Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-04-30
MILITARY INDIscRETIoNs.

1t will be remembered by our readers that the
Congressional Committee on the Conduct Of the
War; in that portion Of their report which we have
slready published, make particular and pointed
allusion to General Order" alleged to have
been issued by Gen. Burnside in the month Of
January last dismissing several officers from the
service, subject to the approval of the President.
The statements Of the Committee, with reference
| to an abortive movement of Gen. Burnside, plan
| ned during that month, are as follows:
Gen. Burnside states that beside the inclemency Of
the weather. there another powerful for aban-
doning the movement viz. TIE almost aniDsrsal Jseling
gas. ssa srss n he s srsssaes s.s s se;r.
erors In consequence of ths and also what had taken
place during the battle Of fredericksburg &c. Gessyal
Burnside directed an order to b ss4sd ,OeA he styled
General Order Nos That order dismisssd some e6cers
from the seruice subject the approval Of the Pyesident
relieved Others from duty spth the Army Of the Psiomse,
and also sentence Of death upon desert
era who had been tried and convicted The order
was duly signed and Issued and only waited pubcston
!, He (Gsn Burnside) was informed that the Prssi
dent declined to approve his Order No. g. but had CON
cuded to relieve him from the command OF the Army Of
the Potomac and appoint Gen. Hooker 10 his place.
The testimony Of Gen. Burnside under this head,
and from which the committee condense their alb
stract, was given as follows. We quote from
pages 7l9, 720, and 72l of the evidence contained
in Part embracing all the evidence that relates
to the Army Of the Potomac, and published since
the Report Of the Committee was given to the
press:
II went to my adutant generals Office and issued an or
der, which termed General Order No g. That order dis
missed some officers from service subject to the approval
Of the President and relieved Others from duty with the
Army Of the Potomac also had three sentences of death
upon pvates for deserton which had reviewed and ap
proved subject of course to the approval of the Pres
dent as had no right to do any Of these things without
that approval had sent my bodyguard over into
Maryland and had succeeded capturing large number Of
deserters bad organized martial the one which
s now session down there trying some two hundred and
fifty deserters.
told my sdjutant general TO issue that order mo 81
at once One OF my advser-Only two persons knew Of
hisone OF them who il very cool, sensible man. and
hrm friend told me that in his opinion, the order was
just and ought to be issued but he said that he knew
my views with reference to endeavOrng to make mvsaf
useful to the Government Of the United States instead of
placing myself in opposition to it that all of these things
had to be approved by the Presdent of the United S
at any rate before they could be put force that he dd
not think intended to place the President in position
where be either had to the responsibility Of becom
ing enemy before the public at any rate thereby eoa
bling certain portion Of my friends to make martvr NJ
me to some extent or he had to take the responsibility Of
carrying out the ORDER which would be against the vs.
Of great many of the most influential men of the country
particularly that portion of the order in reference b tie
officers proposed to have dismissed the service told
n m
position to the President Of The United States in anv
that thought his my staff ocers) view Of the matter
was the correct but that had indicated n that order
the only way in which could command the Army Of the
Potomac. accordingly took this order sresdy sonad
and ssued in due FORM with the exception of being made
public to the President Of the United States and handed
mission major general told him that be- insr nv
views that subject that had never sought anv
maud more particularly that of the Army Of the Potomac
that my wish was to into civil e after il was deter
mined that could longer be of use 10 the armv that
desired public position Of any kind whatever AL the
same time said that desired not to place myself in op
the Government. said he could now saw 10 me- " Won
may take the responsibility Of issuing this order and will
approve IT, and would take that responsibility if he
would say that would be sustained after II was .sned
because he would have to approve it. for had no rieht to
dismiss man or condemn to death without his an
provsl ln case that order (No could not be approved
and that would end the matter forever 90 far
cerned that nothing would be sad in reference TO IT,
told him ne could wish to have
which was pest Tor the public servce and that the only
way in which could command the Army of the Potomac
The President replied to me, think you are right
suppressions here the body Gen. Burnside report
Of the Presidents answer the committee not ours
But must consult with some of advisers about this
said to him. you consult with any body you will notdo
it, in my opinion He said i cannot help that; must
consult insult with viii them replied that he the Judge and
Pesident asked me to remain all that day. replied
that could not remain away from my command; that he
Knew my views, ana was hxed and determined them
He then asked me to come up that night again return
cd to my command and again that night and got
here at six O'Clock in the morning went to the Pres
dents but did not him. went sRan after breah fas
and the President told that be had concluded to relieve
me from the command Of the Army Of the Potomac and
place General Hooker n command told him that was
willing to accept that the best solution OF the problem
and that neither he Gen Hooker would be happier
man than would be If Gen. Hooker could gain victory
there The President also sad that he intended to relieve
Gen. Sumner and Gen. Franklin said that thought it
would be wise to do so he made the change he
to make. Gen Sumner much older officer than Gen
Hooker and ought aot to be asked to under him.
1t has been subsequently, stated by Gen. John
Cochrane Gone of the officers specially inculpated
by the Committee on the Conduct of the War, and
generally supposed to have been embraced in this
General Order No. SD that the name of Gen.
Joseph Hooker stood at the head Of the list of
those whom Gen. Burnside purposed to dismiss
summarily from the service
We have already sufficiently expressed our re-
gret at the needless publicity given by the CON-
mittee 10 these military esclandres, affecting the
reputation not Of soldiers in retirement, like Gen
Mcclellan or Gen. Fremont, but of those still re-
tanned in command by the Administration, and
therefore presumed to possess its entire confidence.
The military episode, out of which this "Order
No. s" was represented to have grown, should
have been treated by the committee As il it had