Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-09-02

me Hattie OF Chauceiiersvilte.
Arersr 10. 1865
Ma. Gen. Hooker: I have seen In public
prinss extracts Of what purports to be your test
mooy before the War oommittee in regard 20
ChancellorsVille. You attribute your failure
there 10 the bad conduct OF the Eleventh
CORPS" and General sedgviek's disobedience
OF orders to say nothing Of the Interference Of
General Halleck, whose orders. according 10 the
letter OF the President, you we're nevertheless ex-
pected TO obey.
II is for General Halleck to defend himself
and General Howard to defend the Eleventh
Corps against your charges; my desire Is TO meet
your accusations against the late General Sedg-
wick, whose memory. though cruelty assAiled
by you, will be cherished as warmly as any mans
that has given AIS lite for bis e0uniry.
You say: General Sedgwiek did not obey
the spirit OF my order, and made nc suficien, ef-
fort TO obey t. His movement was delayed so
long that the enemy discovered his Intentions,
and when that was done be was necessarily de-
layed in the further execution OF the
order" Truly a most vigilant enemy.
The last part Of your statement, though un-
Willingly, most clearly reiutes the accusation in
the foFepart. 6eneeal Sedgwick's command Was
enveloped by the euemys piekets within short
musket range, from the moment he began the
crossing of the Rsppahannock. He could not
make any movement without being discovered
by the enemy
The facts in the case are that General Sedg
wick did obey, aHd most faithfully, too, the spirit
of your order; be failed to fulfil the leuer Of
your order. For on the receipt OF yeur order the
movement was commenced; bu', as you have
said. IL was necessarily delayed not only by
the enemy. but by the difficulties attending night
marches over an unknown country, 10 say moth
ing Of the natural and artificial obstacles TO be
overcome N the m ediafo vicinity Frede-
ricksburg
You will remember, General, when you claim
ed a merit for that most bloody blunder OF the
war, without exception refer TO your attempts
against Williamsburg our way up the PENN
sula in lS62-yOu based claim for promotion
on the testimony derived from the enemy-the
testimony OF General Joe Johnson or one of his
staff
Please allow General Sedgwick's memory the
advantage of the same kind of testimony. Gen.
Early, in printed report, in vindication of as
pensions cast on his military reputation, said be
had only seven brigades with which to resist
Sedgwicks advance on Fredericksburg. Sedg-
wick had nine brgades with which he was TO sd-
vance against those seven, the movement to
commence. which il did, at nightfsl. Undoubt-
edly he was necessarily delayed :" but not with
out vigorous effort 10 overcome the difficulties
in the way. But why was 3eneral Sedgwick or
utTtu " MAKE luis movement. 1t mas since
come to light that your order for il was given al
ter the dad conduct OF the Eleventh Corps had
cost me (you) the key of my your position"
Did you expect Sedgwick 10 hnd the key for
your After a bloody assault, the enemy's strong
works at Fredericksburg were carried, when
Sedgwck pushed on to join yeu by tue plank
road, until he came upon the enemy in Il strong
and intrenched position. near Salem Church. on
which gallant but most fruitless attack was
made; for General Lee. finding you qaieted
down. had leisure TO send strong force to inter
cept Sedgwick. You had promised Scdgwick to
create diversion IN our favor, yet how il
YOU remained idle. with four army corps at hand
that had scarce fired a gun in this campaign
when you heard that sharp engagement going
on, when generals urged an advance to say moth
ing of General Towards expressed desire 20 try
aud retrieve az once the lost honor of part of bis
corpsP
You determined otherwise You determined
to withdraw your army from the advantageous
position it had gained. aud to leave Sedgwick's
gallant corps to tight its way out alone. Sedg
wick and his corps proved themselves equal to the
emergency.
General, | am1tee to say that during the frat
two or three days operations of this campaign
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 bombastic order an
nouncng that you had forced the enemy out of
bis works, and that he was within your power.
You were right in the assertion that you com
manded the finest army on earth. believe it was
the finest ever known; and that it did not prove
itself superior To the opposed to 1t was be
cause you were not true to the promise held out
at the start. How are we to account for thisi
| think the reason is to be found in an investigs-
ton of the "calumny uttered by Rev. Henry
Ward Beecher. The investigation will undoubt-
edly show that you were not toxcated; the ties
timony shows the reverse; it shows that you were
in condition that needed the IMMIGRATION of Il
stmulant. When the reverend gentleman utter
ed this eelumny" he undoubtedly had Mrs.
Nickleby in his mind, who remembered a certain
event occurring the day the jackass rode
the tailor or the tailor rode the jsckass, which
was the same thing.
Very respectfully.
W. /. n. Brooks
Late General Officer Z. s A