Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1863-01-01
Onlcial Report on the Battle Of
fa Fredericksburg.

Ofi1cial Report on the Battle OF
F0 Fredericksburg.
WASHINGTON, Dec. es.--The report Of
the Committee on the Conduct Of War en-
braces the depositions Of Generals Burn
side, Sumner Franklin, Hooker, Wood.
BURY, Haupt, Halleck and Meigs. The
comment. Burnside said l"When, after
the battle Of Aptietam, Mcclellan decided
to cross the Potomac, said to him, in my
opinion, he would never be able TO take the
army on that route, beyond the Rappahan-
mock unless he succeeded iu fighting the
enemy at some place on this eide. That il
he proposed to ge to Riehwoud by land he
would have 70 10 I'll 11s31 erickburg, and in
sixth II NovcSssl u! ! "a this ssssAssssion,
Mcclellan gave an order to Capt Drum,
Chief of Engineers, to have all the pontooH
bridges at Berlin and in that neighborhood
that could be spared taken up and sent down
to Washington, with view of getting them
down to this town in case he decided to 20
by way of fredericksburg.
''The letter conveying that order was
written on the 9th Of November, but, as l
understood, was not received until the 18th
Of November"
Burnside speaks Of the surprise with
which he received the Presidents order to
take command of the army Of the Potomac,
and that he had repeatedly expressed the
opinion that he (Burnside) was not com
pe,ent to command 50 large an army, and
that Mcclellan was the ittest person. He
then says: "Halleck came to see me on
November IL. On the 9th [ made out a
plan Of operations in accordance with Hal
leck's order and sent it to Washington. -
He gives detailed account of this plan,
and speaks Of the disastrous delay in re-
ceiving pontoons, and sa7s on the 18th he
started column to Fredericksburg, not
knowing Of the delay The pontoons did
not, however start until the 10th, and that
day it commenced raining, which delayed
them SO much, and the roads became SO bad,
that when they got to Dumfries they lifted
the pontoons of the wagons, sent to Wash
ingtOn for steamer and carried them TO
Acquia creek by water, sending the wagons
round by land. The pontoons did not get
there until the 22d or 23d of November
After the first delay in starting the pontoons,
think they were sent ss quickly as they
could have been, and the supplies and quar-
terlnasters stores have always been in as
great an abundance as we could have ex-
pccted, for after the 10Th of November the
weather and roads were particularly bad
After reaching fredericksburg saw at once
thore was no crossing the Rappahannook
with the army at that time. 1t commenced
raining and the river began to rise. l did
not know how much it might rise. There
were no means Of. crosaing except by going
up to the fords, aud it would be- impossible
e tssas. r.. .Ssy ~ .se ~
Sumner arrived here Nth his troops in ad-
vance. He sent to me asking me IL he
should cross the river. did not think il
advisable that he should at that tune. 1t
was first decided to cross at SINNERS Neck,
about II miles below here, but our demon.
stration was simply forthe purpose Of draw.
iny there as large force of the enemy as
possible. | then decided to cross here, be-
cause, in the first place, felt satisfied that
they did not expect US to cross here, but
below. La the next place, l felt satisfied
that this was the place TO fight the most
decisive battle, because il we could divide
theil forces by piercing their lines at one OF
two points, separating their left from their
right, then vigorous attack with the whole
army would succeed in breaking their army
in pieces. Two attacks were made, and we
were repulsed, still holding portion Of the
ground we had fought upon, but not oul
extreme advance. That night l went ovel
the field on our right, aud, in fact, wa
with the officers and men till nearly day
light. Iiound the feeling against an at
tack. l returned 70 fhyS6eadquafters, and
after a conversation with, Sumner, told hin
wanted him to order the 9th Army Corps
which originally commanded, to form mex
morning iu column of attack by regiments
1T consisted of some eighteen old regi
ments and some new ones, and desired tn
column to make direct attack upon tn
enelny's works. / Thought that these reg
iments, by arriving quickly up after eacl
other, would be able 70 carry the stone wal
aud batteries in 'front.', forcing the enem
on their next line, aud By going in wit
them they would not beable to fire upon U
to any great extent. Left Con. Sulnne
with that understanding, and directed hin
to give the orders. TIE order was give
and the order of attach was formed. Th
, next morning just before the column was
/ have started, Gen. Sumner came to me an
said, L hope you will desist from this attack
do not know of any General officer VIII
approves of it, and / think it will prov
, disastrous to the army. Advice Of ths
kind from Sumner, wA(Uens always been !
favor Of our advance wkAhever it was p0ss
| BILE, caused me to hesitate. kept the 90
| umn of attack formed and sent over for th
division aud corps commanders and consult
: ed with them. They unanimously vote
: against the attack Ithen went over
/ see the other officers of the command on th
/ other side and found that the same opinio
prevailed among them. then sent Il
General Franklin, whs was on the lett, an
8 he was of the same opinion. This cause
ms to decide that | ought not to make Il
attack had contemplated, and besides Il
Q President had told me not to be in haste
!, making this attack; that he would give n
Z all tho support he could, but he did q
Q want the army of the Potomac destroyed,
8 l felt that could nottake the responsib
ity of ordering the attack, notwithstandir
. my own belief at the time that the works
the enemy could bo carried. ~ l.o
"While on his way here, Hooker, on b
. morning Of the 10th November. wrote U
3 note, which j yeceiysd on the 2lst,
. which he suggested That be should cross
. force over the Rappahannock, at the TO
. nearest the town, Richards ford, and mo,
rapidly down to Saxton's station and ta
!. position there.
!, si.He stated that they hsd three days pl
|. visions, and that he could meet any force
= - : - 49,, 4, ieuv,,t of him I replied "