Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1863-08-07
TO the Editors n the Enquirer:
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CULPEPER G. H., Aug, I'd, 1863.
Gentlemen: Having published an extract
from my letter to the Savannah "Republl-
can" giving some account of the battle OF
Gettysburg, and also a card from Major Gen.
Anderson, correcting an error in which ! was
led by persons who were in a-pOstion TO be
well Informed, request that you will grant
me space for the following brief note of ex-
PLANTATION.
It can hardly be necessary TO say my chlei
desire, in my correspondence from. the army,
is to get at the exact truth, to award to every
man and command the precise position to
which their own acts assign them, and to so.
operate with the government. the army and
the people in their efforts to establish our in
dependence. Those who know me personally,
or who have accompanied me in my cores
nondcncc since the beginning of the war; will
givc.me credit for this much, however widely
they NAV differ as to the success of my en-
deavOrs.
One of the points made in the extract which
YOU rcpublished. according to my recollection,
was that Anderson's division did not join in
the attack on the cnemy's position. on the I'd
! of July, until some time after McLaws and
Hood had been holly engaged, and that two
of his brigades, Posey's and Mahonc's, did
not advance at all. This point is not contro-
verified by Gen. Anderson. though we are in
formed in his card that Posey and Malone lin
| thus failing to advance) were acting under in
/ structions from himself This explanation
relieves those officers of all responsibility In
the matter, and Gen. Anderson also; for he
| tells us further that his own actions were III
strict conformity with his orders" from his
Gown immediate commander" Lieut. General
Hill. This statement, made with the candor
and frankness of the soldier, shifts the respon-
sihilitv from General Anderson and his
Brisaders to the shoulders of Gen. Hill.
The mistake into which was led and into
which it seems your own correspondent also
fell. was a very natural one. Information
reached me from so many different sources as
| to leave no doubt of it's correctness, that Gen.
Anderson's orders to his division were 10 adj
vance and assault the enemy, the brigade on
the right (Wilcox's) leading off and the 9TH
crs following in their. order to the left. (Such,
too, was the general order of battle.l Three
of his Observation-Disclosures Perry's and
Wright s-did advance, were holly engaged,
were thanked for the want Of timely support,
and suffered heavily; whilst the other two hrI-
cndes did not advance-tleir movement. we
are permitted to infer from the tenor Of Gen.
Anderson's card, having been arrested by or
ders from their military superiors. The same
explanation, probably, will apply to the ac-
ton of Pender's division.
No one in his senses ever thought Of calling
into question the disposition of the Mississip'
pians under Posey, and the Eirginians under
Malone, to perform their whole duty. Nor
is it any part of the object of this note to
raise any question in regard to the wisdom of
the orders of Gen. Hill, who is known to be
one of our best officers. The reader will
m.le his own comments. P.W. a.