The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1863-01-01
WAsn1NeroN, Dec. %, 1862.

w WASHINGTON, lee, 20, loOH'
The report Of the Committee on the
Conduct of the War embraces the dep
csitions of Generals Burnside, Sumner,
franklin, Hooker, Woodbury., Haupt'
Halock and Meigs. The Committee
report the testimony without comment.
Burnside said, when, after the battle of
Antietam, Mcclellan decided to cross
the Potomac, said to him, in my opin.
ion he would never be able to take the
army on that route beyond the Kappa
hammock, unless he succeeded in fight
ing the enemy at some place this side;
that if he proposed to go to Richmond
by land, he would have to go to Freder-
icksburg, and in that he partially agreed
with me. On the 9th of November, af
ter this conversation, Mcclellan gave
an order to Capt. Drum, Chief of Engi
neers, to have all the pontoon bridges at
Berlin and in that neighborhood, that
could be spared, taken up and sent down
to Washington, with view of getting
them down to this town, in case he de.
cided to go by way of fredericksburg.
The lettor conveying that order was
written on the 9th of November, but, as
understand, was not received until the
10Th of November. Burnside speaks
of the surprise with which he received
the Presidents order to take command
: of the Army of the Potomac, and that
he had repeatedly expressed the opinion
that he (Burnsde) was not competent
to command so large an army, and that
Mcclellan was the fttcst person.
q He then says: "Halleck came 10 see
me on November 11th. On the 9th !
v made out plan of operations, in ac-
cordance with Halleck' order, and sent
~ it to Washington" He gives detailed
account of this plan, and speaks Of the
f disastrous delay in receiving pontoons
y and says that on the 18th he started to
q lead a column to Frederick burg, not
d knowing of the delay. The pontoon,
did not, however, start till the 18th, and
n that day it. commchced raining, which
. delayed them so much, and the roads
became so bad, that when they got tC
It Dumfries they lifted the pontoous off
It tho wagons, sent to Washington for
f. steamer, and carried them to Acquit
?. Creek by water, sending the wagons
d round by land The pontoons did no
;. get there until the 22d or 23d of No
vember. After the first dolay In start
ing the pontoons, | think they wer
d sent as quickly as they could have been
:. and the supplies and Quartermaster
II stores have always been in as greo
tv abundance as we could have expected
3 for after the 10Th of November tn
s. weather and roads we're particular
D, bad. After reaching fredericksburg
ps saw at once there was no crossing tn
el RappahOnnock with the army at thr
ne time. Itcommenced raining, and tn
river began to rise. did not kno
how much it might rises There wer
"a no means of crossing except by goip
up to the fords, and it would be impo:
sible to do that, because of inability
supply the troops after they should hav
a. crossed. .r..... an -,.-..... -a
+" Sumner arrived hero with his troop
lty in advance. He sent to me, asking n
ir. if he should cross the river. did M
think it advisable that he should, at thu
'r' time. 1t was first decided to cross
SINNERS Neck, about twelve miles b.
low here; but our demonstration WI
simply for the purpose of drawing tn u
as largo force of the enemy as poss
bic. then retired, to cross here, b,
cause, in the frst place, | felt satisfie
that they did not expect us to crot
here, but below; in the next place,
felt satisfied that this was the place I
fight the most decisive battle; for j
we could divide their force by pierein
their lines at one or two points, espet
tally their left from their right, then
vigorous attack with the whole arm
would succeed in breaking their arm
in pieces. Two attacks we're made, an
we were repulsed, still holding porto
of the ground We had fought upon, bt
, not our extreme advance. That nigl
tho U went over the field on our right, an,
y in fact, I was with the officers and me
70, 70, till nearly daylight. found the feeliu
against an attack. l returned to N
headquarters, and after conversatic
,sk with Sumner, told him / wanted him
~ order the 9th Corps, which l original
y commanded, to form the next mornin
. column of attack by regiments.