, 1863-04-30
Qbitogo Uribn,re.

s~~~F~s
THURSDAY, APRIL 81. 1855.
THE CONDUCT OF THE WAR. |
Gen. Hooker's Evidence.
THE TRUTH or THE PENINSULA
CAMPAIGN REVEALED.
4 History Of Terrible Blunders,
The following testimony, given By General
Hooker, before the Committee on the Con-
duct Of the War, possesses good deal OF
public interest and historical value. 1t ehows
up the tnbecility or treachcry Of Mcclellan in
n startling light:
WHY The PENINSULA CAMPAIGN FAILED.
WASHINGTON, March II, 1868.
bIajor General Joseph Hooker, sworn and
examined By the Chairman:
Q.--To what 10 you attribute the fail
urc Of the Peninsula campaign?
Al do not hceilatc to say that il Ia to Be
ATTRIBUTED to Tic ,c,snt W gt,erulship Oh The part
al ottr Commander.
Q.-Were you consulted rpon the subject
Of The line OF the Peninsula in preference to
the one direct to Richmond?
Al never was consulted on the subject.
WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN DONE AT YORKTOWN
Q.-WLat vas the condition Of things at
yorktown with our troops first landed Ut tile
Peninsula Id regards the esyen:th oftAe pla:e,
and the relative strength Of the opposing
forces:
Al did not 60 dorm for some three weeks
nf,tr (i.n. Mcclellan WcAt '1j"n. He went
down with the aglny from Alexandria, and the
return vessels stopped ut Kddt's Ferry,
wlcre WIS, aud look NY di7i-ioa dosn
Gen. Mcclellan luok down tbnnt 81 uoa, a1id
Nh,n jo;ucd him ! took II Go dawn to hiEa.
] did nut rec the returns, bnt 1hat VA: the
understanding there. Franklin aficrTsrd
ioiEtd with Ills division. At tic time ttat
Gen. Mcclellan landed with this iaFs5e army,
there was som, thih:: between s,utJ sud i5.oD
at Yorktown. I Iave heard it Estimated Us
low as :, eco and ms III III ~ Is, 5,t!H-
WHAT HOOKER WuCLD HArl: DONE.
Q.-Nl:a. course would you hayc advised
ut lhc ti1Gc OF the landing On the Peninsula
under the circumstances?
A-WLat subsequently, did Will, I think,
CONVEY an answer tc that question. 1:taeAcd
with my single division 4 line Of works q.
t Williamsburg stronger than tie line across
1cng attcr Joined, never could md derstand
Wig VAS required to send onc-half Of my
| number on duty, day and night to dig SO As to
invest the place. I could only conclude that
| sirgc had becn determined upon somewhere
in tie programme, before ever having felt to
| hat tAEr{T q u
and great many others felt Eu too. From
nv examination Of the works at Yorktown,
aid reaching away beyond the position that
occupied, 1e1t tlat their lines could be
pierced without any considerable loss by the
corps with which | was on duty, Hcintzel
through and gone to the rear Of the cuctny
They would run the moment we got to theil
rear, and we could hare picked up the prison
crs. Right there at Yorktown the enemy hat
expended q great deal Of labor, but I woule
have marched right through the redoubts
! got on the ruad between Yorktown and Rich
liund, enl thus compel the enemy to figh
me on my own ground, and not have tough
| them Oh theirs.
WHAT n M'C1ELLAN MIGHT HAVE DONE.
| Q-Suppose that Gen. Mcclellan hat
thrown bis army between Yorktown an'
Williamsburg, with as much rapidity as b
could, what would have probably been tn
11.ct:
An mould hare resulted in tic capture an
distraction If tie eHemy'x army.
Q.-Do you know any reason why thu
could not have been done?
Al DO not.
Q.-You were there when the enemy re
treated from Yorktown?
Al vas within mile and half Of there
TIE RETREAT FEoM 1oKkToWS.
| - .Ao -o&1
what tonk place upon their rctreats
A.-Thc troops ordered, in the first il
etance, TO pursue them, we're some dragoon
aid some light batteries, under Gen. Stont
| nan. l received orders 10 support Ger
, Stcne1nan, and left my camp between ono an
two o'clock in tho afternoon for 'hat purpos'
] do not know what time Gen. Stoneman lei
followed IN his rear. After had proceede
% out about five miles, I met Gov. Sprague. VII
Informed me that Gen. Stone,nan had falle
Oh the rear Of the enemy. rode up to whel
Gen: stoncman was, aud found th1t 1e y;
mile and half this {forktcwn) side Of Il
Gordon Of the redoubts running across Il
Peninsula uear Williamsburg. lrode forwa1
to ascertain how could put in my infantr
Gen. Stoneuan told me that the enemy We
about n mile in his front, where they he
eome redoubts. 1t turned out afterwards
b. Fort Magruder. We were then where tt
enemy cuuld throw shells over our heads fro
the fort.
4 MARCH IN THE MUD.
After examining the ground, I heard th
Smiths division bad filed into the Yorktov
road in advance Of mlne. I immediately
turned and Joined my division, and lou
:. that it had been halted in order to enat
= Smiths division 10 pass. We were dctain
there III hat way between three and TO
hours. As soon as | ascertaincd this to be I
case, requested General ueintzeitnan to
low me to take different road to 70 up
the place occupied By the enemy. Gene
Smiths division then occupied almost t
entire road between the point where thoy b
g filed into the Yorktown Road, and Wh'
R1 General stoneman was, and there WIS
chance for me to get MT division through
that road. I1elrnrl from contraband tt
by going two or three miles further, col
get up to the same position the enemy he
coming in on his right flank. To this
General nssentcd. I started upon this ro
IL O'Clock. By that time ths roads hld
10 come 50 muddy-it was raining hard
mud Nas knee deep, and my men had bcco
20 fatigucd that halted right in the road,
sE tending to renew the march at the dawn
mt, dag in the morning. We were then ah
rv two miles aud half from Fort Magrudcr.
TIE BATTLE OF WILLIAMSBURG.
r. "a We resumed our march ut daybrcak,
md about half past SIX o'clock came up to the
laps halt mile from Fort Magruder
could SEE from the position where was, IL
or four redoubts Oh this line Of the cnen
- works. could also see the line Of tclegf
- poles on the yorktown road, which lee
where Gen. Stonc1nan was. T ordered
regiments to advance rs skirmishers on
work which commanded the Yorktown n
- to skirmish Up to the work; and dispa'c
Two regiments with Instructions to bl
. down any barrier aud destroy any force
f. might be between inc aud the position
Gen. Stoneman occupied. As soon rs
ekirmishere had driven the enemy into
Magrude7, ordered two batteries forward
opened on the work at once. The two
mcnts that had been sent to tho Yorkt
D. road, passed down the road, found the Gu
~ IN it, found no barrier, and reported to
ter from Fort a1agruder, that t
was nothing to prevent the troops there
yanciDg. Those regiments then retus
As early MS 90 clock in the day, my skifI
m. ers had advanced so near Fort Magrt
va and there held their position, that they. c
not work their artillery. If man sh<
his hand or head above the work he got :
In it. When this was done, sent wor
the commanding officer on the T Torktown
that there was nothing to prevent his ad
.x- ing his troops and tasiug position alon
2' Of mine The place to where :! sent was ::
a mile and . half from me. 1supposcd
that Gen. 1Icintzclman was there; b
turned tut that he had left, and Gen. Su
was in command witha large force, cert
- not less than $1,000 men. lie could ha
tantrd through the line cf deeHo:s acra
pt7.insula, at williamsburg ,citAout }oSia
~ mn. Tie snf,ny ton|d not fir, for I had
OILS a ,itr. wanted him to advance, and
three o'clock Of that day expected he ;
advance aud march through the line he
the cneu,y. and SO to picking up prise
During tits time my own troops wcrc re