The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1864-03-29

ssaera wood have oasred % sls connasding general,
We eancers and soldiers Of his army. whose long
sss. guilty dslayf None absolutely nome A. already
s.sra woods division nor The troops on the right Of
~sTs - All engaged A. suen lime sza under such sos5
Sssn oood s s1s
aim 70 close upon certain division - fast a. possible
nd support u, when judging from the peremptory Ian
he answer 10 this question Ia obvious. Had General
Soods division At the time the order received been
Upon General Reynolds, omitting the ressonnamey 70
knpport himfor which the movement was ordered Gen
food would have been warranted p ssercsins dscrs
properly have referred TO the commanding general
~ further instructions be had had any doubt on his
nind bis duty But the truth be had no doubt as
10 his duty His division not then engaged with the
|nemy, and he was ordered 70 make movement which
Igoud most probably soon bring him ID deadly conflict
vsh the foe and may DO added this expectation was
|nsst fully realized. M-
|Isenera Woods division and General Reynolds tho
Ae the order was received was absolutely physically
impossible for the former 70 obey the der by other
c0vement than the he actually made How
General Wood 70 close up on General Reynolds and sup
Dsrt him Gas the two divisions wero then situated with
teference 10 each otner) but By withdrawing short
distance from the line--which IS what done-nnd
assng in rear OF General Braunans division TO the rear
K General Reynolds postonp II NAV DO remarked that
General Wood withdrew his division no further
rom the line than was absolutely necessary
70 enable IL 10 pass General Hrannans division II may
We further remarked that much presentation has
,een INDUCED in in regard to the movement Of General
9eod's division under the order in question The move
nent has been SPOKEN Of such by uniformed,
rather miinformed persons Indicate That they
uppcsed the division was entirely withdrawn from all
EsontIguity with the enemy 70 make the movement,
whereas just the ls true In eakng the
the left to pass in OF General Brannans division
eensral WOODS Division did rot withdraw from he ins
~ battle perhaps moro thin a hundred certainly not
syer hundred and nifty. YARDS The division was a. all
os IN the very closest supporting distance OF the limo
q battle General Wood had been ordered close up
General Reynolds and support him. 1t was certain
General Wood could not execute the order by
naming where he was to obey the order il was
ndspensably necessary he should his division 20
NJ f At the time the order was received by General
Weod General Brannans division was in The line Of bat
We so hs has assured the writer and 20 one will dare
IaesoI his aat1orityl With MS efs closed against and
aan's division not slightly In Of the line in
cheon (as has been incorrectly staied) but was in tho
moreover. this division directly between General
Wood division and General Reynolds. General Wood
sivision, because to do would eGectuay and
lestroy s IRE during the movement. Besides 10 pass
rai Woods division to Ore nom the enemy who !.
res In motion and without the power TO reply such
novemens would not only have been absurd ,r eo!
vas ordered 70 close up on General Reynolds
Now the term "clOse up on' Is tactical one,
BODY on the Of another body General Wood could
ncs possibly close up Reynolds by passing in front OF
thrown him in advance Of Reynolds' position General
Wood could run his division over General Brannan's
2 reach General Reynolds position because the attempt
hence the only way left for General Wood TO obey the
psremptory and imperative order be bad receved the
1oy way 70 close up General Reynolds and support
aim, was by the movement he executed-namely, by
banning In rear Of General Brannans division the
General Reyn0ls position. But u may be remarked
hat had General Wood attempted the criminal aud
arderous movement or passing his division in front Of
o Is s ove Geusra ipS
DIVISION gapsnce his division was 10 line between
General Reynolds' position and General Wordsworth
qualy have been made IS BY the movement which was
But lot u be supposed for moment that Genera
sastle At the time General Wood received the order
md that ho could have reached the right General Rey
ave been 81 Geoers
- s0 plain since General Wood would have been COM
.slsd . move division front to the si.. tina. gap
w:s sSscusss' 9. let y be supposed hs, General
vison slightly in Of the line and in echelon
really true, and that General Wood bad passed his
70 sV n ,ss
noevsrsd. and Of course made in the line. Hence
may be truthfuy asserted that there possible
Wy In which General Wood could have obeyed the
srier no had received without moving his
1vision from the ground occupied, which necessarily
would have made gap In the line Of battle.
Il must be- patent from The preceding remarks that it
wss mot the manner In which General Woods division
c ss Ys no a. ssv that
RI Wood would have been justified 10 remaining where
after receiving imperative and positive an or
lsran order which left him not the slightest latitude
N reply % the statement which is sometimes made
hat the order Ii loosely worded II may be remarked that
As order does not sustain the assertion The order
curt, precise, pointed peremptory IL Is possible
vishes Of the commanding general but surely there
intrinsic cvidence-no evidence w the order ITSELF
oAat such was the case A. the time the order vas re-
solved IL the only guide General Wood bad for the
regulation OF his movements.
l. has bssn suggested but not gill some time after the
A~ssrA s.a- Ia ala
subject OF conversation that Gen. Rosecrans intended
direct Cen. Wood 10 close TO the et Gen. Reynolds
sion. However thfs may be. Gen Wood had OF
knowing Il. Tho only means he had Of arriving at
nswledge Of Gen. Rosecrans intention was the order
iass, and surely u would bear ANY such coustruc
lt0n. To pus such construction on the order would
wrench and pofvsrt the plate and simple language Of The
end the truth 10, IL never for moment entered Gen
woods mind that any such intention 90 IL conveyed by
Il b believed that this Is "a ample answer Gen
Weed ID concerned, TO the suggestion, IT, indeed any
sisus made known 70 him through ORDERS not with in
oontous never made known 70 him. But u nav be worth
une 70 consider what would have been the effect Of the
og0 u mad directed Gen Wood to close TO the left on
e.. Rsynods right.
may BE- most wuhfully asserted that such an order
Sniy on General Reynolds right, in line besweon
Generals Wood and Reynolds, would simply have been
ssosion, q must BE- plainly obvious 70 sny one who
esasidsrs the relative position Of the three divisions
A suppostion, then, casts on General Rcsecrans the
enss q Issuing an absurd ordsrone entirely impossible
q exeoution- q
4 i b asserted, 10 relieve him Of this charge,
aa he supposed General Brannans division was OF
- line, Thea must b confessed he extraordinarily
evant q he position Of bis troops and the Status OF tho
e1lo for General Brnnnans division In the line Of
se. and one half Of ~ front q least was engaged with
Ssns * sbs public journals. In commenting on the
IUF0oP 70 General Wood and what they pleased 90
ol0geats should have been his movements under Il,
ODSm 70 prccood not only the ground that General
0ecrans issued the erder tho supposion thst Gene
- Brannan was out Of line, but that General Wood
new ought 70 have known that the order issued
- this superstition Certainly most singular assump-
esea. II never for entered into General Wood
nnd that General Rosecrans thouGbt General Brannsns
avisSon was out Of line. Himself knowing that General
BunnanB division In full iino and part Of 10, NJ
ans The len half OF s front, engaged with the
~ General Wood could not far dscredn The inorma
oa Of General Rosscrans 70 suppose he ignorant
~ the rial position snd condition Of General Brannsns