New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-12-25

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two, there WAS some talk OF transferring Tie hug OF
operations from the line Of tie railroad at Warren
ton 10 the H. of the railroad at Acqua CreeF
Gen. Ilalleck and Gen. Meigs visited Gen. Bnrn-
sioe az he was informed, TO determine whether tue
transfer Of the line Of operations should be made
Az near az lie could recollect, that was about the
nth of November. That matter was discussed be-
tween those Generals and Gen. Burnside, aid 1t was
determined that the transfer should be made
JIallsck or Cen. Meigs, be did not recollec which,
that they thought they could have everything ready
this side in three days; this was not private con-
versaion they ssid they thought they con'd have
the pontoons ready, the store landed, and every
thing in readiness 10 advance In three Gays
But he thought il was not within LIE range oil
human possibility 20 do that. Soon after the move
mont to the Rappahannock commences, be bTougot
up tho rear Of the army 10 marching ron warren
tor 10 this point. He mentioned this because 10
thought it bad important bearing upon solne mat
tcrs which were to come aferward.
The of this movement was considered the
post Of honor. After being upon the road for abou,
three days, be stopped one day with his command
al Hardwood.
Burnside, requesting that he would permit him 70
cross the river with Ills Grand Division ut one OF the
fords there and come down on the south side OF the
! Rappahannock; but for reasons assigned 10 COM
muuication from hin, the request was Denied Alter
giving circupstantisl account OF his movements,
there were only some 800 Of the Rebels IN freder-
icksbuTg.
He did not know why they did not take possess
ion OF Fredericksburg but the feeling seemed to be
they could take possession Of Fredericksburg at any
time. Only few days before Lieut. Dahlgren, OF
the cavalry, with 81 men crossed tho river and took
possession Of the town. When he was at HARDWOOD,
he heard there was going to be delay OF three or four
days III getting up the ponioons here and that was
one reason why be asked permission of Gen. Burn
side TO CROSS at the ford there and down the
other eide OF the river. When we got here he said
we should have been in condition to march right
forward without stopping day anywhere; but the
same misbap was made here that has been made all
along through the war.
| think it would have been better TO have held the
liue where we were by retaining sufficient force
there TO threaten the enemy and keep them mp to
their works at Culpepper and Gordonsvile; but In
stead Of that we withdrew every man, and even
burned the bridges, thus exposing our plan. TO the
enemy the very moment We did So
Ii Gen. Summers corps had come down here. and
left one up there threatening TO advance on that
line ii led them TO believe that we wsre going to
advance on both lines.
Itwould have been better but the enemy ssw at
once what we were at, and came right down here,
and they were nearer here than we were; aud this
country is such that whenever you give them two
OF three weeks TO forliy, hundred thousand men
can make any place imPregnsble TO any other huud-
bred thousand men.
by Mr.. Gooch. VIVA. was the strength Of your
| command at HARDWOOD
a. Ii was men.
Q. Wond there have been any difficulty as TO
supplies in your moving down the other side Of tue
river as you proposedl
A. had three days rations there; was prepar-
ing to march down through Caroline County, where
the people had Just gathered their CROPS, and would
have got plenty Of forage and provisions enough for
q week or fortnight; at the time OF the conyersa-
ton between Gems. Hal,eck, Meigs and Burnside
there was some talk OF forwarding some supplies mp
the Rappshsnnock; i said that q, Bowling Green
could draw my supplies from Port Royal as easily as
l cou!d get them where was at Hartwood
i knew that / couid take poeiton with 40, 600
men that the whole Rebel army could not move me
from.
2. Would tba. movement have been safe 10 view
Of the fact that the army had not the Of
ipg here?
4. Yes, Sir; because I could take the nights ihore
with my command, and then put them in condition
Of defense. Ii | bad gone there, not man Of the
enemy would baTe come 10 Fredericksburg; but
they wonld have gone 10 come other river aud FOR.
tilted there, if we had given them tme as eectuslly
as they have here.
Irfgard the Rebel position on the Rsppahapnock
as a strong oDeI mean the one they retired 20 from
Manassas. They had the advantage Of two rail-
roads to bring their supplies to them from the
West, and the other railroad from Richmond to
bring their troops up from there II Is the strongest
position they had IN Virginia: The advantages OF
this position to hold against force wishing 10 cross
the river and attack it are such as have never be-
fore seen.
Q. How far apart are the bridges at the two
poin.s where our army crossed herel
A. About four miles.
Q. You speak Of he telegraph road" Will
you state more definitely what that road isl
A. The telegraph road leaves Fredericksburg
from Hanover street and runs through depression
in the hills in the direction Of Bowling Green.
Q. How do You explain the fact that the enemy
did not shell the city when our troops were massed
there
a. cannot explain it; it is mex plicsble to me
that they did not do go as have before stated; il
was reported under flag Of truce that they had AT
one time shot by beating which TO fire the city, and
that would have made terrible time OF 1t.
Q. Was our crossing made unknown 10 the
enemy7
A. think II was here. How II was down below
l cannot say. II was late when l. got the order TO
withdraw my command, between and o'clock In
the morning, and it was between and o'clock
when the last Of the troops were withdrawn. The
enemy cid not TO realize that there were troops
in the houses / withdrew my exterior line OF
pickets last Of ALL and they were not followed by the
enemy.
@. Had they discovered that our troops were to
be recrofsed, what could they have done
A. do not think we should have suffered much
from their artillery fire on such night rs that was,
as 1t would have been but random firing.
BRIG. -GEN. wOODBURY's TESTIMONY.
Big.Geu. ID. u. Woodbury. was sworn-Dnring
his examination he said he had charge of the En-
gneer Brigade consisting of the 18th and 5Oth Regi-
ments OF New YORK Volunteers. He said Oh the MORN
Ing of November 10, Le received the following tele-
gram from Gen. Halleck;
WaEERsToS Nov 12-T:l0 p. m.
Brig- Gen. WOODBURY.. Lngtqcsy bfigade:
Cal up1n the Chief QuafermslteI Get Rucker to trans
port all your poDsoon AID bridge materials AcqniA Greek
Col Be-er has been ordered charter Gnd seld 10
bsrrcs TO Ale1apdhl. H. W. HALLECK. Gen..in.Cb-f.
AND other orders wers produced; after giving the
details of his proceedings, he SAYS the 18th he
sent down three companes 10 build some temporary
wharves there were no poltoons TO send with tn en-