New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-04-01
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES AND GENERAL
RHEsNEK.

nc stated Jnc OJnc1 udy, i'll IC'lch vi l'lo
various campaigns against Richmond, that the
los of the hatIle of Fredericksburg was largely
due to Gen. Franklin and to Gen. Birney; that
the latter suffered Gen. Meade's division,
which had carried the Plateau in front of him,
to be halted driven back, and nearly ami.
hlated by the rallied and reenfNrced enemy
Gen. Birney meanwhile, with fresh division,
looking on with undisturbed equanimity." Gen.
Brney, in a card which We pant in onolher sol.
umn, pronounces this statement nilse, and refers
TO the testimony of Gems. Meade and Franklin
before the Committee on the Conduct OF the
War, and to the official reports CT Gems. Stone
man and Reynolds. The latter are not at hand,
and the testimony Of Fronklin is immatarial,
but we will put Gen. Birney's case Oh tie
testimony Of Gems. Meade and Reynolds.
There are two points: first, that had Gen.
Meades attack been sustained, the battle OF
Fredericksburg might have been won; second,
that Gen. Birney failed 10 sustain it, though he
had a sufficient force within supporting distance.
We cali Gen. Meade to those points, and quote
from his testimony before the Committee-pp.
69l 90 of the Report:
O. And you finally failed in the object Of the attack
a. We repused after that
O. To what do you attribute that failure and your repuse
A. Il owing to the feet that from nferory OF numbers
we were unable to hold what had gained
O. And yoa had held your ground you would have broken
their line
\. Yea. sir.
O And what would have been tho effect Of ,ha. upon the
euemyl
A. should judge ti' the effect would have been to have
produced tho q The other line Of their rols ia
Of FredericAsDvyg.
70 the same point, Gen. REYNOLDS, p. 700:
O. lied that point taken and held contemplated by
The ordc Whist in Your opinion would been the result
A. II that p1n, had been taken and held the eHemy prid
hare been Obliged itcr poIdH. We could have
thrown the Of troops down below and got in seir
aud reached their line OF communications, and they
wood have been Obliged o Toll back"
In other words, the IIigbts Of st. Mary on the
right, which our troops vainly assaulted all day,
would have been turned, and the enemy forced
to abandon them; and Fredericksburg would
have been glorious victory, instead of ca
llmitous defeat.
Now, as to who is responsible for the failure
to support the attack OF Gen. Meade.
Gen. Reynolds says Q. G9S)
Nced-s position was held Tor time and supports
sent for Eat y did not aryre befor, tie enemy
rad usde atnck ani driven Meade from the position
be- Lad ,'ned'
Gen. Mcadc's testimony is Up. 692);
q Did you request s1ppor, from those WHO bad MOI come
up; End II 50, with whs. result
l. Ts>i bah A,si ~asteai zine, 70 Cen. Biaey yh,ee
t cs By two of them sent reqges, that he would ad
to ny support On the third occasion assumed Tie
espon hily and sent him an oricr-)rdercd him to
ny and ending back me third fms,eu1ias order
he came up To The two previous Oh sstees which
lur.'s that Gen Brn- was under the order
Gen Rynod., sustaining Gen. sioneman and coriS rot
p,1oui their ordOS! After having grcc ed two
Of that kui Assumed tine responsibility Ct
umpion on my psr Of oIdeas him up and he did up
time rurhc TO get my out ard prevent the
neny following any further Than the edge of the woods
"a iron, OF oug batteries"
That testimony needs no comment. Gen.
Birney's excuse did not satisfy Gen. Meade,
loy does il contradict our statement, nor will
{ relieve him in any measure from the response
,iliiy charged upon him for the loss OF the
,attc.
We cannot allow Gen. Birncy to represent
Is as making charge against his division, nor
o shelter himself behind the well-earned repu-
alton of men who learned TO fight under other
eaders. Nor can we permit him to cast any
,art of this disgrace on the lamented REYNOLDS.
That officer was doubtless satisfied with the
onduct of Cen. Birney's men, when they were
nee permitted to get into tho fight, but he
lever could have justified their commander
n refusing support to the outnumbered division
Il front Of him, in turning a deaf ear to
wo appeals for help, and in looking coldly on
lille battle was lost for want of aid which he
hight have given.