Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-07-12

whose numbers would probably aggte-
gate 10, OO0to IL, 900 men. Takeitatthe
higher number. and Jackson had to con-
tend with. defeat, disable, an ! diseoW-
tit, as allies OF Mcclellan, at least Co.
600 mca. How preposterous, then, Tor
Colonel Allen 20 belittlc his achieve
men,s by saying 1.-the Federal forces
under Banks and Fremont were about
IS. COO instead Of Ga Co.," and thus, by
implication, attempt to make the i'm
preston that the disparity between
/ Jackson and his hosts OF enemies was
only 10000 men--7the difference be-
tween Il, 200, his alleged strength, and
4" $4,000 instead of 64.000,' the
strength Of his enemies. Don't such
an exhibit Of Colonel Aliens style of
criticism impair his statements so far as
"to destroy any historical value in the
criticism -? And he exhibits this
bean " in his own eye whilst pro-
fessedIy looking for "mote lin mine.
But having disposed Of this question
Of numbers with my critic. and admit
ting that my aim was not small detailed
accuracy, verified by roll-calls - and
morning reports" but general and
rapid grouping Of great leading features
OF the campaign, let us return to some
other points he makes.
He complains that omitted all re-
/ ference to the battle of kernStown,
fought March ODD, and says that this
battle had as much to do with the dis
arrangement Of McClellan's plans as
the interference from Washington
That is funny, to say the least Of it;
for on page 5 Of Volume NJ. Of the book
above quoted Mcclellan says: "The
council composed Of the four corps
commanders organized by the Presi-
dent of the United States a; its meet
ing on the 18th Of March item days
before Kernstown was Fought adopted
Fort Monroe as the base Of operations
Of the Army Of the pGtamac upon
Richmond" and on Apni 9th -four
teen days after Kcrnstownl-sec page
! II, volume NJ President Lincoln tele-
graphs Mcclellan a. Fort Monroe
" You now have over 100000 troops
with you, independent Of General
Wool command. think you had better
break the enemy S line from Yorktown
to Warwick river at once Where
the little battle Of KernstOwn comes
in to derange McClellan's plans is not
very plain to my obtIse vision, in view
OF the aboye-quoted facts.
omitted all reference to Kernstown
because of my restricted space in the
Century. just as had to omit the bat
tie Of Winchester, the march to
Charlestown to threaten General Sax
ton, the splendid services of Colonies
Flournoy and Munford, of Ashby's
cavalry Of Generals Ewell, Taliaferro,
Taylor Winder, and host Of others.
4 short. sketchv article won't admit
Of details that would fill volume.
My critic charges me with mistake
in saying Jackson had gone through
Swit-Run Ga-' and Browns Gap. ]
didn't say so. said. News spread
through the Valley that Jackson had
fed from his district 20 the east side of
the Blue Ridge through Browns and
Swift-Run Gaps" Such was the
news that spread" didn't say
that he had gone through these twO
gaps, but only that such was the
news the report in the Valley.
Colonel Allen says that jackson left
] 81 ,,..r, loco &C tko mountain % Suri e.
Run Gap, marched to Port Republic,
and then marched through Brocn'S
Gapto Meechum's River. No part OF
his forces went to Charlottesville, &c.
they took the railroad at Meechum's
/ River" That's all right so far as
/ the gaps" are concerned. 1t
don't conflict with an assertion
| have made. But in respect of
F the rest Of the paragraph quoted
this criticism falls below that about
/ Mcclellan retiring 4" from JohnstOn'S
'front.'" II is quibbling, and not what
] would have expected from any man of
Colonel Aliens mental calibrc and high
cultivation. | had written Jackson
had gone TO Charlottesville and other
stations on the Virginia Central rail-
road and had collected enough railway
trains to transport all Of his little
army" Why did Colonel Allen sup
press the words - ofher stations after
" Charlottesville " and hide them under
the character &C." He knows that
Nccchum'> River is the second
station west Of Charlottesville. and
and only about eight miles from that
town. He knows that my written Ian
cuace iacWdcd Meechum's River in the
words "other stations" Then why.
in the name Of all that is fair and just
in legitimate criticism. did he suppress
80 material a part Of my sentence as
only two short words. "otLer StGiionS,'
and cover the blank thus made with an
&C." to make it appear that was
guilty of the blunder of saying Jackson
hal embarked his troops. all Al Char
ioHeSrHc} When a reviewer resorts
to this sort Of carping and garbling to
damage the writer he is criticiSinga just
and discriminating public will Judge of
the 0n,mVs of his entire criticism, and
know exactly what weight to give to it
as whole.
Another point se makes is almost on
a par with the foregoing, where he says
that from my account Of the battle of
Mcdowell Zone would hardly suppose
! from this that Milroy was not the senior
Federal officer in command at Nc
Bowel, yet such was the case. Milroy
and Schenck commanded the two Federal
brigadeS at that battle, and Schenck was
the senior officer" answer this by a
few brief extracts from General Jack
sons full report Of that battle, made
March :, 1868, page 40, Volume NIL,
Part l., Records Of the War, &c. |
did not have these records in
New York, but have procured them
since. jackson says: After reach
irg Hsrrisonburg We turned toward the
Blue Ridge, and on April 10Th crossed
the south fork of the Shenandoah, and
took position between that river and
Swift-Run Gap, in Elk Run Valley"
General Il. S. Ewell, having been
directed to join my command, left the
vicinity Of Gordonsville, and on the
Goth arrived with his division west Of
I ,la pive RidCa - :. com