, 1862-12-30
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER,
Freder1cksburH77The Great pontoon
Controvcrsy-Gens Ha1leck and Gen,
Woodbury.


[From Our Own Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Dec. 25, 1862.
The report Of the Committee on the Con
duct Of the War, together with Gen. Burn
sides preliminary report, lave unquestion-
ably softened the feeling which roseso 1ercely
alter the Fredericksburg disaster against the
author Of the calamity, whoever he might be. !;
To say that such q discontinue could happen
without anybody being 10 blame, is to say
that IN effect can be produced without
cause. There is double blame II. this case
the greater relating to the failure Of, the pom
toons, the less appertaining to the battle after
the pontoons did arrive. For the former
Gen. Halleck is responsible, though be seeks
to shuttle the responsibility upon other shoul-
ders.' For the latter Gen Burnside is respon-
siblc,, and he not only acknowledges it like
man, but takes pains to rake up all the blame
lying around loose, aud assume that also.
The people are ever generous They will for
give much to the Commander who is both
truthful and earnest Whether Gen Nc
Clellan vas earnest or not, he was not truth
full. Witness the swarm of falsehoods that
buzzed from Balls Bluff, over the grave Of
Baker. They have not I'll settled Yet. In
signal contrast are the ingenious statements
Of Burnside. II AM the man; blame me- [
/ tried to do well. made these mistakes YOU
know the result" Such frankness, coupled
with the spirit Of fight which shines through
Gen. Burnside's. career, is well calculated 10
win the forgiveness, if not the plaudits, Of the
| American people, though the nights of Fred
erichsburg are yet moist with heroic b1ood.
GEN. HAILECK AND TIE PoHTooNs.
Concerning the pontoon failure, to which
| every General, and every man, woman and
child with reasoning faculties, ascribes the
principal place in the CAUSES of this disaster,
| Gen. Woodbury. testifes as follows:
"Gen. Ha11eck's order to me Of the 18th made it
apparent that the army was preparing to march to
| Fredericksburg. As to the time when themove-
mcnt would be made, never received any infor,
would be preciPitate went to Gen. I HailecEa 3
office and arged him to delay the nousnaent soma
flee days In order ttat tie necessary preparations
piled that he would do nothing to delay for in:
stant the advance Of the army upon Richmond. !
rejoined that my suggestion vas not intended to
cause delay, but rather to prevent it."
Gen. HalIeck, in his testimony, seeks to
establish that all the forces in and around
Washington, including Gen. Woodbury. and
his engineer brigade, we're under Gen. Burn
sides command. So it was, but it Is equally
true that Gen. Halleck issued, over his OWE
signature as Gcncral-iu- Chief, the order tc
down to Aqua Greek. How natural, then,
that Gen. Woodbury. should go to Gen.
Hallcck and tell him the work conIi
not be done within the probable limit Of time
whel, tile army would be there! Should Gen
Halleck allow the greatest movement Of tht
Gen Woodbury. was under Gen. Burnside
orGers9 He surely WAS under Gen. Hal1cck's
orders also, as is proved by the latter's dis
patch Of November 18th, {received By Gen
citizen, Ito say moi hing Of the General in Chic
| of the army to whom the fact had been com