The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-02-17
Justice 70 A OAfcer.
To az Edaor y .ae nl.ps.sA a..


To Ae Editor n TIE DfspaieA
II your issne Of Ianuafy 30, i,sre IL an extract
ffom ths cnfrysp0ndence Of the Petersburg Krprs~,
Of Jany ~ which IL 10 pregnant win Injustice 4,
command which Is dsst1peufshed fn the Army o.
lenhcsser for its cnnrase AND di<ei;'iin-, that
cannot iei Il pass without correction. The csiise
letter Of the cor esBdsst Ii fai 81 cyrofs, but
- my desire particular 10 natict that contained In
the following extract:
There II s4tsaething wrang about The cavai.y
0thccrs The material "a good as can lie desired
uut the discipline Is Wretcrf, and Ais almost ti
en- eient In consequence. a strikiHg insiance nf
ihs occurred IN the present niave.aef.t Harrisoa
brigade was ordered 10 maka certain n,ogatnt Il
which promised the successful capture Of abo,sl
ore thousand hotscs from which the eHcmy had
CtsmcuHted. The muve nsade, tie horses
were actually captured the men In charge shot
down, hut, instead OF turning back the isfses u.
der sufficient guard, our casalry became mob
OF puBdercrs, ctaneneed fiiiiBg the holsters tf
pistols, ~ tded themselves with sit,s and In the
midst OF fIrir cenftsian bf yade 1f Federal cav
airy dassrd In, recovered Me horses, aid scattered
tiiif ineI.r
The moycmcif referred 10 was not 1f,iersa BY tc
General coz naaang, cr any other eictr, bat Col.
Harrison In following out general iHs;sIeiious ant.
surprising ha would have intant,y >urpon iudss d
II proper 10 be made. II would have been n cea,-
piete success, if The support relied on had been
present.
with portion OF his brigade. or cavalry pratcc;
the ris.t Bank of our advancing iae OF infantry.
70 do this he moved command in advance ana
IN the right of cur line Of Infantry ssirAsl.ers
When within two mites Of DaRdsidg: he ta,,
f0rce bf tie eneBys mounted iHiaHify, btn dis
mounted and depl6yed for battle. Col H. iinuie-
diatsly disnionnted tue 3i Arkansas, with oder
10 hOd the posian in frcni o the enemy, and with
the 9Th and lth Texas cav,ry II detected 10 the
right In order 10 gain their rear The horses spoken
Of belonged To the dismOunted line af the enemy
afd were few PAGES in its rear. Some three hna
dTed PAGES further to the rear strong force
the enemy cavalry iireaty In line ns baite. T'n
secure tiis. horses 1t was evidently eerssary ,.,
dispose oi this supporting force. Col. II ordered
tiie ON ana lit Iexas to attack, which was d"ne
with vigor and spirit In the progress oi this Fl ht
portion OF the tismoInted line OF the enemy
changed front and attacked The Ss! ana lI.h Tryas
In the rear These two regiments were aheaiy
holly engaged w!:t, The iDfce in 'front.' greatly out
numeiiag their OWN, hat ttcif achievements fcreto
Tore are e best guarantee thai this disparity would
not have been fatal to the OF the movement
mad the rear attack been prevented. Our iafaatry
sktfinshers IN conformity with whose movements
Coz. h. had acted on this occasion, were perhaps
an hour in advance OF the main line. This was
accustomed by the extreme fnggctness Of the couH-
try over which they mafciie, Without imputi.ig
any blame 10 The infantry elhcrrs, Coz H. was dis
appointed by not having their support-supro.t
which, had they bceii upon the ground. wouid have
ehectt'sliy prevented the rear attack upon The S.
aud llth Texas. These two regiments, attacked
In front, flaAk, and rear, We're neeesstfiiy with
trawn, 'ihoHgi, the ground lost was soon resaineJ
but NOT unii the enemy had ItinGYed the horscs.
There is no excuse whatever for the statement
that tie horses were lost becausc sour cavalry be-
came mob Of pluaaurefs' they had no time to
plumber. They were the wl,oe time vigorously
opposed by superior forces; and although thes~
gallant regiments did be;irr lighting here iiln
on many other occasions which iiaye made their
names famous II, The Army of Teune>s z, yet
the command was com .menied Tor this piriicu-
lar movement in uuequiv6eai terms by Gen Jra-
kins, who had charge o The ali icki;.y force, and
by Lieut-Cen. Ong-trect, commanding the army.
In reply TO the writer's reflection uJnG the char
actcr OF The cavalry nosy under command OF Mai =
Cen. Martin in East Tennessee, IL Is Sufficient 10
say that il the which 50 i"as served uEdrr
General Bragg, and which in that distinguished
officers official reports has been styled bis ''iny,n-
cibc cavalry la justice 10 who have
that compliment from commander just, bnt rot
p.Oiiigate in his praises, ASK iae publication OF
the foregoing staten- ut. JES,gsssE.