Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1863-05-08
GENERAL HoOKEn,s TESTIMONY.

fore the Committee on the Conduct Of the War,
Is now published, and the doubts that have ex-
listed in relation to It are thus set at rest Gen.
Hookers testimony is very positive, and SO far
as McClellan's gcheralship is concerned it is
very damaging. The first answer Of the witness
is that he does not hesitate TO say that the fail
ure Of the Peninsular campaign is to be attribu-
ted to the wantof good generalship on the part
Of Mcclellan. Gen. Hooker also states that
when Mcclellan arrived before Yorktown with
over 10000 men, the rebel force at Yorktown
was from 5000 10 $4,000 men. We extract from
the testimony as follows:
Q.-What course would you have advised at
the time of the landing on the Peninsula under
| the circumstances2
A-whatI subsequently did will, think,
convey an rto that question. l attacked
with my single division, a line Of scorks at va
iidmsburg stronger than the lino dcrOsS\Mc PeniN-
s,tld at PorktoWn, At Yorktown, long after
joined, never could understand why / was re-
quircd to send one-half of my number on duty,
day and night to dig, so as to invest the place.
] could only conclude that siege had been de-
termined upon somewhere IN the programme be-
fore ever having felt TO see whether we had an
enemy in front or not, and great many others
felt so too. From my examination Of the works
at Yorktown, and reaching away beyond tliv pc
sition that l occupied, l felt that their lines
could be pierced without any considerable loss
by the corps with which was on duty, Heint-
telman's corps. We could have gone right
through and gone to the rear of the enemy -
l They would run the moment we got to their
rear. and we could have picked up the prisoners.
Right there at Yorktown the enemy had expen-
ded great deal of labor, but / would have
marched right through the redoubts, which were
IF tho hpv had n nd crnfo fhe rfaad
between Yorktown and Richmond, and thus
compel the enemy to fight me on my own ground
and not have fought them upen theirs.
T. Q.-Suppose that Gen. Mcclellan had thrown
his army between Yorktown and Williamsburg
with as much rapidity as he could, what would
have probably been the effeet2
Alt would have resulted in the capture ant
J destruction Of the enemy's army.
: Q.-Do you know any reason why that coul,
, not have been done3
E Al do not.
Gen. Hooker then goes on 10 give the condt
ion of affairs on the retreat Of the rebels to
wards Williamsburg, in particular the part hi
command had in the pursuit, and he says had h
been properly reinforced by Gen. Sumner 9TH
rebellion would have been buried there. Blu
Gen. Sumner did not advance at all"
There is no doubt that Gen. Hooker does tn
brave and lamented Sumner gross injustice il
this testimony, for the witness says Gen. Sumne
, had not less than 10000 men under his command
whereas Gen. Sumner in his own testimony
n before the Committee showed that at the tim,
Hooker sent for reinforcements he had unde
!! his immediate eye and control only 5000 mer
and they not of the arm of the service that coul
! be of avail to Hooker. This serious and unjus
charge upon the late Gen. Sumner--than whom
g more gallant or daring soldier never lived
= will very much detract from the force of Gen
e Hooker's whole testimony, at least it will slim
ulate readers to look for corroborating testimon,
2 before taking Gen. Hooker sopinon as entirel,
Is free from bias and prejudice. We extract fur
n ther: i'
t Q.-Where was General Mcclellan all thi
10 timer
A.-At Yorktown. About nine o'clock, o
thcreabouts, OF the morning Of the fight, Primo
de Joinville, seeing that no reinforcement
would be sent to me, start ID for Yorktown ant
reached there in about an hour. 1t is reporte
to me, and have no doubt that it is So that b
Q said to Gen. Mcclellan: General, you hav
!! three old women in advance. Gen. Hooker
engaged heavily, and they will send him no re
Inducements. It's necessary for you to go i
4 advance" think Gov. Sprague went dow
s.ss - mo H., General McCieIIa e
Yorktown between four and five o'clock in tn
afternoon; Lieut. COL Meoo, now tne .hspeclo
between Prince de- Jo;nyiIIe and Cen McClcll
an. Cen Mcclellan showed a great indisposit
ion to go forward, and only LETT, as l am tolt
oet"ee" iou' anu n'e 0'oIA -
IN SPcrA"s u '"' '"'''e a. "'ii''''SOu''
Gen. Hooker says:
have since learned, from reliable sources, ths
when the news ofthat battle reached Richmond
JEFF. Davis and Gov. Letcher moved their famil
; les out of Richmond removed the archives an
, their libraries aud every citizen who could CON
mand vehicle had nus goous piied on Wagon,
and prepared 10 aoandoh tne cry. Lhey ON
returned (those VINO had lelt) wnen ,ney loun
ny thatt pursuitceased'-la almost say was aoai
=. doned. -,
Q-ls It your Judgment that you could ha'
ID, gone into h'chmond thenI
I'M Al thinR we couid nave moved Ilght, @ Q
p ana got into S'chInono oy tne second Gay ai1
the battle, without another gun oe'ng nred.
w ~ hat was uonef
A.-we 'noveo on IN snihne. 1 never alu "
uerstsna, losing u,"e ,ns'e s. was any aGte !.
OIL So Ear ne tbe hest ;nforma,on we have GOES n
ly enen,y bsd ahondoned the ;dea Of defsnd;,
Richmond and II was only when thew saw ii