Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1865-05-26

FORTHCOMING REPORT OF THE CON-
GRESSI0NAL COMMITTEE.
Correspondence Of the New York Tribune.

UhLoolONAL
Correspondence of the New York Tribune.
WASHINGTON, May ia matter which is ex.
citing considerable attention and discussion at
the capital now is the virtual conclusion OF The
immense labors of the Committee on the Con-
duct Of the War. and the substance of their
forthcoming report.
l have enjoyed the privilege Of o glance
through the volumes just given to the printer,
and suppose may, properly enough, inform the
public, through the Tribune, what the testimony
therein taken goes TO prove in reference TO some
campaigns which have been much talked about
during the last year.
THE RED RIVER DISASTER.
The most ample testimony has been taken
bearing on the K, river campaign, ard it is Of
character most damaging to any military pre-
tensions OF General Banks. 1t demonstrates him
to have been guilty of mercenary motive, either
for the benefit OF himself or friends, in the pur.
pose OF the expedition and of incompetence in
conducting it. II will turn out TO be one of the
most discreditable transactions of the war. 1t
would seem to have had no legitimate object,
and TO have been conceived and prosecuted mere
ly as grand cotton specializing venture 10 put
money IN the pockets of private citizens, and TO
subserve which the army and navy o. the South.
west were placed under the control of the specu-
lators. 1t may be added that all officers now in
Washington steadfastly refusS to father the Red
River Expedition. Secretary Stanton did not
order it, General Grant did not direct it, and
Halleck swears that he kne v not word about
it until after it had failed. General Grant enter.
ia ms and Is not slow 10 express in these volumes
the most contemplate opinion of Gen, Banks
| indeed, the language of mis- comments on the
affair was so severe that the committee, in max
ing mp their report preferred not to quote
from II.
FORT FISHER.
The C1mmittpa examines carafullv oil ba cir
cumstances of the first failure at Fort Fisher and
Gen. Butler is substantially vindicated by the re-
port Butler, Weitzel, Terry and Porter. have
testified, and their testimony all points in the
same drecton-that he was warranted in de.
Ginning TO make the attack for which he has been
| 80 much censured. Terry says it was fair. open
| military question whether TO land and attack or
| not. Weltzel. the friend of Gen. Grant SAYS that
If he had gone ut the head of such an eXDedition,
with entire direction In the matter, he never
would have put man ashore. Bntlei's fault
seems to have been "a technical one) violation
OF peremptory order from Gen. Grant TO land
and intrench at all hazards. This as a military
| matter, 1t was his duty 10 do. But he iustfes
himself before The committee by alleging that on
| account OF the terceness of the tempest and the
proximity OF the Rebel force, such an effort
would have been perilous and in his opinion
would have failed with great loss of life AS to
the lee dership of the expedition General Grant
should 30, and that Butler knew he must not 90
On the other hand, Butler swelrs that il was in.
tended that he should go and that Grant knew
he was going IL see Us probable that one or
the other of these gentlemen is mistaken Testi-
mony OF other Generals shows that Butler, COM
manding the department. had q perfect right to
accompany the expedition unless commanded
not to do so, and that 1t was the most natural
thing in the world for him TO 90 in command
MINE AT PETERSBURG.
The public have already received an intimation
that the testimony eX0nerates General Burnside
and involves General Meade for the 6asco in front
of Petersburg. General Grant himself admits in
his testimony that Burnside would probably have
succeeded, II he had been let alone, with his
negro troops. These volumes seem TO show that
General Meade LACKS confidence in himself and
takes counsel of his apprehensions rather than
his hopes.
GETTYSBURG ETC.
This view is quite confirmed by the further evil
dence adduced in considering the Gettysburg
battle, and the campaigns Fl ON the Rappahannock
TO the James The Investigations OF the commit
tee into the conduct OF the Potomac army have
been very extensive and thorough, and tue who e
tendency OF the testimony Is decidedly detrimen.
tai to the generAlship of General Meade. 1t will
sh W that after the battle of Gettysburg it was
perfectly practicable to capture Lees whole
army before re-crossing the Potomac. The evil
dence concurring on this point is of great weight
II would seem from the testimony that Meade
never made an advance, his whole policy being
defensive. He is sufficiently courageous, person.
ally, but at the head of an army he has all that
caution that paralyZed Mcclellan. lt is said,
however. in Gen. Mea1es favor, that he has never
overestimated himself, and has little OF that van-
ty which has possessed some commanders Of less
calibre than himself and of a similar cautious
temperament.
For want Of time testimony has not been taken
in full in res ard TO the investment and occupa-
ton of Richmond and the capture of Lees army
but very comprehensive questions, covering all
of this, have been put TO Gen. Grant and inter
rogatOres of similar tenor covering the march
of the great Western army have been submitted
TO General Sherman; and the formal replies TO
these questions will constitute large part of the
Sth volume, the 9th OF the present series. 1t is
not quite true that General Sherman has refused
TO appear before the Committee he has merely
failed 10 appear in answer 10 summons.
Perhaps the most startling development of the
forthcoming yolumes will be the evidence which
they furnish of the Cheyenne massacre of In
dians by Colonel Chevington in Colorado Terri.
tory. 1t proves TO have Deen most brutal and
unproyoked slaughter of men, women and chill.
dren, who we're living in quiet manner in a
state of entire peace with the whites. The Ia
bors Of the Committee bearing upon this nation.
al disgrace are embraced in pamphlet of hun
bred pages, and exhibit the affair in the most
barbarous light as shane TO the civiliz alton oil
the age.