Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-04-11

of Immediately securing me.
cannot state positively when il was that
telegraphed to Gen. Banks. But my impress
sion now is, that just as started I - up to
Balls Bluff, when the news of Cui Bakers
death reached me, telegraphed to Gen.
Banks, requesting him to send up a brigade.
When got to Harrison's Island, and before
returned Edwards Ferry, l dispatched
messenger to meet whatever brigade Gen.
Banks might send, and conduct it to Conrad's
Ferry, instead of to Edwards Ferry from
which my dispatch to Gen. Banks was sent.
And my impression is, that when | returned
to Edwards Ferry, and telegraphed to Gen.
Mcclellan the fact of the repulse at Balls
Bluff, l sent another telegram to Gen Banks,
that he had better bring up his whole division.
l know l sent Gen. Banks such telegram;
but at what time | will not be positive.
Some time was lost in communicating with
Gen. Mcclellan, by my receiving a dispatch,
in cipher, of which l had not the key, from
him or from his chief of staff. What the con-
tents of that dispatch was | have never learn
ed. | Immediately responded to it Il have
received the box, but have no key What
that dispatch was, | have no knowledge
whatever; but presume that the dispatches
which came afterward covered the same
ground.
| cannot state now, afteS so long an interval
of time, at what hour telegraphed to Gen.
Mcclellan, urging that the reinforcements
should be sent to Goose creek on the Virginia
side, supposing all the time that Gen. Mccall
was not far off. The response to that, which
l think | received about IL O'Clock on Mon
day night, was the first intimation | ever re-
ceived that Mccall had not all the time been
near me. That dispatch informed me that no
reinforcements could reach me from the Vlr-
ginia side but that Gen. Banks would lem
force me from the Maryland side
GLOW far was Gen. Banks from you?
Ale was about fourteen miles in my rear.
Odd that first dispatch from Gen. Nc
Clelan, promising reinforcements, contem-
plate that they should come from General
Banks?
Ayes, sir, [ suppose so. But at the
time, my idea was that Mccall was close by
me. And was led into an error, late in the
evening, by receiving a dispatch from Gen.
McClellan's headquarters, whether signed by
him or his chief of staff, do not now recol-
lect, asking me if there was a road from
''DameSyille" to Edwards Ferry. Now there
is no such place at GAINESVILLE; but there is
a "Drainesville." And having in my mind
that Mccall was at Drainesville, took it for
granted that the operator had made mistake
and had meant Drainesville instead of Darnes-
town, which was the name of place in Ma
ryland, and which proved to be the place
meant. l replied to that dispatch, to the best
OF my recollection, that there was good road
from Drainesville to Edwards Ferry. | pre-
sumo that caused some misconception at
headquarters, because they undoubtedly had
''Darnestown" in their minds when they tele.
graphed 'Darnesville, just as [ had 'Draines-
vile" in my mind when [ saw 'Darnesville"
no. IL D.. IL.
tant, only to show how errors will creep in.
think that by this statement l must re-
move any unpleasant impression with regard
to my improperly exposing troops to disaster
at Edwards Ferry, since l acted under the
impression that our forces under Gen. Mccall
were near us on the Virginia side of Edwards
Ferry.
Q.-How happened it that you failed to
make this statement concerning those orders,
on your former examination?
A.-Because l did not deem it proper to
give any Of the orders of my superior officers
which he had not himself previously pub
liShed or authorized me to use. The morning
that | came before your committee, was in
structed, at Gen. McClelan's headquarters
that it was the desire Of the general that Off
GERS giving testimony before the committee
shall not state, without his authority, anything
menl of his troops, or his orders concerning
the position of troops. That covered this
case.
Odd you understand that to apply to
past orders and transactions, as well as those
to be executed in the future?
Al did; because | could not know, and
did not know, what orders to others were
given cotemporaneous with those | received,
and L might create wrong impressions by Civ
ing the orders L had received from my COM
handing general, unless there were at the
same time produced cotemporaneous orders
given to other generals. AndI presume that
the chairman will remember that | stated,
when giving my testimony before, that | could
not give any orders from my commanding gen.
eral except such as he himself had made pub
lie.
Odd Gen. Mcclellan approve of. the
crossing at Edwards Ferry and Balls Bluff,
on the 2lst of October, 1861?
Al received dispatch from Gen. Nc
Clelan in reply to one which l had sent him,
informing him of the crossing of Gen. Cor
man and Col. Baker; that dispatch to me
commenced with these words: 81 congratu-
late you and your command / took that
congratulation on the fact of my having
crossed, as an approval Of the crossing; and
as | had received no information whatever
concerning Gen. Mccall, in my own mind
supposed that it was but a simple thing of
Gen. Mcclellan in connection with any other
movements he might be making.
Q.-Was Gen. Mcclellan informed of your
means of transportation for crossing troops2
A.-Some time during the day-and L
think it was in the same dispatch in which he
asked me for information of the enemy, and
L should think that dispatch must have reached
me about noon-Gen. Mcclellan asked what
means OF transportation had, replied to
HIM by telegraph, stating the number and
character OF the boats at each crossing-at
Edwards Ferry and at Harrisons Island"
Gen. Mcclellan testifes in reference to the
crossing OF Gen. Stones forces into Virginia:
81 have no recollection of any order which
justified the passage of the river in force;
am sure that [ had no intention that 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 final withdrawal of
all our forces to the Maryland side OF the river
arc fully set forthin the testimony herewith
submitted, and your committee do not deem
any comments by them to be necessary.
From the Philadelphia Inquirer, 9th.
A Day at the Agency for the ''Five-
Twenty'' Loan.
1t would rejoice the heart of every patriot
it he could Witness in person, the daily oper-
atoms at the agency of the national loan in