New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-02-24

him for some hours and were unable to overtaho
him, and Howard as early as 10 o'clock IN Tue
morning was ordered by Hooker to fortiiy MS
flank. From this time until evening he was warhcu
over and over of the storm which was coming puo
he treated ali advice with singular and stoid con-
tempt Schurz and Devens, his division com
manders, greatly disqueted by his apathy
and took what measures they could take 10 lhahc
ready for the onset But General Howard dwei'
serenely in his fools paradise until about ocioch'
when the troops were at supper and Jacksons corps
came in with the lush of n whirwind, sweeping thC
right wing of our army before it in an incoherent
mass. General Doubleday very properly defends the
soldiers and subordinate officers OF the Eleventh
Corps from the unjust aspersions under which they
labored so long as the result of that terrible uecd
MANY of Them fought bravcy then and aiterward,
but surprised as their commander allowed III EN- 10
be surprised that day the best thing they could 40
was to run and to get to IA place where they couiu
reform with some chance of lighting Tor theH ives
The ponic fortunately did not spread beyond the
force Immediately attacked, and some OF the most
desperate fighting OF the war was done IN tue gain
ering darkness by Pleasanton, Berry. Slckles ana
Others. The advance was checked Jackson was
killed. the Union lines were reformed, and even
Ihen so strong lockers position that he might
have resumed the offensive. but the injury he re-
blow upon Howard seemed to have destroyed bis
initiative for the time, and after Fredericksburg
had fallen into our hands he and Sedgwck re-
crossed the river and remained idle until Lee started
for Pennsylvania.
The second part Of Genera Doubedays book is
devoted to the Gettysburg campaign. Here again
General Howard is one of his favorte subjects, but
his attractivencss ceases at the point where Mcade
sent General Hancock to supeIsede HIM on the pat
tlefeld. In regard to the vcyed questions OF that
famous campaign, General Doubleday speaks WIN
rother unwonted conservatism ard moderation.
Having been IN the battle from the first moment
to the last having taken the place OF the lamenteu
REYNOLDS when he fell in the woods beyond the
seminary III tho first days fighting and having heid
the centre of the line when Pickett and Wilcox
made their final desperate charge to the crest OF
Cemetery Hill, he saw perhaps as much OF the
battle with his own eyes anyone in the army anu
his account of it has that professional accuracy ana
that soperness of coloring peculiar to the men VINO
have taken part in great transactions, ana nave
looked death steadily in the face for hours ana
days He does not approve General SickleSs line q
battle at Peach Orchard, and yet ne does not &C.
nounce it as many have seen fit to do. lie gives
uncrudring credit TO most of his colleagues in the
actioA-eXcepting always General Howard whom
he reserves for the qualification of the drop OF
human nature which is IN every historian coihpo-
sition-and while Withholding no proper consldera-
tion from General Meade he says distinctly that
Meade did not choose tho battlefield, did not en-
tircly approve it, wished to retreat on the night oil
the I'd July and that tier the disastrous rout OIL the
enemy. i'm thei7 final charge the Sd, that he was
guilty OF deplOrabe error in not following up the
Union victory by an immediate advance, which IN
the opinion of generals of both armies would have IN
Aicted incaculable damage upon the Coniederates'
and greatly shortened the war
The book is a valuable contribution to the his
tory of the Rebellion, and cannot fail to excite
good deal of discussion and possibly of controversy