New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-04-10

An e, ss }: s ss Il he
'P : hay. sf .s a.
ersph " 80 the way In which was rene .ed rom my
nson It opc. and having no. she' Iu.peISn q Why
.ss mere O.. s ~ T' .as
time this have ssen single paper Of any nn
behind vi; s No
patches received and ssn why cannot perhaps give their
saw all the danger in which my troops were on the Viz
rina side but supposed at that time that Gen. Mccall was
sn me- 70 hold my position the Virgins
ell hazards that should be rsnfoesd that 10 had the
mean. Of imm:Si.ssy securing me- ns1,.c.nb.d to
to 60 up Bali. Bluff when the Of Col Baker, death
.snd Sp ss.ss When to hsli.ons .nd and be-
fore returned to Edwadss Ferry dispatched messenger
duct 10 Conrad. Ferry instead Of to Edwards Ferry from
which my dispatch to Gen Banks was sent.
Ferry and tssrsphsd to Con MoClcsn tho fact OF the
pulse at Balls Bu6 sent another telegram to Con banks
Gen. Banks such telegram but Ct what time VIII not DO
Some time was lost in communicating with Cen. MeCel
LAM by my receiving dispatch in cipher Of which had not
the key from him from hi. Chief OF staff What the con-
tents Of that dipsteh were have never leaned %Ds
no hey" What that dispatch have no knowledge Of
whatever but presume that the dispatches which came si
cannot state now, amer long interval OF time. at
what hour teiegraphed to Gen. Mcclellan urging that the
side supposng eli the time that Gen. Mccall far off,
The response to that, which think received ABOUT IL
G Mec h.a cot ali thu n. time BEEN
dispatch informed thai reenfoEcemens could reach me
me fIom the Mary land side.
Question. How far Gen, Banks from you'
Answer He about IL miles In MY rear
Question Did that FRS. dispatch from Gen. Mcclellan,
promising you acknowledgements, contemplate thai they should
Lp,wsr Yes Sir suppose 90; but at the time idea
was that Mccall was close by me- And was led into an
late In the evening BY Isc.y1s sPs,'h h,n 5' On
his chief Of staff not r.cosct .kns uc If there
wa. a road from . D.ne'vills" to Edw.,d:' Ferry Now
Orsoevilleo And having in mind thu. Mccall va. =.
Dne,ve took it for granted that the operator had made
town. which the name Of plsee in Maryland and
to Be the s.% 'Pss to .A.' ODD
road from Drsinssvlc to Edwsd.' Ferry presume the.
tbsy npdoubedy bad D,rnestowu" In their minds when
they teiegsphed "Darnesvilei' just hs1 Drsines.
vile" In my mind when saw Darnesvile IN the as.
patch But that not very important, only to show how
think tina, By hi. 't..msn. mus. remove any unple.
ant with regard to Improperly sIposog troops
to disaster at Edwsrdss Ferry since acted under the in-
roctiOus Of superior Officer and also under tn. imp,s
.ion that our forces under Cen MCCALL were near VI on 'he
Virgins side Of Edwsrdss Ferry. -,
Question How happened that you failed TO make this
concerning those ORDERS on your former eIsmins
tioni -,
Answer Because aid not deem Il proper 70 give any Of
the orders my superior officer which he had not himself
previously pub.hsd authorized to The morning
that before Committee ! was instructed =, Gen
headquarters that was tbs desire Of ths General
ths, officers giving testimony before the COMMITTEES should
not wsou, 6. su,hOr anything rslaldnl hi, plans
hi, orders for the movement Of troops OF h' ode" concern
Ing the position Of troops That covered thi, case
ous.iOn Did you unde.nd that TO sppy to past otder
Answer. did; because could not fnOw and did not
kuow Whist orders 10 Others were rven eosmpofaneous
with those received and might create wrong pre'oss
nv civ
General unless there were ut the same Tune produced ootnn
posneous orders given TO other GeEefsa And presume
lat the Chairman viii remember tia, stated. when giving
my testimony before that could not give any orders from
commanding General except such Is be himself had made
QUESTION Did Gen. Mcclellan approve Of the crossing a.
Eds afdss Ferry and Bsl' Bua on the 2ls, Of October
Answer. I r.e.ived . d,psteh from Gen. Mcclellan In
cto.spg Of Gen German and Col Baksf That Dispatch TO
me commenced with these words; congratulate you ane
your command" took that consstua,on on 'he1.es o.
INV hsyin1 crossed approval OF the crossings and
h.d received information whssver conserving Cen Nc
sha. Gem Mccio.n in connection with other
m,nts he might be making ,,,o,.a 81, van, =,
.r.l .per,.ti.a for sre..ins troops 4.
s .s J sS IN which s. t,d me for
aud should think h., that dispatch must hsve
Of had Irepled 10 hai by telegraph stat
ns tbs number and character a th. boats :. sseh efons
Al EduAdss Ferry and Of HarTison's Island
Gen. Mcclellan testiies In reference TO the cross
inc of Gen. Stone forces into Virginia;
have no recollection Of order which jashsd ,he pas
sss Of the river IN force an sure that lad no insn-
ton ths. he should do that
The events that occurred subsequently, to the
operations Of Monday-the ARRIVAL Of Gen. Banks
with his forces, the arrival Of Gen. Mcclellan
and the finsl Withdrawal of all our forces 10 the
Maryland side Of the rver-are fully act forth IN the
testimony herewith submitted and your Committee
do not deem any comments by them 10 DO necessary
In connection with the battle Of Balls Bluff, two
points remain to be considered: Firt, whether q
crossing was unsuitable under any circumstances,
considering the very insufficient means Of transpora
ton at the command Of Gen. Stone. Second, whether
the forces under Col. Baker could, and should, have
been reinforced from the Virginia side OF Edwards
Ferry when il was known that the troops under his
command were engaged with the enemy.
In regard TO the first point, all the testimony goes
10 prove that the means Of transportation were very
inadequate. The testimony Of Gen. Stone would
to indicate that, while he was inclined 10 deem
il sufficient, under what he understood to be the cir
cumstances under which the movement was made
he left much TO the Judgment Of others; and this
much can be said for him. that be received no iut-
nation that movement across tho river would DO
expected from him, or would be justified, until the
day before Sunday 1t was actually made. And the
that he had for supposng that other forces
within short distance TO render him assistance
are set forth in the previous portion Of this report
In reference TO roonforcing Col Baker, the test-
mony 10 very conflicting. There is question that
it was known that the forces at Balls Blaf were
engaged with the enemy. The firing Of musketry
was distinctly heard at Edwards Ferry, on both
sides Of the river. The only question is whether re-
endorsements should have been sent under the cir
| cumstances, and whether there was any sufficient
reason why they were not sent. Gen. Stone testi-
fe. that he received no intimaton from Col Baker
that he needed reenforcements that he received liz.
tie, il any, information from Col. Bakor in refer
enoe TO the condition aud progress Of Affairs at Ball
Bluff and he also testliies that, even IL TO enforce
ments had been needed, they could not have been
sent up on the Virginia side; that the enemy bud
earth works and batteries between Edwardss Ferry
and Balls Bluff, which would have made 1t ex.