The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1862-04-18
Gen. GRANTS omciaI Report.


Cen. Grants friends looked with conf
dence to his official report for vindication
of his conduct previous to the battle OF
Pittsburg and while the fight was raging
Their disappointment on reading the docu-
ment unrst be great. A consciousness OF
duty neglected pervades every paragraph,
and the whole report has no more the ring
of his former war bulletins than the pewter
dollar that of the genuine coin. Not only
Is the document lame in style and weak IN
substance, but it takes issue with facts
known to almost every officer and private
who participated in the battle. With a
recklessness only equalled by his careless
ness before the battle, Gen. Grant makes
statements, which must be refuted IN
less every man with whom we have con-
versed is strangely at fault. The official
report says:
On Sunday morning our pickets were
attacked and driven in by the enemy. m
7pediately the five divisions stationed at thas
place qoere dgo1cn up IN line Of battle ready
to meet them.
This is a denial Of what has been assert
ed by every correspondent that has written
a letter and every soldier that has related
his observations. 1t is notorious, and just
as well established as the fact that there
was battle fought, that Gen. Prentiss' and
Sherman's divisions were taken completely
by surprise, and never formed in line OF
battle at all. Isolated regiments of each OF
these divisions may have attempted a stand,
but it was Intellectual and but for moment.
One very. important item the General
overlooks altogether. He fails to inform US
where he was when the battle commenced /;
the time he arrived on the battle field; and
the length of time that elapsed from the be-
ginning of the struggle until he was present
in person ito direct the movements of his
troops. He neglected to say that he was
in comfortable quarters at Savannah when
the cannonade was heard, that his boat
leisurely made her way to Pittsburg, pass
ing Gen. Wallace's division without leaving
any orders as to the course he should pur-
sue, and arrived at the battle feld ave
hours after the fight had been raging. 1t
will take keen eye to detect facts of this
character in Gen. Grants report. He lacks
the candor of q Mcdowell. He can't bear
to say what his reputation as an officer de-
mands should remain unsaid.
Again Gen. Grant says;
@Gen. Lew Wallace, at Crumps Landing,
SIX miles below, was ordered at an early
hour in the morning to hold his Division in
readiness, to be moved in any direction to
which it might be ordered. At about IL
o'clock, the order was delivered to move up
to Pittsburg, but owing to its being led by
circuitous route, did not arrive in time to
take part in Sundays action.
Our understanding of this matter, land
our conclusions are drawn from the testimo-
ny of those having excellent opportunities
of knowing the truth OF their statements)
is. that General Wallace received no order
to march during the day; that on hearing
the firing his division wa 'rmed in line OF
battle and waited severa yurs for orders,
receiving more it started without orders;
and arrived on the battlefield late in the
evening.
Congress, however, has taken hold OF
this matter, and the facts will be brought
to light. We have had sdficient blunder-
ing, one would think, to demand that the
guilty shall Ibe punished. If our officers
are incompetent or careless let them be
cashiered. The lives of our soldiers are too
precious TO be wantonly sacrificed by the
inefheiency or gross carelessness of officers.
We trust that investigation viii be made
promptly and thoroughly.