The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-05-31
A BARoxs CRITICISM ON GEN. HANCOCK

A person calling himself the Baron de Tro-
brian, served in the Federal army during the
war, and, of course, felt impelled to write
book giving his views on the military opera
tons which he is supposed to have witnessed.
This book has been very highly complimented
by the radical press. The title of "Baron
prefxed to the name of its author, seems to
have captivated the fancy of the party of
"great moral IDEAS" as much, perhaps, as
the political sympathies and prejudices of the
writer sway their judgment. In the eye of
this aristocratic radical all of the radical gen.
erals are heroes, and all of the Democratic
officers are humbugs; but chief among those
whose genius illuminated the contest and en-
abled the Federal cavalry to conquer one-third
of its number of Confederates was the Baron
de Trobrian himself
Among those subjected to the criticism of
whose conduct and operations he ventures
some very disparaging remarks, especially
commenting on the affair of the Bodyton
plank road. These structures attracted the
notice of Major Gen. Egan, who replies to
them in the National Intelligencer. Gen.
Egan shows that De Trobrian has manifested
more courage in venturing to attack Gen.
Hancock than he ever exhibited in the con-
duct of his command. In truth his miscon-
duct, on that occasion, seriously endangered
the whole Second Division. "The barop was
that evening" says Egan, detailed rs otncer
of Iaxr hut nd 10 ha cOm
toxicated. that Gems. Hancock, D0tt' and
others, had to perform his duties. AT one
time he de IT, had wandered nearly into the
enemy's lines and was ealy rescued by staff
officer of the secopS Division who found him
very pretty condition, truly, for French
baron. pad especially for French baron who
was 90 assume the Office of military historian.
Further, when the corps left the ground, the
baron left behind two regiments of his pick
cts, 1.-THE LIST Minnesota and Seth Wisconsin.
of the I'd division,) who would have been
captured but for the skill and bravery of Cap
tain Farwell, of the LIST, and Captain Fiske,
of the Seth, aided by the discipline of the
men. That De Trobrian did not then lose his
commission, he may ascribe to Hancock's
generosity.
The French writer charges General Han
cock with having failed in his effort to raise
corps of veteran volunteers. This charge is
fatty denied by Egan, who asserts that he
not only organized 11,000 of them, but led
them to the front at Winchester before Lees
surrender. They constituted the "1st Divi-
sion of the Army of the Shenandoah" and
the organization of this army and of the mid
die military division was the duty which took
General Hancock away from the Army of the
Potomac.
1t is melancholy trouble that, according
to Gen. Egan, the truculent baron knew so
little of military affairs, and had so little ca
pacity to acquire military knowledge, that his
regiment became notorious for ineficiency
and Reconciliation. In fact, it became so
nearly worthless that it was broken up and
merged into another. By some influence he
afterwards procured command in the Third
Corps, but after short and inglorious' as
sociation with that command, he was finally
mustered out of the service and consigned to
the more congenial duty of describing opera
tons which he did not understand, and of
criticising officers whose merits he was inca
pable ofappreciating.
Gen. Egan charges that De Trobrian's assault
on Gen. Hancock originate in pique against
the latter because he Ode To could not pro-
cure promotion by Gen. Hancock's recon-
mendation. De Trobrian after the Boydton
affair SO little understood his relation to that
affair, that he actually seemed to think his
conduct in it claim to promotion. Gen.
Hancock was "disgusted with his ineficiency
and intoxication," and could do nothing more
for him than to keep silent. Yet De Trobrian,
instead of approaching this forbearance, was
angry because the general did not commend
him.
The radical press has made an insidious
attempt to damage Gen. Hancocks brilliant
reputation by quotations from the work o.
this itinerant adventurer. How much value
is to be attached to its testimony the public
will understand after reading the conclusive
reply of Major Gen. Egan. 1t would take
more than brigade of such witnesses to dis
credit Gen. Hancock in the eyes of the North
ern people, who owe so much of their mill
tary success to his genius and courage; or IL
the opinion of the people of the South, who
found in him a champion of civil liberty
commander who exercised the power of {
despot with the wisdom of a statesman ant
the forbearance of patriot and who proved
that "Peace hath its victories no lesl
renowned than war"