New-York tribune., 1880-06-16

CR1VFORD TELLS HIS STORY.

TESTIMONY IN THE WARREN INQUIRY.
ACCEPTING THAT THE ENEMY's FIRE FROM THE
FRONT WOULD NOT PERMIT HIM To OBEY
ORDERS.
General Samuel W. Crawford, commander
of the Third Division OF the Fifth Corps IN lNG1 tcSt
fled In the Warren Inquiry Yesterday His division was
formed on the right General Avres in the line Of battle
before the advance began, and 1t WAS the oDlquc move
ment of his command to the right that General sher
dan charged broke his liue of battle General Crawford
has expressed anxiety to testify since Gehcrai Sherl
dams statement made to the Court anu thtic has
been general desire 10 hear his equalization VI Ills
movements.
He was first called upon for statement OF the part
his division took the battle of the White Oak road on
March 81 and related facts substantially as they have
been given several tunes the inquiry lie sad he re-
memberod receiving the orders from General Warren
Which were introduced in evidence at an early htaIc'
and which related TO the movements of troops t. Gen
era Sheridas support ordered earv ID the evening oil
March 81. and subsequently, counermanded and Suo''
tuted by the for Ayres TO move down the Boydon
plank road. General Crawford said that he kept his
comlnard under all night ana marched at daygh
on Apr l. in obedience to orders received from General
Warren III person. lie drew of from In front OF the Con
federate works with Bakers brigade hr eing up the
rear in line O. battle. 1t known that the rebels
had left their works. and the expectation WAS tlat a
pursut would be attempted Griiins division had AZ
ready moved. The Third Division moved across country
|
ceeded by the BOsscu house, where atera h1it 0
from four 10 five hours. orders received to march
I'D to Gravey Run Church. There were no special
causes for delay this march the roads were heavy
and the men wcaried, but they moved with as much
prompness as could have been expected In the fCrna
ton Tor the advance the Third DIVISION was placed on
right OF Ayres, and formed IN double brigade
front OF two lines There between leo and 1000
men in the DIVISION and the front extended ahOut go
wards General Crawford received from General War
rem copy OF the diagram Of the plan OF the battle ms
arrap gcd and also oral instructions, which were gwen
hy General Warren In the presence of the brigade and
rcsmcntal commanders. The Instructions were for him
TO advance i'll the precise formation until hc hal passed
the White Oak road aad Ecn to make left lrfw heel
and 10 adv ance directly forward
"Was any particular caution given TO You by General
warrcnR"
"It was hahltual with him to explain thoroughly.
asked him after | had made the left wheel what lac
wanted NE to do. lie told me to advance westward
the line OF the White Oak road, and cautioned me 10
keep closed and look out for my right flank"
"By keeping closed do you Inc III keeping your con
| ncctOn with General Ayrcs /
"No; Understood that was cautioned 10 Keep tho
men together. knew where Ayrc7 was and what was
| the movement contemplated
| "Wcic your troops cxp"rrnccdf'
"yncy were the vc cranS If The od First Cups *
ccpuug DIST NewY"rk. whIch was II new regiment.
| The commanders We're AL men OF cXrrrlrucc'
| When did you see Ayrts on your Ief' -
| 81 saw Ayrcs after we had crossed tie White OK
had cleared Ayrtss flank. We got under fire imlnedat ~
lost sight OF lin. was VITA Cuitcr uni We had roi
! I'm the open space pear the wood' IN officer
| here rode NJ aud rcporcd tat there VII.
Herr report the fact 10 ''cncral Warren who Scnl
back SOrl Tor to hold my left and ricSs forward
wIh my rght. moving forward as Iap.dly IA possible
.cnt Herr to Baxter with these instructions. telling
Lin to report any clnnGe IN | ne situation. W'ht !"
Conltcr and found him doing wcll cN"rnl mat he was
aayciTG too Ihp : rr 'T %G gl nn we ' wi GIr" % M
oul oi the woois that carE"d Of krllosT7 a'rhc".
ordered Coulter TO fill ny the gap while sent an oii' or
after Kpil"g. 10 restore Him 10 ms place na" hnm'
ti0os quite in advance, but dd not again sc Kcl
logE until aft'rw We had crossed he S.dnor field and
! rass"d half way to the Young licld."
Did you encounter any heavy nS IN yoTr N.Y. m@TGh ~
tie SidnUr ;i;.d Young fields"
tiUns Of the day almost an exact cpr of that 0f
Colonel Herr Of hs stan the agreement between Them
the al the Gillian field brcausc he had gone
tie lnarca around he received orders several times from
Gcncra Warren all to The puport aud all direct
| "What efforts dId yOum make 10 obey OrdcrsP
81 tried 10 obey them a. exactly as ne fire Of the
would nave been difficult TO take division In line
through those woods had there been no fire from the
To Mr Gardner General Crawford said that his
mcnt all the time nOrthwes wardy obqncy 10 the
left lie received a message from General Sheridan
when near the SidnOr field. directing hin 10 come to the
orders FROM General Warren.
What prevented you from marching right down
through the Sldn0r hnldT
the encmy'5 fire."
From winch direction Z"
"TLc fire from INV front course. II very deter
mined fire, and Ike that OF a tom me OF battle lost
q good many mcn-dhOut 800
Would 900 dlslUounted clvalrymcn have prevented
Won from ObeyIng orders and going down -
Yes, sir think they would"
To the Court General Crawford said that his ia Of
the part intended to take was to attack any force
that Intcrfcred with Ayres'r flank.
General Hancock" Dd you not feel that II was yOur
duty make that connection when you discovered that
II had been lost 2"
81 did not know what had occurred knew that the
gap had been made through negligence OF mInc and
reported II TO my corps commander. Ills orders tried
| 10 obey"
Did you in your march through the first woods hear
any firing that Indicated greater operations Than thUsc
| you were perfOrmlngi"
d" did not. The woods damp and sound was
deadencd and there the noise OF the officers giving
| orders and the firing my front"
| the Court Will meet this morning.
|
Small boy rushing in front of vnnnr lady