New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-11-06
TESTIMONYOY BOTH SIDES.
SEVERAL WITNESSES BEFORE 1Hh wArREN COURT
OF INQUIRY.


OF INQUIRY.
AT the Warren Court of Inquiry yesterday one
witness was examined in behalf Of the respondent,
and several in behalf OF General Warren The first
witness was BfigSdier-General william " eI!s, VINO
commanded the I'd Vermont Cavalry, under Ten
eral Custer. He described the movement OF ms
regiment, which numbered from 800 10 400 men.
The witness saw Custer from Time to time IN tae
course of the engagement. and met some OF the
infantry forces to the north OF the line OF works
while IN pursuit of the enemy.
Major Gardner offered in evidence General Gus
ters official report aud the Confederate reports of
the battle of Five Forks, which were placed IN the
archives at Richmond.
General Ayres, who testified for the applicant
some months ago, was again called 10 the stand lie
commanded a division of the Filth Corps. His teS-
timOny was as follows:
My division was the last to arrive on the ground
where the Inc. were Termed. We close on the
heels Of Grins division and reached the ground al
most simultaneously with it, There was no delay IN he
formation II had been strongly impressed upon re
that there was necessity OF haste and that were To go
into the battle to win. found General Warren "hrh
reported biin with General Sheridan, IN 'front.' OF he
Ines The advance began on after maze my report
just after had changed my front toward ne leit Gen
era sheridan expressed appreheuslons mat my roos
firing into our cavalry. ] remember HAVING re-,
ceved diagram Of the plan OF the attack from GehcTa
Warren.
On bcin! cross-examined the witness stated that
he knew that General Crawford's division was on
ms right when the formation was made, but ne did
not know the position of General GrIfnns DIVISION.
When his own command was engaged at tne enc
mys RETURN, he saw General CrawfOrds DIVISION
gong away from the ilTlng. Major OaiGner ASKED
the witness to state what the result would nave Deel
if his troops had been Tepuised at the return OF the
works, but The COur; would not allow the question.
Genera Chamberlain, who co nudnded Dllgade
of General Grjffin's division, was next called, ana
testified as follows
As soon Us arrived the place where the troops were
formed General Griffin sugg Stcd That We sbOd 20 ana
get the plan of attack from General Warren was near
General Warren before the attack for about tnreequs
tiers OF an hour General GTili1 ana nls brlgtde com,
mauders, some OF General MarrehS stan OIhecIs, aH
Of General CrawfoTc's officers were there GENERA
Warren engaged IN giving instructions and npirss
were impressed with the tact That there was going 10 be
ren the Ford road Five Forks, aud he tod me
was going right. continued my course lato tue Gu,
tam fell but did not entirely across H. General
Warren was deeply earnest IN ms manhtr IL vas il5
custom to make his officers well acquainted win 'he
plan If attack.
The next witness was Captain Felthousc, Of the
DIST Newly Ork-under command of Colonel FARRELL.
HIS testimony related 10 an engagement with the
enemy at the Gillian field. The wltncss SAID ne
saw General Warren ride ont into this field followed
rushed westward through the woods into another
field and We're there reformed. The tmo was ABOUT
shutdown, little after
Captain Mecher was the last witness. He said
| that he sent with a message from General
Warren to General Crawford urging bun to press III
| on the enemy. When he returned General AlTes
lad carried the return At the close Of the engage
mont the witness met Colonel Locke, who was
carving message from General Warren 10
! General Sheridan lie went win MN
until they came upon General Sheridan
M a point west OF FIVE Forks The report was lhai
General Warren sent his compliments 10 General
Sheridan and that the cnemy> works had been car,
RED. The wtne said he did not hear Colonel
Locke say that General Warren was mile ana d
half in the rear of the line General Sheridan re-
piled on receiving the report that General Warren
had not been IL the front, where he belonged. The
witness and Colonel Locke rode on together, ana
met General Warren in the northeastern corner 0i
the Gillian hcld-a point east OF the place where The
report had been delivered TO General Sheridan.
Mr. Stickney announced that he would produce
Il fbQrA
rem Was not in the rear of tie infantry line.
The court adjourned untIl Monday al ii 4. m.