New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-05-07
GENERAL SHERLDANS TESTIMONY.
Ills COMPLAINT AGAINST WARREN.

|
PRESENT CROss-EXANGNING A LIEUTENANT
| GENERAL.
The interest felt in the Warren Court of In
quiy by military appears to increase daily and the
attendance upon the sessions Of the court con-
stanty greater. Among the persons in attendance yes
| tcrday Generals Daniel T. SiCkles William +.
Smith, John a. Kellogg Il. B. Ayres s. W. Crawford
and II. L. Abbot, OF tho Engineer Corps. and Colonel
H. Richardson, of Wisconsin, and Edward f. Delaney
The examination Of General Sheridan, which was re-
! Gulne1 By Mr.. sckney, counsel for General Warren,
! ut times marked by sharp questioning AID severe
replies Many Of the questions related simply TO points
| in General Sbcrdan's statement that were OF minor
importance and appeared to be directed to assist
ablishing the fact that General Warren not remiss
I'm his dutca. General Sheridan said the lines OF works
spoke Of N his OH al report OF May 1G, 1865, were
made Of rails loSs, etc.. and were not earihworks
They about works rereating force could
throw up to check pursuit.
"How much lighting there, General" asked Mr.
| siickncy, " before you made the nnal attack 2"
81 cannot say exactly the firing indicated that 1t was
heavier than usually attends skirmish. think the
enemy retired in the that force usually does
when pressed making occasional stands to secure their
| retreat"
"Whcn you speak IN your statement OF first seeing
Warren 1T 10 o'clock Il. H., what do you mean !"
"Thnt saw Lin personally-his troops reached me
between and o'clock"
ibid you receive General Grants oral mc'soge by
General IaoCnck hhthOTlZihH Sun 10 IcIlcfc hchcta
Warren after You had seen WalrenP
AFTER sLw Warren.
"Please repeat General Grants message"
cannot give IL exactly tut II that he author
izcd mo to relieve General Warren II In judgment
the service would thereby bc benefited. have no rec
objection that reason was given for sending such
message, aad there wa4 utmatiOn Of what sort of
ucca ion would warrant using the authority II
conferred"
Did strike you singular that you should receive
oral y such a message IRON General Grant,
mo l had received a mcssag" before OF n similar
nature from Gen raj Giant. such an occurrence
do, su'i happen II. quen,!y."
8" ID you recall Il Nlrm,lt IN dispatch from you to
G-nr:al Grant, dated March 81, that you WISHED 10
Sixth ~, sent 10 a.d not the Fith II So what
did YOU mem by Il a.
"Tkncw the importance Of tho plans had formed
The sixth C"rp' hai served with ne; We bad always
been successful together, and had conn rL,c In tho
troops TI"rr WIS nothing more than Tat; had no
uTcudice aGaGs; General Warren"
wasn't hi, r. puation that OF m efficient officer -
"Idouot know: had meyer served with him"
What tin. al You form the intention OF attacking
the cI.my'S wolk'r
,At tn TN" = pls.ug J. Bo!ssclu's house, when
.ai7cd 81 W.rrcn comm; mp in their 1 cannot
fix the hour"
You kr1w q . 4. m that the enemy would retreat.
old yud not -
Yes. Tut did not Inow where they would 60"
"Would 1t not have been nau al to suppose they
would retire hch I'D the work, y
supposed they would do IN IT,"
"WcIl, General. Judge from your wcll-knOwn tenn
pcrgncni that y0u intended tn llsh' them I"
Yrr -urpore II WAS my Intention to fight them
Wherever thry made n s:anl."
When did you give orders 10 General War; for the
n,tnrk r.
After 10 Ocl0c:i They oral. directed him
TO foi his lIno obqucY the White OAK road, with
one division III reserve. near the Grlyey Run Church.
| do not remember drawing diagram IN the sand
did not Warren give his orders to hs snH officers,
and have no recollection when, where or how he gave
orders To hrnS up h.s troops"
"Wncu did you give him his orders for their forlna-
ton Z"
"Whc they were coming mp, I think l do not
member when this was nor who were there. II
f. me that Generals Agree and Griffin wore there. did
not see Warrior draw diagram, but think 1 saw 1t
when drawn"
DID you say anything to Warren about the delay of
his forces r.
81 comp.alnrd that they were slow My cavalry had
been instructed to huId enemy their works fer
thu 5:h Corps to capture thrm and was raid the
airy world txp,nd ILciI ammunition was very anN-
inIs; pniit important; there wasn't much
time lott ard did not know how long would take 10
fight the enemy. IrxprcG.cd great deaf OF that aux
irty do not know that expressed It tOrclDly though
bi.i Won 81 pretty anr7y"
=" icit 80 hit do nU, think that gave dlsacrrrable
cNprtS-Ion 10 my Niger 20 G'n"rtl warren"
- Dld yuu say tnrr. Vas any failure Oh his partP
=" / do n; rtcOllrc'.'
General warrcns order fr tho formation Of hls line
WIS here pt evidence. General Sheridan said h" had
tncnch he ncrnIu ,,lr'rd Cen W:rirn rw uamcp,9
amer Tic adyanc begun id not remember giving Lin
nu 49," rin. Ir.Ir,lroIl' when my SIP ,ioI ~ did
not SIC Warren again ulul III" engagement WIS Owe"
don't remember IT,. meeting me later" sa'd The
witness, "dnu rnnIcrrEG about Griffin nnd Crawford
going too far 10 The right" $500 -
~ Ia: WAS your compmint against General Warrcnp
"l:At there was gr9rrh confusion Acknowledgement
Fi,as. ,prciV he faults OF omission sins OF
uiissinn ~ General Warren"
Yes WI IKE r""1 were Gon%sG @d O ii tG [ n
tie part OF The men wcro very g'c2t, and begin to
"r 10 lire straight IN the air. Tho poor fellows hat
ben il2htns noand brrasLwO:ks and hnl become ac-
ci,oilrd e. that mc, hol. Ird' Oat 10 the fIum ur
md hclprd to restore confidence. I slw General
warren IN the roar OF inc line OF battle
Warren would not hayo allowed my sup rIor officer
To- r the lruEt uf my line " restore serious
confusion without mlknG IN Mort myself. saw Craw.
ford pDlqulng 10 Nh r;t instead OF making partial
-. Eyy ,id and tin sruI for Warren several
iiucs but couldn't ud him. Griffin had TO follow Craw
ford and thcr1 wds no oice lot me but Ayress dlT-
But wcro these not the sins OF Crawford and Grit
nnl"
"No; Warren was in command, and II there
body in the wdo world that should have made an exer-
:" what did lie do 10 remedy tho confusoni"
don't knowi G9niuht hEd mm.'
40. 1 had al the Information wanted"
"Dd YOI thea Or ever learn rs matter OF lact tnaL
after scndn; his aids Warren went himself and brought
CFaw. ord into proper position"
yes; Lut thcn the battle was virtually over. The
key 10 the cnemys position had been won"
lyon zen held General Warren responsible TO- the
def ,ct.uu ar Crawl rI's lmcP
Yes for the entire CONDITION OFT nlncs"
"Do think That TAR Judgment OF the conduct OF
nate 10 official responsibility
General Snrridm's counsel objected to the question:
and an argument 10 the Court was begun but the Wit
ness said lac would answer tho question no Could 20
allowed to explain lie then said:
"Yes Now let me explain. have stated that In re-
lleying General Warren governed by the crcum-
stances wns placed IN after the battle OF FIVE Forks
There was time to swap jaOk-kniVes but serious
cn,rrgcncy When the battle ended had my back
enemy, and II was not very agreeable position got
10 thinking whether COnll mold on TO warren, who had
dis lppOntcd me. I hate TO punish man as much re
anil a nnf q a q