The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1864-03-11

Cincinnati, Ohio, Jan. 18th, 1864.
GENERAL The report Of the General
ip Chief shows that letter from one Of
my division commanders at the battle Of
Chicamauga, commenting on the report
of his commanding General, has been
received at the War Department and sub
sequently published by its authority
The General in Chief refers 10 that letter
as a rival authority TO my own, ami as
raising doubt on the accuracy Of a point
in my report. The letter dated October
23d ult., four days after lef, the COM
maud,l is based on quotation from my
official report, TO which evidently the
writer was not at that time entitied, and
which therefore-priB,a tacie-was sur.
reptitiously obtained L. has been received
and publicly used as document disparag.
ing my report, without having been refer
red to me or passing through my hands as
required by military courtesy and army
regulations.
The War Department is therefore re-
spectfully requested, as an act OF Justice.
to cause the above and following obser-
yations to be filed and published a. an
appendix to my Official Report of the
battle of Chickamauga-
NOTE IN REFERENCES TO GENERAL woop's
LETTERS.
Brig. Gen. T. j. Wood writes and
sends to the War Department clasdes-
tine letter, to show, contrary to the in
ference drawn in my report, that he did
right under an order to "close up on
General Reynolds and support him. in
taking his division out of the line Of bat
tie and in rear of Brannan's division to a
reserve position in rear of Reynolds -
Ny report, dealing with facts and avoid
ing personal censure, shows that General
Reynolds sent me word By Captain Kel-
logg, A. d. G. to General Thomas, that
that there was no troops on the lmme-
diate right, and that be wanted supper,
there; that, supposing Brannan's division
had been called away, | told an Aid to
write Gen. Wood an order to close up
up on Reynolds and support him, who
wrote as follows:
Headq'rs, Sept. 90, l0:45 A. N.
"Brigadier General 7. j. Wood, Com
manding Dirision, DC:
"The General Commanding directs
that you close up on Reynolds as fast as
possible and support him.
Respectfully. FRANK s. BoSD,
Major and A. d. Co.
Now, with this order in his hand:
lst. When Gen. Wood found there was
no interval to close, because Brannan's
troops had not left, his plain duty as a
division commander was to have reported
that fact to the General Commanding,
who was not more than six hundred
yards from him, and asked further orders;
his failure to do so was grave mistake,
showing want Of military discretion
cd. When about to move, notwith-
standing this, his duty, on being informed,
as he was by one of his brigade command
ers, that his skirmishers were engaged,
and the enemy in line of battle opposite
hiS position, Ten Wood was rene gedIy
bound to have reported the facts and
taken orders before leaving his position
at such critical time. But Instead Of
doing SO, he precipitately withdrew his
troops from the line, and let the enemy
| in, in the face of an order the wording
Of (which shows that no such operation
as the opening, bat on the contrary the
closing, OF q gap Was intended by it.
Sd. This conduct of General Wood,
treated in the report with all the reserve
consistent with the truth of history,
contrasts most unfavorably with that ol
General Brannan, commanding the di.
vision next on his left, who, little ear
lier ii the day, when he received 40. or.
der to leave his position and support ths