Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1863-08-07
Ia lie EdiforS Of lie Enn,irsr


Gentlemen: We have, for the first time
read, to-day. the communication Of yourco
| respondent a" dated "IlaSerstown," Stt
July, 1861, and we have but Just now seer
your paper of the 25tn instant, in which you
b we transcribed from the Savannah "Repuh
| !ican" an extract for the. purpose. it would
SEEM, of reinforcing the statements madeir
your columns.
In these communications We find o most ar.
! rogant and wnnton attempt is made to prcju.
dice the sentiment Of the country as to the
con,luc, of Maior-Gcneral Anderson, Briga
dier-Generals Malone and Posey, in conncc
ton with the actions OF the battle Of Gettrs
burg. With every proper respect for the good
opinion of the public generally, We cannot
admit, as soldiers, accountability to any other
source than that of our military supcriors In
that direction it is our duty to look for rebnke
| or commentator. as orr conduct'aud services
may challenge or demand. No review. there
| fore, as we'll as from a sense OF personal re.
spect, will be taken Of these communications
in this notice ut our hands, except 50 far rs to
expose the f,lSity Of the acquisitions and de-
ductions with which the conduct of the off.
GERS already named is rcproached. and the
failure of our arms in this great conflict. nc
less iniquitousy than curously, sought to be
charged 10 their account 1t is stated by your
correspondent that "Anderson's division got
up too late to participate in the days first
day's-July lst) engagement. owing to its
having been unnecessarily halted for more
than three hours on the eastern slope
of the South Mountain" &C., and Gin conse.
ouence Heth and Pender were prevented from
taking possession Of the important position
upon which the subsequent battles were fought
by the enemy" Indeed, it is charged that by
reason Of this blundcr Of Andcrson-this I'M
necessary delay for more than three hours, and
that too, when all OF his Brigadiers were i'm
patient to 90 on-thc most disastrous conse-
ouences betel our arms. In word. (fnr this
is the deduction Of the reader, and doubt not
the purpose of the calumniator to establish, Your
reverses ut Gettysburg.
Let US examine, for moment, tho ground
upon which such grave accusations arc made,
] and against one at least. Maj Gen. Richard
II. Anderson, whose well-carncd reputation rs
gallant and accomplished officer II vigorous
and skillful fighter, ought to be sufficient
guarantee against any suspicion to his prciu-
dice.
tits not true. but substantially false that
General Andcrson's division was unnecessarily
halted for more than three hours. His com.
mand was, us we know, halted in accordance
! with directions of his superiors. and for n time
not exceeding. at the outside, forty minutes
That any Of the Brigadiers manifested to Gen.
eral Anderson :. desire or Impotence 10 move
on, is in our opinion untrue a. to ali. certainly
ungraciously so, absolutely and literally as to
the undersigned. Snch attributions of con.
duct to us is offensive 10 our estimate and ny.
probation of this officer.
General tnderson's command moved for.
ward ns it was called for, and in full
time to occupy, as it was assigned Il
do, the position from which Fender had
Just then advanced tn the snprcrt of lleth.-
1t was now nearly the close Of the days
| lighting, and there could not have been, at
least in the eve of his Supporters any material
necessitpfor his (Anderson's) division in the
fight, or elsewhere than il was, since Pender's
division. all the while in advance of Ander.
sons division, aud Immediately in rear OF
Heth's, became engaged only towards the
close of the action, Anderson advancing to
! occupy the relations towards Fender which
he had occupied towards Heth.
Again, it is charged upon equally false
and frivolous premises that to Gen. Anderson
belongs the fault and responsibility Of our
failure to carry the enemy's stronghold on