Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1863-01-08
How the accident Aappened. .

Tie Yankee people and their Government aud Con
grese have been very much concerned to discover how
the untoward dent to take place at Freder
ickstn 2. The Congressional Committee is. believe
still employed In this occult investigation
TIE investigation By the Committee has brought out
the following testimony as given by Yankee paper
Gen. Woodbury., Gfamiliary known in Wilmington, I
estas that he did not receive informa ton in time
to thu movement which about to be made. 20 The
Qua,termaster's Department almost destitute of
mears. With the very short notice given him, there
was only possible wey of supplying the army with
pontoou *r3su in time Had the emergency been
made known TO him in any be would have dis
regarded the forms Of service and seZed teams
tiers aud wagon masters tor Instant service wherever be
could find them, but he had DO warrant for srch a
course which, after all couid only have been carried ont
by the authority of the Genera-in-Chiet"
Gen. Meigs, Quartermaster, testites that he did his
best 10 forward the ponto0ns that thine too
shor: which to send them. Gen >Halleck being
snined declared that be did hold himself reeponsi-
BILE fer anything than to give the order BE did
consider it MS business to II carried out, but
thou hs it tieu Burnsidas business lock after
the L2nt0ons 10 Washington This is cool. Burnside
vas suddenly PLACID 10 command OF large army, and
was Iesve ii and go to Washington TO look after
pontoars Rnc1 Haileck and Mtgs had already undo r
take: send him aud when the Secretary of Wsr too
was there t'e matter attended to Burnside in
dsei says that NJ had though: the authorities would
have 4g:cte Il Is would have sent ha officers FIR
the tparooas Bat Hall ck deceived him. and never in
fornel heI tbai he wouii not could do What he
had promised
(.en Sunuer that he /" could hav5 taken
Frederic ksburg and the tegbs the other side OF 1t
ct any time within three days after lis arrival ii the
pom had been there. General Sun,ner adds that
he arny demoraiized 10 consequence OF the bat
tie, and that " there great DEAL TOO much croak-
ing ard not sufficient confidence Gen. Franklin tes-
titles that If the pontooDs had been ready the time of
the ARRIVAL of the army the troops would have iane-
diatey crossed the river driving sway the epemyper
baps Eve hundred thousand nen-aud they would
have occupied those very heights they bad attack
and the crossing would have been permanent aud
cessiul Again. De says: would like to impress
firmly upon The Comni1tee it is FIRMLY Impressed upon
my mind the fact that this whole disaster has resulted
from tie delay n the arrival of the pontoons Whoever
responsible for that delay responsible for all the dis
astera which have followed This Is plain speskiDg-
And be adds that be does not believe they coud have
crossed ct the time they did, had the enemy chosen
prevent it. Gen Hooker deposes that Halle tx or
Meigs, prooise TO have the pontooDs down and
thing ready three days When Sumner arrived there
were only Eve hundred rebels at fredericksburg "but
he adds Z" the same mishap was made there that had
been made all along through this waF"
From Gen. Hallecks own testimony it does not ap-
pear that be ia Of sny whatever at Washingto TOM
He acts the part of clerk, copying orders, but
seeing that they are carried cut. He neither plans
campagus gives efficient assistance the Generals
~ho DO plan and fight them.