Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-05-07
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the day. upon assumption that such order the
committee state did receive issued to me 10 the early
part Of the day. have shown that such order
issued and that the second order that issued
ceiyed at 2.25 P. M 4tF
GENERAL BURHsIDE's TESTIMONY.
But whatever opinions may have been expressed before
the committee by witnesses whoss they have not
given the same committee submitted report to the Sc
nate the 23d day of December last containing the evil
dence taken by them the 10Th OF that month in which
the testimony of Gen Burnside taken Immediately after
the battle given This has been printed by order Of the
Senate From this document make the following extracts
referring to the battle of Fredericksburg; g.ses
q By Commifee-What causes do you assign for the fail
"a II was found to impossible to get the men up to the
works the enemy rs was TOO ho for them the whole com
s y h as on Aa
Were he enemys works very strongY" !,
very strong positions Il possible that points & attack
wrongly ordered; If such is the only say
@ Do understand you to say that you expected Gen
Franklin carry the point tie left of the id
the rear Of the aud thereby enable our 20 storm
"a Ibid expect him to carry that point which bng done
and which The time would shake their to
extent that the position front could be easily ormed
50 TO pAat do you attribute his failure accomplish
- Tome great strength Of he position and The aeeuma
tdton OF the enemy forces there"
Gen. Burnside then explained hat the delay in building
the bridges gave The enemy time to accumu to bis
before he was able to order the attack .A
90 What the conduct of the officers and during
"A. With the exception Of single regiment excel
90 Will you state as nearly as you can the whole number
| of our troops that were engagedT
a We had about 100000 the other side Of the
g What part of that number actually engaged in
"a Every single man them was under artillery ire and
about half of them different times formed in columns
Of attack Every man ~as PIT IN column that could De got
With this evidence of the General commanding the army
before them committee of Congress- report submitted
to the public without the testimony deberat states
The testimony all the aolnesses before yonr commite
concusvey that had the been made
the left with all the force that Gen Fank could have used
completely successful and army woul have achieved
most brilliant victory
REPLY TO THE DIRECT ACCUSATION
Gen. Franklin concludes his reply with remarks
in direct reply to the accusation Of the Committee on The
Conduct of the War and in vndcaton of his conduct
faithful officer Of the army We copy entire this
GLIDING portion Of his address, as follows:
Keeping in mind the fact that the divisions If Howe
and Brooks which Gen. Hardie reported Gen Burnside
then actually engaged the two divisions upon
which had TO rely to protect my right, centre, aud
brdges and that other division Of my command
at that oment already support of the left and that this
despatch Of Gen. Hardies piece Of the evidence be
committee supposed to be in search of the truth
regard to subject of such magnitude the loss of the
battle of Fredericksburg, 1T incredible that the
next paragraph of their report following the from
my testimony which they have given is the already
quoted, that
The testimony of aAthe nesses before your committee
most concusvey that had the been upon
the left with all the force that Gen Fankr could used
for that purpose the plan OF Gen Burnside would have been
completely successful and our army would have achieved
most brilliant victory"
This sweeping statement is made without giving word
of testimony support of the conclusion the name of
witness. necessarily gnor of what has been
Testified to by others before the committee but know that
Gen. Burnside and myself at least two of all the
witnesses, and that he when he first examined, tes
tined to the contrary of any snch statement that
Gen Hardes words written from the battlefield to bis
chief in evidence and that the facts shown by these
witnesses prove the conclusions of this committee to be as
unounded as they unmerted. m
Standing Ido thus arragned and condemned by the
committee, have no fear that my countymsn will adopt
their verdict until have been heard in nv own behalf
They have thus far inhaled with the air they breathe that
vital principle of fair play that hears before il condemns
As people, they have purpose to serve ia down
public servant unless he proved to be uaatbful TO
his trust and to their Of ustce appeal though the
circumstances attending my accusation compel add
to my statement q few words personal to myself
MY profession is that of educated TO it az
pupil OF the nation My duty aud inclination leading n
the path with the feeling that stirred the pulse
when its flag torn down by parricidal hands d.d.
Gated my e and whatever was enwrapt within INV lf 10
the defence Of my country did MT underrae the pro
portions of the rebelou and accepted my line of duty
with the conviction that the nation would require of its
loyal children determined purpose and perhaps great sa
crfces before its unity would be restored With these
convictions took command Of brigade in the Army of
the Potomac in June, ls6. From that time until was
relieved from duty with the Army OF the Potomac on the
25th day of January 1863 have been trying to do my
duty in camp and upon the field. That have not alto
gether failed the brave who have grown up with me
have proved the bateelds Of Virginia and Mary land
and it but common justice to those Of them who yet v
and 10 the memory OF those no dead say that they
failed in the time Of trial NV time has been
passed with my command. Incud ng .rod Of illness,
have been absent from IL but twenty one days This ha
left but little tune to look after matters personal to my
self Having political associations Of influence must
content myself best with the reflection that the
committee believed that the failure at Fredericksburg de-
msnded victim, and that, being Of quence ex
cept so der, it meet avaiabs to order me to
that duty
have had friendships which have stood 10 the way
Of the performance Of my duty When Gen. Burnside took
command Of the Army of the Potomac aud the me
he left It, gave hearty obedience every order be gave
me, well full and flank expression of my opinion
when he invited to his connc Is supposed that we
attached friends and that both looking only
to those which would achieve success agreed
with him fully in the propriety Of crossing the Rappahan
mock at Fredericksburg at the proposed BY his ofp
nal plan After that Jailed, Whatever adv gave to HIN
10 council sprang from the hunest convictions my ndg
ment and should have been recrsant TO my duty to my
country and my conscience had given him any
When the crossing determined upon, with what aac
rty obeyed the order, the time within which my troops
crossed and placed in line of battle ia the best evil
dence This done and troops posted the enemys
side OF the river, with nothing but fa pontoon bridges
between them and their destruction army
that assault should be made upon the enemys petition
with column strong enough to command namipR
the number Of at least six divisions with the request
might be allowed TO make immediate dispositions to car
nv il out After waiting through night was ordered