The Hartford herald., 1875-04-28


to fight mounted until we could obtan a
more secure position. In the act Of With
drawing We we're heavily attacked, and /
then ensued perfect stampede of every
thing except the Fourth Kentucky regi- |
ment and small battalion under Witcher. |
The retreat was continued in great con-
fusion for several miles, until we reached |
the edge of piece Of heavy timber, where
We succeeded in rallying few men and
forming those that were in order. We
checked the advance Of the enemy st this
point. and the retreat from there on W as
succrssfutty conducted, the men =fghtiBg,
in line and from their saddles
At nightfall the enemy gavd up che pur-
suit, and we were free to continue our re-
treat until after we went into camp at
Devalt's Ford, and in the vicinity Of
Leesburg. So -- -.--Hi 90 rai' n
I have thus undertaken to give a some>l
what fuller detail of this disaster than
that contained in the letter TO Colonel
johnson. but i can give no correct idea Of
the mortifying and disgracefal condition
of affairs as it really existed If the re-
spohsibility for it belongs to anybody, il
belongs to General Williams. He was
urged by all the officers by whom he was
surrounded to abandon the idea of going
into camp directly in the face and under
the guns ofthe enemy Capt jenkins, in
his letter to Gen. Williams, makes subs
stantial statement to this effect, az far as
he and Colonel Morris are concerned.
Captain Stanton told me that he had
urged the Generalto move on, and all the
officers with whom talked were aston
ished and alarmed at the condition of
things-the terrible limpeiilmentof the
army at that time. II give an extract
from Capt Jenkins letter upon thispoint:
'"Soon after you shad indicated where
YOU would make your headquarters, took
the liberty, without orders, to ride down
to Col Giltner's brigade and to say to
him that Col Morris and myself believed
that we would be attacked in a little while
and We had endeavored to induce Gen.
Williams to coatin1ethe retreat, and that
i wanted him to come with me and see. if
Ire could not induce the General. Col
4 Giltner and myself were on our way TO
Gen. Williams when The attack was
/ u1a1fe - si-a g vi1sqO71 ssE 3. 'Edj 81 O.
-Fhave' nothing 10 say about the many
certificates gathered by Gen. Wil.ismsat
the time charges were preferred against
him, except that they ;astonish me be-
yond expression. Il am sure many Of the
officers who sought 10 shield him from the
action OF a court-martialwere impelle,i by
\ kindness to- give him these papers. Meth
er. Col. Morris nerCapt. Jenkins, to whom
I Gen. Williams refers as having '.com~
1 pletely overwhelmed and crushed my
statement" has asserted that Gen. Wii-
liams was not druhkeH that occasion. aor
l DOL believe either of them would be viii
ling to make an unequivocal assertion to
that effect. ! can not see how any map.
officer or soldier, who participated in tina,
4 affair can have failed TO know of his con-
/ dition. .s'rsi
A day or two after these events, when
we were at Abingdon, called 10 see the
General with view of talking OF our
Rheatown troubles. told him such was
1.-THE object Of my visit He remarked, 81
wish YOU to talk to me, not as Col. Gilt.
ner 10 Gen Williams, but as Henry Gilt
I ner to John Williams-we are both Ken;
tuckians and ought to be friends, ~ i then
T said to him, General when my command
was brigaded under you. we were allhigh.
ly delighted, perfectly satisfied both Off
GERS ana men; OUT since our hheatowb
troubles great dissatisfaction has existed
The command has lost confidence in you
! and | wish to say to you that from this
time forth, so long as ! am a member OF
your command, shall totally disregard
any order that you may give me whilst
under the influence OF whisky unless
such order II IN conformity with my own
Judgment de then denied being drunk
said he had taken but two drinksoi WINS,
KY that morning 10 Whicn replied,
thought 1t would be 10 his credit 10 ac'
knowledge III It he was drunk. That !
he was not drunk he was not compe'e:i'
to have tue lives OF men iniruseeu 70 hls
Judgmt mt. whist II hrs lnefhcieney .wa'
caused oy uruhkenness, shas couiu "
: remedIed by absfaInng from iiqaor. Inn
interview was temperate anu Without any
unpleasantnessr but ten Wliiams mann
tanned that ne was not arunK'
Asa qnestIon OF veraclty am periect'
SsaIaim;,I I. .,hp,o " | Gsrsra1 W;Ii;.ms .,
any other man. ] do not fear the trutl
in its effect upon me. and / regard il al,
ways best to sneak plainly I have no
thouebtitnecessary to accumulate papers