Winchester daily bulletin. [volume] (Winchester, Tenn) 1863-1863, 1863-05-24
(CopY.)
HEADQUARTERS BREeKINRIDuE's DIV,
T~ULLAHoMA, Tenn, March 3lst, 1868.
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O~NNH~S ~
f~recsboro, and after proper time for
reflection, ! think it my duty TO send
you this communication.
I cannot conceal from myself this
fact that so much Of the report as re.
fers to my conduct and that of my
command Except ONE general com
plimonts to the courage of q portion
OF my troops on Wednesday 3lst Of
Dec.) is in tone and spirit n thorough
disparagemcnt of both. This tone
runs through all its parts and lies like
a broad foundation underneath the
whole. At tho same time the nara.
tive of events is made TO sustain the
| general spirit.
While the report ofthe COmd'g Genl
fails, as ! think, to do justice to the
behavior of my Division on Friday
the ID Of Jan'y yet it's structures are
chiefly levellcd at my own conduct as
an officer during all the operations. By
direct statement and by u~nmlstakable
inuondo it is throughout a reflection
upon my capacity and conduct.
Without referring TO its contents in
detail, | have to say, in respectful
terms, that neither its material state,
ments, nor it's material inuondoes can
he maintained by proot-that it's omis-
sion Of important facts crcditable to
my Division and myself is as remark
able as many Of its affirmative state
ments-in n word, that IN spirit and
substance it is erroneous and unjust.
trust that nothing in the foregoing
expressions passes the limit of military
p%roprioty, and that plainness of state.
mont will be pardOned to one who ever
under the weight of superior military
consurc, feels that both he and his com
mand have deserved we'll oftheir coun-
try. Having met the Comd'g Genl
repeatedly on the field, and on three
occasions in council during the progress
Of the operations, without receiving
from him the least indication of dis
satisfaction with my conduct, 7 was
not prepared TO see a report bearing a
subsequent date containing representa-
lions at variance with these significant
facts. Nor was my surprise lessened
when / observed that it was written
after correspondence with his corps
and division con manders q being one
OF tho latter in which heinvOkes their
aid to sustain him, and speaks Of them
as officers "upon whom 7 (he) have
ever relied as upon . foundation OF
rock"
The Comd'g Gent having written
and forwarded his report before receiv.
ing those of his subordinate command.
ers, could have derived no assistance
in its preparation from those usual
official aidsto the COMMANDMENT. Chief;
and since his position on the field pre-.
vented him from seeing many Of the
movements, especially those OF Friday
the I'd of January, it much concerns
all affected by his statements to know
something OF those other, and to them
unknown sources of information, to
which he has given the sanction of his
influence and rank as the head Of the
army.
have felt that it would BE improper
in a paper Of this character to enter
upon Il detailed vindication yet. in
view of the fact that the casualties Of
war may at any time render an inves.
tigation impossible, hope that it has
not been improper for me to place on
record this general protest against the
Injurious statements and differences OF
tho Comd'g Genl, particularly, since,
not anticipating his eensuros, ! may
not have been sufficiently minute in
portions of my own report.
And in regard to'the action of Friday
the I'd OF January, upon which the
Nomd'g Gent heaps so much criticism,
! have to say with tho utmost conf.
doncc that the failure Of my troops to
hold the position which they carried
on that occasion was due to no fault of
theirs or Of mine, but to the fact that
VIC were commanded to do an impossi
Bile thing. My force was about $500
men. OF these 100 heroic spirits