New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-05-26
LOCAL MISCELLANY.
wARREvs MANAGEMENT OF HIS MEN

vpou GENERAL SHERIDAN TO GENERAL WAR
REN's MEssENeER--A POINT IN FAVOR OF GEN"
ERAL AYRRs.
Four witnesses testified before the Warren
Conrt of Inquiry at Governors Island on Monday.
General II. &. Bankhead, of the Retired Last, was
General Of the Fifth Corps and was connected with
General Warren's headquarters. Ills testimony was
largely in ctoboration OF the story OF 'nS ne s pIe
port the march itself, the meeting between
Generals Sheridan and Warren. the planning OF the
Warren and his explanation of it to his com
handlers the formation for the advance, ana lhe
eneTa 70 RchNrd Coulter of Grcensburg West
moreIand Comfy, Penn, who was known IN the
Fifth Corps as "Fgntng Dick" follOw We croM In
lords division. In the line of battle April l. his
brigade was formed in the rear between heIIoeS
on the left and Baxter on bo ' sSn 70 the left until
the white Oak road was reached, when they were
to make half wheel to the Left pGpf tR Mar
the enemy and broke his line, they were ordered
not to stop to form again, but to maintain pursuit
No man in the brigade should have been ignorant
of these instructions said the witness, as he rode
along his entire line and explained them. C...,
General F. T. Locke, who in 1860 was Genersl
Warren's Adutaut- General, was the last witness
examined; General Warren sent nm 10 Sta or 20
the enemy. taken 800 prisoners, and was pushing
on as rapidly as possible. He found Sheridan near
the White Oak road and delivered his message &c,
much excitement replied, "Tell General Warren,
by that say thai he was not at the front 6r a.
% we're Written writ down at the time verified by, a
witness and read to the Court from the orlgna note-
book. On the cross-examinatIon GeneIai Locke &c
said it was after he had delivered TINS reply Oh
General Sheridan to General Warren that he SAY say
the latter lead the charge across the GILMAN held'
WI" Two enT witnesses only We're examined before the
f &aTSin y GaeFd Oh GcHsFa T. La Note
IL a
division nspector in 1865 testified at some length,
relating what he saw and heard before and during
the battle of Five Forks On one OF Two p4n's snn ms
ported General Ayress assertion that an oihcer on
General Sheridan's staff met the column u on the
morning of April l before daylight on the boydIon
plank road. and turned 1t back a6out mile. inns
officer said that General Sheridan had not expected
General La Motto, in reply to question about the
nature and extent of the confusion OF AyreSs men
shortly after the advance began said that aver nc
division was changing front, Gwynns brigade found
its right temporarily in an opening Inc men mere
fired on ios t Gf r tEe a began to shake
The confusion. however, was so little as nor 10 DS
worth speaking Of, The witness saw Ue e,onas
waving his cap and shouting, and he understood
that General Sheridan was addressing Ayres; Cen
era La Motto gave piece o. evidence %cn 4p
Ayres's division had got into the woods and just
before the attack, said he, General Warren rode up
iii 90 over and look after Crawford" He then rode
off to the right, in the direction crawford nag
taken. The witness incidentally stated that lie nay
not heard the conversation between Warren ana
Ayres but had been told OF 1t by General AyreS some
hours later. Mr.. Gardner at once objected to the
testimony and the Court ordered It stricken OUT.
Mr. Stickney said that this wond make II necessary
to again send for General Ayrcs. and the Conrt
ordered that officer to he again summoned IRON
Fort McHenry. ,,...,
he thought he could have Strengthened out the con.
fusion among the men himself. which he thought
was GhG a0nE sGs nGw e @ than
to any lack of courage among the men. 1870, .,,o.
General Hancock asked how II happened that
General Ayres came to mention the words OF tlle
conversation with General Warren, and the witness
said that when ii learned that General warren
had been relieved his actions naturally were 9ls
cussed and General Ayrcs told what General war
Colonel W. r. Chester of New York who was on
the staff of General Crawford in 1863, could not eX;
nlain how the connection between Crawford and
Ayres was broken, because at the beginning OF ne
advance friend had been badly wounded. ana tnC
witness had helped him to the rear When nc
caught up with CraWior ag hJ nnI fbe ForL
road The testimony of Colonel Chester, when
was that of q close observer who evidently charged
ohont the movements of Crawford and Griffin from
the Young field until pursuit OF the enemy hau Oeen
1SSed c On fS9 mly Crawford that
there were works i'll front of him. and sent inc Wiz
ness to report the fact to General Warren Genera
Sheridan was met instead, ana me message ae
know all about those works, and we are gong tC
fake them, by --w Upon advancing the enemy
rereated rapidly ~lt was se the first first time ga in t hat
manner" said Colonel Chester " and 1t made deeI
impression on me" .,
ing up the record for printing. The examination O
Witnesses will he resumed tomorrow, when sevcra
Confederate officers are expected TO testify.