The New York herald., 1863-04-28

supplied by the Orange ana Alexandra road drew Them
mainly, Itbink. from Manassas junction. The others
drew Them from Fredesicksbarg orr rather from a..le
station between Fredericksburg and Acluia, where
Holmes had his headquarters
Q. Did Richmond ever hodlhe same relation 20 them
as Washington did to us for supphesy A. Everything
O. So thai Il was really the general base Of suppress
In general termsyes on course efea' e,, .sne
from tauntn by Gordonsvie that never passed through
Richmond
O It was true then, hot, thai when the enemy
was al Ceneviile and Manassas, that portion o. ,ne
force some 100 100 miles from their pracpa sase
of supplies9 A. ves; should think so.
Y suppose you had operated against tho enemy rom
Washington during tho month Of November, with how
great force do you think they could have opposed you
A, hnk, wiM certainty, considerably osT 100 Voomen.
O. Wuh force greater than the force thot you couia
has taken againa nems A. tAiak So That ,oas my i'm
pessSw Aes and my ,neion at that time toere etdn'y
O. COULD you not in November, about that time. by
have threatened TO destroy their com
10 come out from Centreve and Manassas give battle
at least upon equal termss A. do not think that the
Army Of the Potomac was ht tor sucn movement N NO.
Manassas would have been by crossing the OccoquAn
and moving ON BrentsviIe or some point 70 tho SOUTH
west OF that and movement would have exposed
communications with our lines OF supplies, and
battle in that vicinity would not. in my Judgment,
have produced decisive results do not think that the
movement In question would have been practicable or
prudent in November.
DID you or moi regard tho retreat Of the enemy froa
misfortune 70 usy A. regarded 1t a. misfortune only
in This: that II gave them more time 70 concen-
about to adopt Ihad hoped be able throw At least
portion or the army the line Of operations before
c eas ~ y. sev oosocs Of or MOVING
on the general lsne Of Ms PsnnsMa mean oy tna any
line based the Lower Chesapeake .
O. Wagthat movement 70 which you refer proposed or
designed before the evacuation OF hanassasf A. Yes
q. And in what was IL proposed that IL should
be accomplished how proposed that your nsw line
OF operations should be reachsdi A. intended .
tho army Transports by detachmonts Of 80 900
to at time TO the new base OF Operations on the
O. From what point or points the army to embark
In tho transportss The points first designated were
Annapolis and point on the Potomac below Aqus
creek-beow Hooker's position.
O. You mean those the two points from which Il
was first proposed to mover A. Yes.
O. Did you anticipate that that movement could bc made
without the knowledge OF the rebels and In such manner
to enable you to cut on or intercept their retreat from
think that could entirely intercept their retreat 70
Richmond but tho chances were that this movement
fairly started before they were aware Of IT, We could
fight them in front Of Richmond 70 their disadvantage
before they could get all thoir troops In hand.
ceS; their retreat 70 Richmond IN such manner as to
divide their forces leaving part OF It ON this side OF tho
point where you intercept their and then
hight the balance OF Rchmondi A. Ia reply to that
70 @ reach M ae sieiiy Of Riekmosd tfore ey could
all their troops ere; that they could mot get dHhesr
troops do,on from Manassas DC. before ws got there
NORFOLK AND THE MERRIMAC.
O. Was il proposed By any one at any time during the
early part OF last winter that Norfolk should be taken
A. do not remember any formal proposition to that
effect. although that matter may we'll have been talked
OF, as many other points were.
o. During the early part OF last winter could not force
OF 80 900 900 have been concentrated suddenly
At Fortress Monroe aud Norfolk captured aud the herr
mac destroyed & any GTeas nazasS ndS 70 Ss
cult do not think II would have promoted the general
objects Of the looked upon the fall OF Norfolk as
necessary consequences OF movement upon Richmond.
o. Would not the destruction OF the Merrimac have
been great point gained and have rendered the move
mort UPON Richmond by way Of the James or York
rivers very much A. As things turned out
But do not think that the importance OF the Merrimac
appreciated until she came out 4 remen,oer rsy
Cnbsrand scue capable Of taking care Of The Arindc
The question Of taking Norfolk after the errimac made
land was seriously discussed The conclusion arrived at
was that u bettor not 70 depart from the direct
movement upon Richmond, under all the circumstances
O. was there any important OF the army Of
the Potomac contemplated or proposed prior to the LIST Of
have already reierreds A. There was movement con-
tempated by the President 10 cross the occoquan and
o. was that movement approved BY your A. II was
not wrote against II. The only other movement 70
member movement 20 gain possession OF the batte
ries on the Potomac That was movement OF the mass
Of the army the OccoQnan and gain possession OF
the batteries the lower Potomac, 1hatwas directed
BY the President hut rendered unnecessary BY the
cuation OF their positions by the rebels. as.t
q. Do you know what caused the enemy 10 cvacuate
on "a. auSvs BEEN that y sot ird s 10 our tscsa
m0cment 10 hs Lower Chesapeate, and thar hdf ,rGs the
main caMse Of their lsaring. la
U. We're intending 10 carry out that movement Al
the time they evacuated Manassass A. Yes.
O. That was then the proposed movement Of the army
O. when did you first lean Of the evacuation Of
Manassas, and what then done? A. The trst infor
s,xsa o. Ss sh o March, The
Secretary OF War at my house when received II.
them my intention to cross tho river ia order
st~l tnfar md
ing 70 circumstances. uuring the night OF the 9th
regiments OF cavalry forward under Colonel
Ayerl, 10 verify the fact, md directed general ad
ysrce OF the Amy the direction Nanassas hoping
that might possibly reach their guard and nfct
ios upon H. and desiring also 70 get the men out o.
service The o the army advanced 10 the vicinity OF
Fairfax Court House. myself went Manassas
General Summers command AZ the Rarpshsnnock
thus forcing the enemy TO burn the railroad bridge
that river, and showing that their evacuation
ce Thai gave us the strongest reason to believe that
there no immediate danger of their returning by
that line The army returned from the vicinity OF Fair
fax Court House Alexandra, where embarked ior
Fort Monroe rapidly trans portntor ready
U Then 1t not your intention, when the army
that the enemy had evacuated TO continue the pursuit
beyond the point yo reached, A. Not unless saw
great advantage y be gained II could have caught
their rear guard should have done
DQ. When ald " whom WAS the movement ON Richmond
6y way Of Yorktown nrst Proposed, and when II
finally determined upon, A. do not remember who first
proposed IT, n thing more or less discussed before
the movements Of the army Were hnay determined upon
| It finally determined upon when the army at
iairfax Court House
U Was determined upon "a a couacil 0. war, the pro
| ceedngs of which have been made pubicy A. Yes.
| think IL
o. And " then decided, Il not, that the army
should 70 by way or Alexandria A. Alexandria was
adopted the convenient point OF cmbarkaton
Were there at that time large number or bans
porls Annapolis, which To have been used the
former movement 10 wlich You have referred A. tbik
| thst many of them there.
v Aud then became necessary to them 10 Alex
| andrias A. Many of them. The most Of them wcrs
brought to Alexandra. There large depot wagons
| at Perryvie that taken right down that way.
u When you first heard that he enemy evacuatnl
| Manassss could not rapid movement have been made
across the occoquan d reach The orange Alex
andra Railroad and on ie cert the retreat OF the
enemy A. think not
| THE ROUTE TO RICHMOND By MANASSAS iMrKAcTi.
CABLE
O. What were the hat Influenced the decisi u
in favor of the movement by way of Yorktown. A. In
preference to the dirst by way Of Manssssf
Al Lhinlun rsQaLx.d fhk tne. hl oE Van