Washington telegraph., 1864-07-20
rFrorn tie IIc-.:ar Tel.ara.h.l


GEN. CHURCH-LL.-Tn III 5n1t of li=t1-
ry If what Is now Granbury'z Te115 -
gade, over tie signature Of &C Sharp"
in ycRr issue Of Monday last, regret I'D
see some very unjust and unErnvozel re-
marks in regard to the conduct Of Gen.
Il. j. Churchill at the battle of Arkansas
Post. 4 agree with the writer in his eu-
lacistic narrative Of the heroic conduct
OF our men IL that. and every other bat
tie, in which they have been engaged.
Justice has never yet been done them /;
and in SO far as he supplies this lack Of
service, | thank him, on behalf OF the
brigade and it, friends. Bat the attempt
10 give the brigade reputation 1T the ex-
pense Of liz commander, and worse, TO
make the infamous coward who raised
tie white hag, and caused the surrender,
sort OF instrument Of providence, is in
bad taste, and in violation Of truth and
justice.
have no donbt c Sharp is perfectly
sincere in his statements. | accuse him
of no wrong. only claim, and know,
that he j. mistaken.
The simple history Of the affair, in
brief, is this: Gen. Churchill's scouts,
ii the forenoon Of Friday, informed him
of the approach Of the enemy. lie i'm
mediateiy telegraphed Gen. Holmes, stat
ing thai IN supposed the enemy to be
1900 or $4,000 strong, and made pre-
para,ion for defense, marching his troops
t. the ride pits about mile below the
icrt, that evening. Gen. Holmes teie-
eraph-d him TO hold The fort TO the last
II II, and roiniorcencnts would be sent
to his relief. On Saturday morning we
were she!lUl hy tile gunboa.s fur about
three hours, suffering but little loss.
About 2 o'clock n IN. we fell back, in
consequence OF flank movement of the
enemy, and formed line Of battle, our
night resting on the river at the fort, and
our lefs extending diaEonally up the RI
ver, and resting Oh q bayou. After dark
we were sheileI for three hours in 4 ter
rlble manner by, suppose, about sixty
guns, from tie fleet; tne guns aimed *
the fort, enhiading cur whole line. For
tunate!y, however. we suffered but slight
damage. The fort replied, aud did some
damage to the feet. From that time till
IL o'clock on Sunday, the enemy did not
attack rs, and VIE threw I'D rude, but
strong det+nces cIong orr Whole line.
Whether Gen Churchill was sufficient
y advised of the strength Of the enemy
durins Saturday night III justify him in
retreatins, do not know. Probably
much Of his information wcs influential;
he had peremPiory orders to hold the
Iosti he was confidently looking fo. IT,
iltorcements; he had a strongly fortified
position; and il is no just ground for re-
proach that q brave man, under such cir
cumstances, should resolve to fight. His
plan was to hold out until night, and tbuk
give time for the rcinfoTcaneats 10 reach
him, Or, ii they did not arrive, To retreat
under cover Of the darkness. And al
the facts show that, but for the conduct
of the wretch who raised lille white Hag,
be would have Succeeded I'LL making good
his retreat, with but little loss, after hav-
ing killed and wounded rs many Of the
enemy a. tie entire effective Confederate
force.
just before The attack commenced, Gen.
Churchill rode down tile rear NJ sho whole