The National tribune., 1886-07-15
PERRYVILLE.
LIST Mich. CavaIrymau Tells About the Fight.


To THE EDITOR: In late issue of THE Ma
TIoNAL TRIBUNE, Maj. Jenness, in speaking of
the McCook family and their patriotic services,
incidentally mentions the battle of Perryville
in terms not very complimentary to Gen. Buell..
Nearly quarter of a century has elapss' since
that unfortunate battle,-time euoszA, one
would think to obliterate any political or parti-
san bias. There was probably no battle of the
war; certainly none in the West, that gave rise
to more vigorous criticism at the time that this
and justly so. IL was a desperate battle, at
tended with severe loss, and entirely destitute
of results, except the loss of Buell's head and
the disastrous repulse of the head of his column.
Public opinion, that arbiter that Judges so often
and that thinks so seldom, at once inquired why
was this. Buells force was ample TO crush
Bragg whenever an opportunity presented
itself Here, said public opinion, was an oppor-
tunity, and Buell. was repulsed and the enemy
slept on the battlefield in possession OF our dead
and wounded. Every old soldier knows that a
battle is seldom decided by single cireunl-
stance, but by combination Of various cir
cumstances That the race was not always won
by the swift nor the battle to the strong was
verified on many fields in our war. Nor was
Perryville the only instance in which some one
had blundered. / cheerfully concede all that
Maj. Jenness says as TO the bravery of Gen.
McCook. lie will as readily concede that mere
courage without Judgment is disqualifying
attribute of a commanding officer. 1t is now
seen clearly what was seen through glass
darkly at the time, that rivalry, envy and per-
sonal ambition in superior officers were potent
factors in prolOnging the contest, and the cir
cumstances at Perryville seem to justify the
conclusion that McCook had, perhaps uncon-
sciousy, received 4 faint of some one of them
Whoever was in that campaign will remember
that the whole distance from Louisville to
Perryville was a continued fight between BuelPs
Il n.,d H.. L., orN Of
Buell. il was doubtless intended to make it inn
possible for Kirby Smith, then in the vicinity
of Cincinnati, TO join his forces to Bragg's
The junction Of those two rebel forces was
made at Perryyille ON the night after the
battle. l think we may safely conclude that
Bragg chose his position, Chaplin Hills, as
proper place 10 wait till Kirby Smith could join
him. 1t is se!;lcm that an experienced and
competent ofIIeer accepts battle on position en-
tirely chosen by the enemy. Here, on Chaplin
Hills, on the 7th of October McCOok found Bragg
with his army closed up and well in hand,
and knew, or should have known, that the rear
of our column was a long days march behind.
At least two days should hare interviewed be-
tween the time that Bragg halted till Buell.
could safely accept the wager of battle. Maj.
Jenness lets in flood of light by the infOrma-
ton that MeCOok sent back to Buell. for rein
forcements. This information suggests that
McCOOk had taken the unwarrantabie respOn-
sibility in a subaltern of giving BATTLE and that
his commanding officer (Buell) had not yet
arrived at the front. 1t is almost certain that
Buell., not being in a situation for battle on
the 9TH and oth Of October, disapproved of Nc
Cooks attack. The inference is almost as pal
pable that McCook sought to crush Bragg with
"A single corps-his own command-and thus
cover himself with glory. Bragg, though sue
cessful in repulsing McCook ON the sth, made
no resistance when Buell. with his army closed
up on the 9th. The inference is therefore
plain that Bragg knew that on the day before
We were in no situation % fight.
The whisky and gunpowder with which the
Major thinks Bragg filed his army, would ex-
cite our mirth if the subject were one over
which mirth could be justified. Every officer,
of whatever grade, knows what care had to be
exercised 10 keep Intoxicating liquor away.
Soldiers, like other men, became unmanageable
under the influence Of intoxicating drink.
Everybody, even an ordinary Brigadier-Gen-
eral, knows that if great effort is TO be made
by an army, or a soldier, or anybody else, liquor
must cut ne figure in that effort. The writer
was assigned the disagreeable task Of taking
charge OF a burial party on the morning after
the battle, in which our own dead lay promis-
cuously with the enemy's. If the faces of the
enemy's dead showed greater discOloratiOn,
either from exposure TO the sun or whisky and
gunpowder, than our own men, failed to OBJ
serve il.
Until more light is thrown on the natter the
large majority of the soldiers in that foolish
and needless battle will think that it was
fought 10 satisfy a morbid ambition.-JoHN
ROBINSON, First Lieutenant, Co. !, I'd Mich.
Cav, StratfOrd, Iowa.