New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-01-29
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
TIE prVjNSIukP CAMPAIGN.
BONE CRITICISMS or GENERAL 4. $. wEBBs HIS
TORY. BY RETIRED ARMY OFFICER.

TIE ItNiNNt Lam NANI AlN'''
BONE CRITICISMS OF GENERAL a. $. WEBbs HIS
TORY BY RETIRED ARMY OFFICER.
TO ne EdttOr OF me Tri6VHe.
SIR: General 4. s. Webb has added ono more
10 many premature histories the much YcXed sug'',
Of the Peninsuar Campaign. THE TRIBUNE haS no'c''
IL favoraby hut chiefly seemed. fer tho ahors OK
torted dispraise Of his friend Mcclellan tie WIS u
gagged in the scenes which he narates ana saw anu "
as Young officer Of the sa Of generals whom he now
allows himself judge ignoring the inehaceape h'd
ence Of their early and partial impressions In the
finest military history 81 our age, Colonel Naller
Peninsular War, The author seems 10 have rea'ne' I"
happy impartiality between his known admiration 1or
Napoleon and Ills antagCusuc patriotism car au'h'r
seems 10 have subject 90 great struggle between
admiration OF Mcclellan and Porter and the truth OF
history.
had resolved silence; but expression referring
10 the battle of Gainess Mil o. 1s), has forced me to
sneak it is 1--WE have narrated exactly what occurred
on both banks Of the stream" Impossible claim
know not how civilians may Judge the loose bnt ans
bic picture-such as many army correspondents used 10
write with cunning Which Ignorance could not be'ray
rmere intelligence withstand; hut 10 miltary critic
II pre sents some remarkable obscTies, very III done
foreshortenings; short, faults Of omission ana mis-
statement. But l have thought only TO answer that
challenge that pretension. what never achieved
be il never so honestly sought, the "eXacty what oc
Cured" few specimens of deficiency and OF absolute
msstatement should be enough 10 Tefute claim 10 W
falbilty If they have further effects IL is saleu
ID 1921: "Sx hundred and seventy-cne OF the regular
cavalry under General Emory put IN position COW
erng the bridges the Chicahominy ana the com
munications with the rest Of the army on the rght
bank"
This is without foundation.
We find o. 13O), that General Porter, January %, sent
two regiments Mones Division 10 serve under Gen
eral soneman with the cavalry but on the day OF
the battle "they marched with him to the White
o,,afov Oh nv IN
stopeInan took Emory's Cavalry with him TO White
House and Yorktown, and left them there beyond Nc
Clellans authority without orders and took BOAT i'r
Washington. For what these two brigades sent
away on the day OF battle from corps the relative
weakness OF which the author dwels upon and exagger
atesi Why the cavalry thus crippled ana Mcneil
weakenedl The objects should have been given as In
one result THE line broken in or near the centre
Of Mones division" On pages 1867 are some obscure
paragraphs with confusion of time and place. but some
positive statements found That the retreat 10 the
lanes WAS resolved on after the battle of Mechanics
VILE" June %; in an inteval.'-begnnlng theh'
.asevs troops at the White House had been ordered
to the James "Athe material that could not be put on
board the transports was burned" Should not TIE ms
torian give the duty calling for these strange movements
of the BrigadierI What motivei The only palpahe
one seems to have been to escort Soneman out Of thai
The author says, o. 134, that French ana Meagher,
of Robertsons division arrived on the fed near dusk
Their steady front restored ne DIoRth mon Tit,
which fell pack under the fire of its own guns" rms
HI II
with a pleasant founsh. But IT Is all untrue. -
l. French and Meagher did not arrive On the ned Oh
battle" . 100000,
9. "The fire OF its guns" was only directed mo
The rear Of troops; namely, the cGlad{ "Lo,
about half mile IN front Of French ana Me8Ghes ON
the edge of the field Of battle presented aseay iront
10 the enemy .,-, --. ,.,o
The author states h 134 the exceptional case me
regulars and ZoEaVCs" OF Sykes division ON th' rlSl
Ibid not break, but brought up the rear IN excellent OF
der" which hope is true but the regulars On the le
cavalry and artillery, what Of themt Ihey are SUI
aiouslv ignored under OF two lines or oecepuNe
statement half regiment OF cavalry There were
there for which the genius OF IOtc udd
iound no work The whole day. When the infantry were
disappearing these batteries opened furious ire ana
the cavalry advanced 10 proper Supporting POSITIONS
requiring one battery which hmDeTng 10 the rear
10 reopen fire; the other batteries 1t defended DL Gc
perate hut saving charge Thus were The enemy uused
with victory and pursuit dauLtel ana cAeched' gwen
apprehension Of rally" ana Whiting SEM 10 Long
street renforccments,' which tie aulApf perhaps
without reflection, quotes from Jackson report
Well wrote one years ago, that Por;eTs statements
are only TOO likely 70 hold place eudng the couHigs
rarel,ss or pIeudiced or malicious tc0ns Of history
T. ~. U. COOKE,
MaiOr-GcueTa L. :. hrliy, retired.
DefyOif. Mich, January 10, lSS2.