The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-07-01

effect of throwing his body of cavalry
in the rear of tie enemy and on his
communications, lat the time it was in
his power to have done it, can readily
be estimated. But, instead, that inn
portant arm of the army became Grip
pied to an extent that seriously embar-
rassed me In my subsequent operations.
soon after, Gen. Stoneman applied for
and obtained sick leave, andI request
ed that 1t might be indefinitely extend
ed 10 him. 1t is charitable to suppose
that Generals Stoneman and Averill did
not read their orders, and determined to
carry on operations in conformity with
their own views and inclinations.
THE COUNCIL OF WAR ATCHANCELLoRs-
| WILLIE.
| Being resolved on recrossing the river.
on the night between the 4th and 5th 1
called the corps commanders together,
not as council of war, but to ascertain
how they felt in regard to making what
| considered desperate move against
the enemy in our front. There were
present Generals Meade, Reynolds, How
ton of the time my Chief of Staff, Gen.
| Butterfeld. showed them my instruc-
tiOns, stated our circumstances, as clear
ly as could, and explained to them the
only means that was left, in my judy
ment, for extricating myself. General
Slocum was not present, for the reason
that the messenger who was dispatched
| for him failed to find him. He, how
ever, came up after the other corps COM
mandeTs had dispersed. After stating
to the corps commanders the condition
of affairs, and what measures 1 pro-
posed to take if we advanced, said I
would withdraw for a time and let them
confer among themselves, and come in
again when they had determined their
opinions upon the subject.
When l returned called upon them
individually for their opinions. Gene
raj Meade stated that he was for an ad-
vance, for the reason that he did not be-
lieve we could recross the river in
the presence of the enemy. General
Reynolds had thrown himself on a bed,
being very tired that night from hard
work, and had gone to sleep, saying, be-
fore he did so, that his opinion would be
the same as General Meade's. General
Howard voted for an advance, assigning
as reason that he felt as though the
army had been placed in the position i'll
which it was by the conduct of his corps,
and he had to vote for an advance under
any circumstances His opinion was
received for what it was worth. Gene
raj Couch and General Sickles were of
cross the river. 1 stated to General
Meade that the army could be with
| drawn without loss of men or material,
and that had no idea that a gun would
be fired by the enemy as we did SO.
Subsequently, on learning that Gene
raj Meade was saying that he was I'M
cOnditionally for an advance and that
he wished the bridges had been carried
away so as to have prevented our return,
/ sent for him soon after our return to
camp, and asked him if he had made
such a report. He told me that he had.
Believing that he was in error, I so
stated to him.
General Hooker further testified:
1t has been stated that the army re-
| turned from the South side of the Rap
pahannock by my own desire, and Ia
conflict with the Judgment of the corps
| commanders who were with me. This
| is not the case. All desired to return,
with the exception of General Howard,
| for reasons named. 1t has been stated,
further, that some of the officers named
have since expressed their regret that
the bridges had not been carried away,
| in order that the return could not have
|
was the feeling of any of them at that
time, they had q wonderful way of
showing it. So far as my experience
extends, there are in all armies officers
more valiant after the fight than while
IL is pending and when truthful his
tory of the rebellion shall be written, it
will be found that the Army of the Po-
| tomac is not an exception.
In regard to myself, 1 may be permit
ted to say that was opposed to an ad-
vance from the position we were in, for
the reason that was not sanguine of
success, and without that, with river
| difficult of passage Immediately in our
rear, disaster and ruin were inevitable.
Incentives OF personal and profession
al character were not wanting to urge
me to renewal Of the conflict, but to
have been influenced by them against
my judgment and sense of duty would
have rendered me unworthy of COM
mand. ~
Gen. Hooker contends that the battle
of Charlottesville was not disaster
His loss was IL, 197; Lees 900 men.
In reply to one question whether
Stonewall jackson had to cut his way
through the timber as he marched
northwesterly, to turn the right flank
of the Federal army Gen. Hooker, said
mo sir; he had roads which vehicles
could pass over"
Hooker pays his respects to Henry
Ward Beecher as follows:
? There is one matter to which have
not referred; that is, the calumny utter
ed by the Rev. Henry Ward Beecher, at
a meeting of temperance men some
| where in England, in reference to my
condition during the affair at Chancel.-
lorsville. 1t was stated by him that that
battle was lost by my being intoxicated.
| [ hear that the committee have request
ed him to furnish his authority for max
| ing that statement, and that he has de-
clined to do it. So far as know he has
never withdrawn it; / must, therefore,
regard him as its inventor, and will add
that a more untruthful statement never
nassed from the lips of man. hope
that, in justice to himself and to myself,
whatever correspondence has taken
Mace between the committee and that
gentleman may be published in connec-
ton with this testimony.
The remainder of Hooker's evidence,
made up chiefly of official dispatches,
with now and then quaint letter from
President Lincoln, shows still more con-
clusively the state of antagonism be-