Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1886-05-22

that ii we were successful we would i'm.
mediately recover the post without any
difficulty. While the addition of O,OOC
men to the active army would be an inn
poitant factor in insuring success. ]
added that if it were determined to hold
the position, the existing arrangements
were all wrong, as it would be easy fol
the enemy to surround and capture the
garrison, and that the garrison ought, at
least, to be Withdrawn to the Maryland
heights, where they could resist attack
until relieved.
1.-The secretary was much impressed by
what l said, and asked me to accompany
him to Gen. Halleck, and reported my
statement to him. 1 acquiesed, and we
went together to Gen. Hallecks quarters,
where we found that he had retired for
the night. But he received us in his
bedroom, when, after preliminary ex-
PLANTATION by the secretary as to the in
terview being at his request, I said to
Halleck precisely what had stated to
Mr.. Seward
"Halleck received my statement with
lll-concealed contempt-said that every
thing
WAS ALL RIGHT
as it was; that nv views were entirely
erroneous, etc, and soon bowed us out,
leaving matters at Harper's Ferry pre-
cisely as they were.
''On the 7th of September. in addition
to the three corps already mentioned the
Second, Ninth and Twelfth), the First
and Sixth corps, Sykes division of the
Fourth corps, were also on the Maryland
side of the river; the First and Ninth
corps at Leeboro; the Sixth corps at
Rockville; COUGHS division at Offut's
Cross Roads; Sykes division at Tenally-
town.
GAS the time had now arrived for the
army to advance, and received no Or
ders to take command of it, but had been
expressly told that the assignment of
commander had not been decided, l de-
termined to solve the question for my
self, and when moved out from Wash
ington with my staff and personal escort
I left my card, with p. P. G. written up
on it, at the white house, war-office and
Secretary Stewards house and went on
my way.
Il was afterwards accused of assuming
command without authority, for nefari-
GUS purposes, and in fact, fought the
battles of South Mountain in Antietam
with halter around my neck, for if the
army of the Potomac had been defeated
and I had survived I would, no doubt,
have been tried for assuming authority
without orders and, in the state of feel
ing which SO unjustly condemned the
innocent and most meritorious Gen. F.
J. Porter, I would probably have been
condemned to death. I was fully aware
of the risk 1 ran, but the path of duty
was clear and I tried to follow it. It
was absolutely necessary that Lees
army should be met, and in the state of
affairs have briefly described, there
could be no hesitation on my part as to
doing it promptly. Very few in the
army OF the Potomac doubted the favor
able result of the next collision with the
confederate army, but in other quarters
not little doubt prevailed, and the de-
sire for very rapid movement, so loudly
expressed after the result was gained,
did not make itself heard during the
movements preceding the battles; quite
the contrary was the case, as was more
than once cautioned that [ was moving
too rashly and exposing the capital to an
attack from the Virginia side.''
LAST WORDS TO HIS COMRADES.
$50 long as life lasts the survivors of
those glorious days will remember with
quickened pulse the attitude of that
army when it reached the goal for which
it had striven with such transcendent he
roism. Exhausted, depleted in numbers,
bleeding at every pore, but still proud
and defiant, and strong in the conscious
ness of great feat of arms heroically ac-
complished, it stood ready to renew the
struggle with undiminished ardor when
ever it's commander should give the
word. 1t was one of those magnificent
episodes which dignity nations history,
and are fit subjects for the grandest eff
forts of the poet and the painter.