Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1863-04-17

Gr> BrENsIpE-Ihc committee ON the
conduct Of the war give the following ex-
PLANTATION Of what seemed an excess Of mod
esty Oh the part Of Gen. Burnside in urging
an acceptance Of his resignation after the
battle of fredericksburg. This and similar
revelations teach Us not to judge too confident
ly Of changes in the service until we obtain
an &c inside view"
Gen Burnside directed am order To be issued,
which he styled General Order No. :.
That order dismissed some officers from the
service, subject to the approval Of the President,
relieved others from duty with the Army Of the
Potomac, and also pronounced sentence Of death
upon some dcscrtcrs who had bccn triel and
convicted
Gen. Burnside state that he had become sat
i-fed that 1t was absolutely necessary that some
such example, should be made in order to cna-
bic him TO maintain the proper authority over
the army under his command. The order was
duly =igncl and issued, and only waitcl publ
cation.
Two on three Of his most trusted staff officers
represented 20 Gen Burnside that should he
then publish that order he would force upon the
President the necessity Of at once sanctioninS H.
or, by refusing his approval, assume an attitude
Of hostility to Gen. Burnside The publication
of the orlcr was accordingly DELAYED fT tho
time.
Gen Burnside came % Washington ard laid
the order before the President, with the distinct
assurance that in no other way could he exercise
2 proper command over the army Of the Pct0-
mac; and he asked the President to sancticn the
order or accept his resignation as Major-General
was right, but declined 20 decide without con-
sulting with some Of his adviser To this Gen.
Burnside replied that, if the President took timc
fr consultation he voubl not h allowed TO pub
lish that order, snd therefore askel 10 have his
rsa Cnation accepted 40 once This the Frcsi-
dent declined to DO
Gen Burnside returned Co III. ca~ru aud came
again 10 Washington that night o. rl- request
the President. and the next morning called upon
The President for hi dccii iC1 lie WAS informed
that the President declined 10 approve his order
NJ. = but had concluded 20 relieve him from
his command OF the Army of the Potomac, anil
90 appoint Gen Hooker I'M his place Thereupon
Gen. Burnside again insisted that his resigna-
ton be accepted This the President declined
90 DO, and. aifsr some urging Gen Burnside
consented 90 take "A leave Of absence for thirty
I,ys with the understanding that 40 the end of
that time he should be assigned 20 duty, as he
deemed it improper 90 hold a commission as Ma
ur Genera, and rce'yc his U1v without render
ing service therefor Gen. Burnside objected %
the wording of thc orler which relieved him from
Dis command. ami which stated that il was '' nj
his own request" as being unjust 20 him and
untauHicl u f,et- hut up0n the representation
that amy other oricr would do injury % the
cause ha consented ,a 'ct 70 remain a- Il then
rg1l
The foregoing statement Of the hct- proved,
together with the testimony herewith submitted,
fully and directly meet the requirements Of
the resolution referred 70 them, that your Com
mIttcc deem any comment by them 90 be entirely
uTun-a--Irr