Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-04-30
The PenInSuIar C ampaign..TeStImo-
NY Of TGeneTAl Hooker.

The PenInSular cnmpRi En.-TeStlmo o
ny OrGenerAl Hooker.
The following testimony, given by Gen
eral Hooker, before the Committee on th
Conduct Of the War, possesses a good dea
Of public interest and historical value:
WAsHINOToS. Wednesday, March II, ca
Major GcuerAl Joseph Hooker, sworn AM
examined by the Chairman:
Question-To what do you attribute thC
failure of the peninsular campaignf
Auswer-I do not hesitate to say that i
is to he attributed to the rant Of grnrFdiShil
on Mt part Of our commander,
Q.-Were you consulted upon tho sub
ject Of the line of the Peninsula in prefer.
ence to the one direct to Richmond
Al never was consulted on the sub
ject.
Q.-What was the condition Of things al
Yorktown when our troops first landed al
the Peninsula as regards the strength oj
the place, and the relative strength Of the
opposing forccs2
Al did not go down for some weeks
after General Mcclellan went down. lie
Wcntdown with the army from Alexandria,
and the return vessels stopped ut Budd's
Ferry, where was, and took my division
down. General Mcclellan took down about
10000, and when Joined him, took H..
900 down to him. did not see the re.
turns, but. that was the understanding
there. Franklin afterward Joined With bis
division. At the time that General NC.
Clellan landed With this large army, there
was something between 5000 and $4,000
at Yorktown. have heard It estimated
as low rs 5000 and as high as $4,000.
Q.-What course would you have Rdvis.
cd ut the time Of the landing on the PenIn.
sula, under the circumstances
A.-What l subsequently did will,
think, convey an answer to that question,
l attacked with my single division, a IiuC
Of works at WilliamSburgb stronger than
the line across the Peninsula at Yorktown.
Al Yorktown, long after Joined, never
could understand why was required 10
send one.half fmy number on duty, day
and night to dig, SO as TO iuvCs! the place
| could only conclude that II siege had been
determined upon somewhere in the pro.
gramme, before 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
aud reaching away beyond the position
that occupied, | felt that their liheS could
be pierced without any considerable loss
by the corps with which was on duty,
IlsintzlemAn's corps. We could have gone
right through and gone TO the rear Of the
enemy. They would run the moment We
got 10 their rear, and We could have picked
up the prisoners. Right there at yorktown
the enemy had expended q great deal Ot
labor, but | would have marched righ
through the redOubtg, which were part o
the Gordon they had, and got on the roaC
between Yorktown and Richmond, ant
thus compel the enemy to fght me on M
own ground, and not have fought them OF
theirs.
Q.-Supposc that General Mcclellan hat
thrown bis army between Yorktown ant
Williamsburg, With as much rApility as ht
could, what would have probably been tht
efEsct2
Alt would have resulted In the cap
ture and destruction Of the enemy'S army
Q.-Do you know any reason Why tha
could not have been doue7
Al do not.
Q.-YOu were there when the enemy re-
treated from YOrktoWn2
Al was within mile and half o.
there,
Own you slate briefly aud SuCcinctly
what took place upon their retreatH
A.-The troops ordered IN the first To-
stance to pursue them, were some dragOonl
and some. light batteries, under Genera
Stoneman. received orders 10 support
General StonemHu, aud left my camp be-
tween one and two O'Clock In the Afternoon
for that purpose. do not know wha
time General stoneman left. ! followed ir
bis rear. After had proceeded about Gv'
miles, met Governor Sprague, who 10
formed me that Gen. StOnemAn had fAller
upon the rear Of The enemy. rode up tC
where Gen. stoneman was, and found thR
be was held in check on the Y0rktoWE
road, about mile aud half this York
town. side Of the Gordon Of the redon6tI
running across the Peninsula near vii
IIamsburg. rode forward to ascerlAiE
. how could put 10 my Infantry. Genera
StOneman told MIC that the enemy Werr
about mile 10 bis front, where they helI
/: some FOdoubtS. II turned out aflerward Il
be Fort Magrudsr. We we're then Whcr,
. the enemy could throw shells over Ou
heads from tho fort.
After examining the ground, heard tba
4 Smiths division had filed into the YOrk
town road In advance Of mine. I imme
diately returned aud Joined my division
and found Il bad been hailed 10 order Il
enable Smiths division to pass, We wsr
detained Ihoro 10 that way between tire
and four hours. As soon AS aSCsrIAinel
this To be the case, requested Genera
IIeIntzslman to allow me TO 20 up TO th
ulaee occupied by tho enemy. Genera
Smiths division then occupied almost III
entire road between the point wherO the
4 had filed into tho Yorktown road AM
where General StOneman was, and thor
was no chance for me to get my division
through by that road, learned from
contFRbAnd that by going two or thrs
: miles further, ! could get up 10 the sam
!. position the enemy held, coming 10 on hl
right flank. To ibis the General HSSentOd
n / started upon this route Just about dArE
: : and marched that night until eleven O'Clock
t by that tlmo the roads had become =
muddy-it was raining VUry hard-th