lonstreet's troops got the road
at the crossing first, AID my troops had to wait
until his got over; after that there was no delay
beyond the time required for 50 many troops TO
cross.
I met Gen. Longstreet at the headquarters Of
Gen. d II. Hill; l asked him which Of US was
the senior. as l did not know he replied that
be was; l told him if be knew it that was suf-
fcieRt' From the records in the sdiutsnt gen
erals Office l find he was mistaken; was the
senior
He directed me to proceed down the Charles
City road to q designated position, and sent
three brigsdes of his division (Wiicox's, Coils
tons, and Pryor's, with the three of my divis-
ion, and there await orders. We all marched
together and arrived near the point designated
before four o'clock, and could have moved to
any point Of the 6eld that afternoon had had
orders TO do SO.
Soon after getting into position, General Long
street sent for the three brigades OF his division
and in a short time afterwards sent for General
Armstrong; brigade Of my division.
These troops were engaged on Saturday after
noon. If these troops could be engaged, the
Iest Of my division could have been engaged
also, if had received orders
Late that evening l was directed by General
Longstreet to send General Mahone's brigade
early the next morning to report to General D.
H Hill.
The next morning / wss directed to conduct
General Blsuchsrd's brigade to position lett of
the Williamsburg road, and about three o'clock
I was ordered to conduct it to the front and re-
pori it to Major-Genersl D. H. Hill Thus, by
General Longsh eet's orders, were the three brig
sdes of my command taken from me- one by
one. ! can only hope such treatment was re-
guired by the eXigence of the service.
On the twelfth june, two days after the date Of
General Longstreet's report, he published gen
ersl order, in which he states: At the publi-
cation Of general order number eighteen, from
these headquarters, dated June 2l, the extent Of
the service of Major General Huger's division
was not understood. That division is entitled
to its share Of the honOrs Of the day" He also
ordered that " Seven Pines be inscribed upon
the standards Of the l2.h, 18th and tregiments
Virginia volunteers, and 81 regiment Alabama
volunteers. I applied to the War Department
on the 26.h of July for General LOngstreet's re-
port; only received it on the 18th Of August.
10 this official report have asked for a proper
inquiry, to which an entitled.
The regulations of the army very properly
prohibit the publication of official cOTespOn-
dence, etc. This is the reason why have not
reiuted, through the press, the various reports
il has pleased Madame Rumor to circulate. Il
could be clearly shown how mistaken rumo.s
generally are; AMI while my hands are thus
tied, is it fair, by incorrect reports, to destroy
the reputation Of a fellow-citizsn4
BENJAMIN HUGER,
RICHNOSD, August %. Msjor-General.