The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-09-08
BATTLE OF CHARLOTTESVILLE.
Letter from General Brooks to
General Hooker.
THE LAMENTED SEDGWICK
VINDICATEn. NO.
August 10. 1865.


VINDICATED. u.V
August. 10. 1865.
have seen in the public prints extracts of
what purports 70 be your testimony before
the War Committee in regard to Chancelors-
VILE 800
conduct of the Eleventh Corps" and Gen.
Sedgwicks -disobedience OF orders TO say
nothing of the interference OF Gen. Halleck,
whose orders, according to the letter OF the
President, you we're nevertheless expected TO
obey. ..li -.
Gen. Howard to defend the Eleventh Corps
against your charges; my desire is to meet
your accusations against the late Major Gen-
eral Sedgwick, whose memory, though cruei!y
assaulted by you, will be cherished as warmly
as any mans that has given his life tor MS
country.
You say: General Sedgwick did not obey
the spirit of my order, and made no sufficient
SO long that the enemy discovered his inten-
tions, and when that was done he was neces-
sarily delayed in the further execution of the
order" Truly most Yigilant enemy.
The last part of your statement, though un-
willingly, most clearly refutes the accusation
Ii tu0 AOIc part. 00QcIN ScUSWIChS COIu.
mand was enveloped by the enemy's pickets
within short musket range from the moment
he began the crossing of the Rappahannock.
He could not make any movement without be-
ing discovered by the enemy. t"f3
The facts in the case are that General Sedg.
wick did obey, and most faithfully, too, the
spirit of your order; he failed to fulfil the let
menced but as you have said it was necessari-
~ delayed, not only by. the enemy, but by the
difficulties attending night marches over an
unknown country, to say nothing of the natu-
raj and artificial obstacles to be overcome in
the immediate vicinity of Fredericksburg,
You will remember, General, when you
claimed merit for that most bloody blunder
Of the war, without e1ception-I refer to your
attempts against Williamsburg on our way up
the peninsula In 1862-y0u based a claim for
promotion on the testimony derived from the
enemy-the testimony Of General Joe johnson
or one OF his staff. "' VI
Please allow General sedgwick's memorv the
advantage of the same kind of testimony.
General Early, in printed report, in vindica-
ton of aspersions cast on his military reputa-
ton, said he had only seven brigades with
which to resist Sedgwick's advance on Frede-
ricksburg, Sedgwick had nine brigades, with
which TO advance on those seven, posted behind
strong entrenchments-the movement to com.
meLce. which it did at nightfalL Undoubt-
eddy he was necessarily delayed I" but not
without vigorous effort TO overcome the DIFF
ficulties in the way. But why was Gen. Sedg-
wick ordered to make this movement? It has
since come to light that your order for it was
given after the 60 bad conduct of the Eleventh
corps had cost me you) the key to my your
position" Did you expect Sedgwick to find
the key for you? After bloody assault the
enemys strong works at Fredericksburg were
carried, when Sedgwick pushed on to join yOu
by the plank road, until he came upon the en-.
envy in o strong and entrenched position near
Salem Church, on which gallant but most
fruitless attack was made; for Gen. Lee, find
ing you quoted down, had leisure to send q
strong force to intercept Sedgwick. You had
promised Sedgwick to create diversion in
our favor, yet how was it you remained idle,
with four army corps at hand that had scarce
fired gun on this campaign, when you heard
that sharp engagement going on; when, too,
it is understood three Of their commanding
Generals urged an advance, to say nothing Of
Gen. Towards expressed desire TO try and re-
trieve at once the lost honor OF part of his
corps. ..s, I'D. =. ..,r..-..t l,, .,,,..
You determined otherwise. You determined
to withdraw your army from the advantageous
position 1t had gained. and to leave Sedgwick's
gallant corps TO fight Its way out alone. Sedg-
wick and his corps proved themselves equal to
the emergency. ...- a..
General, am free to say that during the
first two or three days operations of this cam
paign you exhibited, to my mind, display Of
military genius and grand tactics, unexcelled
throughout the war. But you had reached the
eliminating point when you issued that bonn
bastic order announcing that you had forced
the enemy out of his works and that he was
within your power.
You were right in the assertion that you
commanded the finest army on the earth. I
believe it was the finest ever known; and it
did not prove itself superior TO the army OPP
posed TO it, because you were not the promise
held out at the start How are we to account
for this? / think the reason is to be found in
an investigation of the "calumny uttered" by
Rev Henry Ward Beecher. The investigation
will undoubtedly show that you were not in
tOxicated; the testimony shows the reverse !;
it shows that you were in condition that
needed the inauguration of stimulent When
the reverend gentleman uttered this calum-
ny" he undoubtedly had Mrs. Nickleson in his
mind who remembered a certain event as &C.
curing on the day the lackass rode the tailor,
or the tailor rode the jackass, which was the
same thing. Very respectfully.
W. l. BROOKS,