The National tribune., 1885-04-02
PERRYVILLE.


nent.
To THE EDITOR: Please publish the corre-
spondence between Gen. Gilbert and myself.
The notes on the battle of Perryville referred
to by Gen. Gilbert, are very interesting, and
valuable as historical data and hope he will
publish them. They throw much light on the
battle, and prove beyond doubt that Gen. Gil
bert never received due credit for his share in
that battle.-W. Z. CARLIN, Fort Omaha, Neb.
JACKSONVILLE, FLA, March 9, 's5.
GENERAL: send you by mail some printed slips.
hastily prepared last Fail before leaving Fort Iates.
collect the evidence TO sustain the matter which
they contain. After reading the slips please return
them to me at Yates.
Your article in THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE of the 5,h
inst contains Of fact and gives rise to
some wrong impressions. was assigned 10 the
Third Corps of the Army of the Ohio not TO the
Eighteenth. / did not claim the rank of Major
General until ordered to exercise that command by
my superiors. Gen. Buell. did not consult me upon
that point.
At no time during the action of Perryville did
Gen. Mitchell speak to or / to him about the
fighting in front of McCoOk's CorDs. l left the
front about III n. NJ, and until nearly had no
knowledge whatever of the fighting going on in the
front of McCooks Corps and Sheridans Division.
All this time was back in camp making arrange
ments for the advance in force which supposed
would be ordered As did not know that there
was any fighting going OH, did not tell any one
that would not move my troops without Gen.
Buelrs orders. To Gen. McCooks first staff officer
Capt. Fisher) replied in effect, that would see
what could do about sending assistance when
reached my lines, and that in the meantime lie had
better keep and explain to Gen. Buell. the con-
dition of affairs on the left To Capt. Hoblitzel
the second staff officer sent by Gen McCoo for aid
l gave a brigade and battery soon trey could
be spared. These We're the only officers who
brought requests to me for aid from Gen. McCook
and believe the only ones he sent. Twas at Cen
Bueli's tent from about 1880 until the alarm was
raised by the heavy artillery firing in the final at
tack on Sheridan about S:15. Had Gen. McCook
sent earlier information to Gen. Buell. would have
been earlier informed to his necessities; but it is
not likely that would have detached from the
center so long as it was threatened i'll force The
proper countermovcment WAS TO hold fast in the
center and push forward the unengaged corps lin
this case Crittendens) on the rear OF the enemy In
other words, TO have made CTittenden follow up
your brigade and seize Perryville
Yours respectfully,
Gen. W. F. CARL1N, 4.h Inf, Fort Omaha Neb
Fort OMAHA, NEE., March l6, 1885,
Gen. c. c. GILBERT, Fort Yates, Dakota Ter:
GENERAL: Please accept my thanks for your
letter of the eth inst from jacksonville, Fla and
for the printed slips in regard TO the battle of Per-
ryville wish TO assure you that had no intcn-
ton of rejecting on you in any of my remarks i'll
ahe eominuh,cdti1n published IN The NAIIoNAL
rank referred to the legal aspects of the affair
clusively. had in my mind when wrote several
similar where officers without lawful author
ity had exercised command over me and others of
higher rank than myself, viz, Capt. Joseph Il.
Plummer, who was appointed Colonel of the li,h
partment of Missouri; w. E. Woodruff, who had
been Colonel of IA Kentucky regiment but whose
commission had expired, and who WAS reported to
have been nominated Brgadier- General but
whose nomination had not been confirmed; and
your own case. Your appointment was made by
Maj.-Gen Wright subject TO the approval of the
President. ] referred rs said before to the legal
aspects of the ease, meaning that an appointment
Major General by another Maior-Gene was,
under the law, n0appointment AT all, but usurpa
ton of authority.
In three instances. then, you will see had come
in contact with officers who had legal authority
to exercise the commands assigned to them. In the
case OF Pummer did not serve under him, but he
claimed authority over me- and gave me orders as
if he had such authority. In conclusion, on this
point j will say that have always thought that
You exercised the command of the Third Corps
(which by a strange lapse of memory wrote the
Eighteenth Corps in my paper published in THE
NATIONAL TRIBUNE) with ability inferior to none
who commanded corps IN BuelPs army. Indeed,
will go farther and say that you were the only
Corps Commander in that army who was justly
free from adverse criticism in regard to the battle
of Perryvilie If you had had legal commission
Major-General it would have been TO the advln-
tagc of the public service and that you did not
have it probably due to hostile political nfu-
ence. But l do not think that the President was
under obligation to confirm recognize the right
of one Major-Genera to appoint another Major
General, however worthy the latter may have
been.
Gen. John Gibbon recently spoke TO me about the
same subject referred 10 in your letter and seemed
To think had reflected you. / told him | had
not intended to do so, AS had always thought well
of your official conducI, and had defended you. /
told the editor of THE NATIONAL TRIB;NE snbstan-
TALLY the same thing month ago in Washington.
Your printed slips are very interesting 10 and
will be TO all who take an interest in the battle of
Penyvillc. hope you will publish them l shall
send copy of this and your letter TO THE NATION
Al. TRIBUSE and request their publication, the
best way of correcting any wrong impressions
caused by the paper you refer to. In conclusion,
please remember that don't profess to be writing
history, but my recolleclions Of my own ob-erva-
tions and experience. seldom refer to notes, and
do not discuss plans of battle unless il have
bearing on my own command
Very respectfully, Wn. p. CARLIN.