Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1865-02-14

report of the Committee certainly re-
lieves Gen. Burnside from all blame.
The Committee is evidently Of the opin-
ion tbst If Gen. Burnside had been per
mitted to carry out his own suggestions
in his own way, success and not defeat
/ would have crowned bis efforts. But
his plans were only partially adopted
! The men that be had drilled and trained
for the assault we're not permitted
70 lead the column New troops
we're selected for that hazardous
undertaking who seem to have bad no
{ Just conception Of the character Of the
duty required Of them, and who were
almost as much eonfounded BY the ex-
plosion Of the mine as the rebels them
selves. They made the attack ia con-
fused and disorderly manner and were
demoralized by an impression that the
whole earth beneath their feet was
mined and they were liable TO be blown
into eternity E1 =
The following summary Of the report
Of the Committee ve take from the
Washington correspondence Of the Phil
adelp phia PTeS&
The Committee ou the Conduct Of the
War, through Senator Wade, the chair
man, made report to-day relative TO
the failure Of the attack upon the enemy
in front Of Petersburg. II appears that
the explosion Of the mine under one Of
the enemy's batteries was the sHgges-
tion of Lieut.. Col Henry Plsasants, Of
the 45th Pennsylvania Volunteers, and
the mining was mainly the work Of bis
regiment. Il vas commenced on the
25th Of June, With the approval of Gen.
eFai Burnside, and finished ou the 23d
Of July. Col. Peasants labored under
disadvantages which would have deter
ed a man Of less .euergy and deter
minatiou.
On the 26th Of July plan Of attack
was submitted to Gen. Meade By Gen
Burnside, who proposed to place two
brigadss OF eolored troops, who had
been drilling with reference 70 the at
tack for some weeks, 10 the advaRee Of
the attacking column. Gen. Meade OBJ
jscted, not becauae he did not believe
they would do their duty as we'll as the
white troops, but because they had NOS
been under fire The matter vas refer.
red to Gen. Grant. who decided that
white troops shsuld lead the assault.
He said, in evidence, that Gen. Burn
side wanted 10 pat his colored division
IN front. and, believe II be had done
so it would have been a success. Sill
agreed with Gen Meade Ia his obiaction
10 that plan Gen. Meade said that If
we put the colored troops in front4we
had only that cne division, end if il
should prove q failure, it would then be
said, very properly, that we were showing
those people ahead 70 get them killed,
because we did not care anything about
them bat that could not be said, il we
put white troops in front" The order
for the spriBging Of the mine and mode
of attack vas given By Gen. Meade. The
report gives the history Of the attack,
showing that Gen. Burnside received q
| peremptory order, at 9.45 q. N, 90
Withdraw his troops, and that Burnside
labored 70 induce Gen Meade 70 resciHd
the order, believing that success would
crown the effort. if perseveged IN.
There is difference IN toe testimony
| Of the two Generals on Shfs point, Gen.
Meade tts,ilyiug that Gen Burnside
I Was authorized 20 exercise his Judge
/ ment in the Withdrawal 4a.
In reply 70 question asked by The
| committee, Why be could not get better
instruments, Colonel Peasants replied
/ General Burnside told me that General
/ Meade and Major Duane, the Chief En.
| gineer OF the army Of the Potomac, said
the thing could not be done thhth vas
all clap-trap and nonsense; that such a
] length of mining had never been execu-
ted in military operations, aud never
could be. General Burnside was the
only officer Of high rank who favored
I the mine.
! The committee cannot, from al the
testimony, avoid the conclusion that ths
first and great cause Of the disaster wai
the change made, ID the afternoon pre-
ceeding the attack, in the arrangement
of General Burnside 70 place the divis
ion OF eolorsd troops in the advance
The reasons assigned 10y Gen Burnsidi
]
white troops for THAI parpose are falll
justified by the result Of the attack
! The conduct Of the colored troops, wher
they were put in action, would seem 1,
fully Justify the confidence that Genera
Burnside reposed 10 them; and Genera
Grant himself, In bis testimony, express
es his belief that ii they had been plac
ed in the advance, as General Burnsid
desired, the assault would have beel
successful
, Il will be seen, tbe committee saJ
, from the testimony that when the orde
&c wiihd aw vas given by Gen Meade
against the representations made b
Gen. Burnside, orders were also give
= By Gen. Meade for offensive operation
r to corps on the right Of Gen Burnside
!. position, and Gen 0rd's troops were q
the same time Withdrawal from The pos
ton where they had been placed in froI
, Of the 9th Corps
{ Gen Grant attributes the disastroJ
n result, to greater or less extent, TO th
troops being sent in unaccompanied
any Of the division commanders.
= In conclusion. the committee repo
kuNts III tuFAi NFtaAoht eao NtsNsS os -
= disastrous result of the assault on Il
S0th of July last is mainly attributab
to The fact that the plans and sngge
o tiops OF the General who had devot,
Is his at,eption so long to the subject, wi
a. had carried out to a successful corap pl
ton the project of mining the enemy
7 works, and who had carefully select
y and drilled his troops, for the purpo
e of receiving whatever advantages mig
"a be attaiuabls from the explosion Of !
mine, should have been disreggrded b
General who had evinced no faith in {
successful prosecution of that work, b
aided il BY no coantenanes or open 8
proval, and had assumed the entire
,e rection and control only when it v
= completed, and the time bad come
- reaping any advantages that might