The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1880-09-10
COMMUNICATION.

MR.. EDITOR, SIR:-I have been re-
quested to set some of the false state
ments made by A. r. StapletOn, of Mid
dlebury, in regard to Hancock at Get
tysburg, at the late Democratic rally
here, right. Mr.. Stapleton said that,
"General Winfield Scott Hancock
planned the battle of Gettysburg, and
while arranging his line and riding
from point to point, was exposed to the
fire of 81, 900 of hostile rifles and one
hundred fifty pieces of rebel artil-
lery," and that "Gen. Meade was In the
rear all of the time"
The facts are these: Gen. Reynolds
led the Union advance into and beyond
the village, while Gen. Meade was sur
veying the line ofPipe Greek, thinking
of fighting there. In the action about
the village. Gen. Reynolds was killed
and the command devolved on Gen.
Doubleday, who was pressed back with
loss to Cemetery Ridge, where Gen. o.
o. Howard had chosen and taken pos
session of q strong position, and who
held 1t to enable the wreck of the LIST.
corps to reform. Gcn. Howard held
command for some hours, assigning
Gen. Schnrz to the command of his 11th
corps; then Gen. Hancock, at 31-2
O'Clock p. IN. of July l, after the posi-.
ton was chosen and held by the LIST
and 18th corps, and he directed Gen.
Geary of q division of.the 18th corps to
occupy high ground toward Round
Top. Gen. Meade had hurriedly re-
quested Gen. Hancock to judge whether
Gettysburg was better ground than the
line on Pipe Creek, and at A p. m, Han
cock sent word to Meade that he would
hold out until Meade could arrive aud
judge for himself. But Meade had con-
cluded to fight at Gettysburg and had
sent on the I'd corps under Gen. Glib
bon and also sent Gen. Slocum, who at
p. m. took command until the arriv-
al of Gen. Meade at IL p. m, who pro-
ceeded TO command during the remain
ing two days of battle. Consequently al
the longest, Gen. Hancock was in com
mand three and a half hours. am
very much pleased TO have the vexed
question Of rebel numbers at the bat
tie definitely settled by so high an au-
thority as MIR. Stapleton, though rebel
and Union official reports disagree sad
ly with his statements; they generally
fix the rebel forces at from $4,000 to
92 900 and the Unionists not to exceed
1000, though after the battle, j. b.
Jones, q clerk In the Rebel War Depart |
ment estimated tho Union force at 49,
600 and their loss at &c, 900, 80 this talk |
of Stnpleton's of "155, 900 hostile rifles'' !
h the sheerest nonsense, and the talk of
his riding about the lines SO extensive |
ly, of the same kind, and of Gen.
Meades absence from the battle not true. |
served IN the army from Sept. 1861 10
the close of June, 1865, was at Gettys-
burg In the only reserve brigade, knew
Gen. Hancock well, better than l did
most OF our generals, aud know that he
did not come near where my regiment
was posted. The above statements are
based on good historical authority
which Mr.. Stapleton can examine IL he |
chooses to, but that is not his forte, II
presume.
l did not hear Mr.. Stapleton make
his statements, but am informed by
both republicans and democrats that he |
did make them, and l wri.e this not In |
the hope of converting him, but TO |
show him that the smountaineers" are
not the tools he takes them for.
j. s. CHANDLER. \
Ripton, Sept. 1880. N