The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1863-05-05
BUT NOT TRAVELLED

O. What was done?
A. We moved on In manner never
did understand, losing time. Ii there
was any necessity for that, have never
yet appreciated it. So far as the best
information we have goes. the enemy had
abandoned the idea Of defending Rich
mond. And it was only when they saw
the lassitude and ineificiency of our army
that they concluded TO make stand
there,
rnE gArrLE or FAIR OAKS,
@. Did you participate IN the battle vi
FAIR Oaks or Seven Piues2
A. At the time that battle was fought
my entire division was stationed at what
is called Oak Bottom Swamp, about five
or six miles from where the battle of Sat-
urday, the 3lst of May, was fought
A bout o'clock on that day received
orders to move one-half of my division to
the front, the other half to remain and
hold the position they then occupied. /
started, and upon reaching to within
about a nile Of what was called Savoge's
Sit,ou, the head Of my column became
il. peded by the fugtives, trains of wag-
ons, and fragments of batteries upon the
road, aud was prevented FROM advancing
except with their bay opets and at charge,
From this cause my column could make
but little Roadway, and at the time | left
them to ride to the front doubted they
could advance at al When / reached
there the battle Of Fair Oaks for that
hight was nearly over. About dark my
troops came up We bivouackcd on the
ground, the firing having been suspended.
The next morning about O'Clock the
firing was renewed. l started with the
half of the division had with me to meet
the enemy. The enemy was firing upon
| Summers command, which WAS occupy
| ing the railroad at that time. | made to-
warl the heaviest fire and came upon the
/ snemy's rear, and in half an hour after
my men become engaged. The enemy
were utterly routed, ihrowing away their
arms. clio hing aud Ilaversacks, and broke
J, for the woods in the direction of Rich
mond.
| Q That was the second day of the
| fight?
! HooKER's Reconnaissance.
A. Yes, Sir; and that was the end Of
the lighting at that battle. A part of
my troops occupied the camp that had
I been occupied the day before by Genera
Reyes corps, and the ground that he had
lost that day. On Monday, the day after
the battle, received orders-the direc
tions were very vseue-to make recon
uoissance ia force through the camp and
beyond IT, din 50 without any resist
ance, except q little picket firing. ond
proceeded TO perhaps vithing three and
halt or four miles OF Richmond on the
Williamsburg road | was then recalled,
aud directed to establish my command on
lie ground that Clsey's division had oc-
cupied on the first day Of the fight at
Fair O-ks.
q What portion of our army was en-
gagged in that battle?
A. Reyes corps, a little more thnn
Il one-half of Heintzelman's corps and a
portion of Summers corps. If any other
troops were engaged | do rot know il.
by Mr.. Chandler:
g Al what number would you esti
mate The actual force engaged on our
side?
A. should think that, all told. the re
might have been 90 900 men. The tele-
gram directing me to return from my
reconnaissance was, in substance, this
&C Hooker viii return fr4m his bril-
liant re- unoissarcc; u. rapnat afford TO
'ose lis d.si>i5 Al have to say is,
chat ! had no expectation of being lost
RICHMOND MIGHT HAVE BEEN TAKEN.
BY the Chairman:
q. Suppose that the next day after
! this repulse of the enemy at Fair Oaks
; Gen Mcclellan had brought his whole ar
my across the Chickahominy and made q
, vigorous movement upon Richmond, in
5 your judgement, as military man, wha
/ would have been the effect of that move.
ment'
, A. In answer to that | would say
that at no time during the whole of that
campsign did feel that we could not &c
to Richmond. And l will say, further
, that after Gen. Mcclellan received hi.
: orders to abandon iiarrison's Landing,
went to him voluntarily and suggested
that with the force We had there We could
take Richmond, and pressed him to do it
So confident was that VIC would be sue
cessiul that was willing to take the al
vance, and so assured him. This inter.
view took place about twelve o'clock or
Sunday. From that interview Ireturned
to my camp, stopping on the way
about two hours. On reaching my camp
: | found on my table an order from Gen
Mcclellan to prepare myself with three
days rations and the usual amount oil
ammunition, and to be ready to march a,
two o'clock on Monday. This order wa,
,, communicated to the whole army. and
!. firmly believe that order meant Richmond
had said to Gen. Mcclellan that il VIC
were unsuccessful it would probably cos,
him his head, but that he nigh, as wei
die for an old sheep as for lamb. told
him that knew of no better place to pu
an army than between Jackson--who wa:
at that time ID Pope's front--and the de.
fensesof Richmond; that the troops hold.
ing those deienses would have to march
TO the succor of jackson. and would be
compelled to come out and give battle out
side of their defenses, where knew We
were always stronger than the enemy
But before the time arrived for executing