Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1869-11-26
Sicklcs al GeiiysbJT gh.
egr. GBoUT's REPLY. NO. >.
M.xrPELER, Nov. 10, 1863

GIN. GRoUT's REPLY. no. >.
M.xTrELHR, Nov. 10, 1863.
Ny DEAR COLONEL The remaining specih
cation under the charge on which am srrsigned
if | rightly understand ii, is thai OF giving
undue credit to Gen. Sickles for the promptuesl
with which he marched To Howari's relief tn,
first day. The evident purport Of your criticism
on this point il, that there is nothing noteworth,
TO mark the conduct Of Sickles from that Of aul
other corps commander.
lod say that " all the corps save the Sixtl
reached the field hat night What if the,
did They were ali too jaie to render Howard
any assistance, except perhaps one division Of
Socum corps. They did not reach the field
til after dsrS; Til the days work was com.
pletei, and the danger wholly passed. Besides,
10 official account Of the battle furnishes any
proof that any corps commander, but sickles'
went to Howard aid without orders from Gen.
Meade. You say ''the order Of arrival was
determined by their respective distances.
Hardly tha.-Slocum's CORPS was at Littletown,
less than four miles away. You say " II reach
ed the field before Sicties.'' / VII. not charge
you with a. distorting the history II this great
battle but, to say the least, your statement
needs correction Only Geary's division Of
Slocum's corps was present. i not your state
ment. then. that " Nlocums corps arrived bqorc
Sickies' little stroug Bur what particular
credit did the early arrival OF Geary's division
reflect uuon Slocum None whatever, so far a.
i can learn. II does not appear tina; he pushed
I'd that d vision until ordered 10 10 80 By Meade.
Not ONLY this. but Gen Doubleday testihes as
follows: Gen Sickles did start without or
ders. but Gen. Slocum refused 20 leave without
orders from Gen. Meaie; and ] suppose he was
justified upon strict military principles. Let
ne ask was there nothing IL Jals 20 distinguish
the conduct Of SicAles from that Of the
other corps commanders, not any Of whom does
il appear moved TO Howard relief without
iers: Slocum, within four miles Of the fight,
refuses TO aid unless ordered by Meade; and If
he afterwards r-lentel AMI went (Which, by
the Wsy does not appear couceding the most you
can claim, be only got one division up. Slckes,
ten miles away, perpIezet with positive orders
to hold EmnlJs1prgh, az important faDking
position, - a; all hazards. " the moment How
ards cry Tor help reaches him, leaves only q
guard at that place, aUi with all possible dis
patch hurried 70 ni- relief. and reached the field
i1st As the routed reueins Of the Is; ami lth
corps had taken position On Cemetery Hl..
Never shsll forge; Jhe thrill which DE rapid
march q his troops, m7uy Of them harcioateI,
created, as they went sIrsiug past a certain
train guard; nor hos S!ck-s, with tie tir % %
nan going 10 the Gth., ordered one regiment Of
that guard 70 close Ia behind Ai- corps and
force up bis -traEs.ers." To the credit of his
command. however. let II De here recorded that
there wee no -grEgieIs. such was the mag
netsm which S.lEles bad over has troops, that
every man felt tie urging IL the eager unc0L-
quersble spirit OF bis commander, and vas upon
the keen jump for the field Tue ti>, that the