Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-11-05
cr%, M1AwsoN GErrYsBURG.
Con. Crawford accused Of seekin.
Glory which He Did Not win.

Fran th4 PaGsde'phia Pfe'S'
Same wears after the war" when was
,,yino in Augusta. Ca, 9gentleman called
- NV office and. introducing himself as
Can. crawford, United States army, COM
,nanoed. after a few preliminary remarks
an other and unImporiant subjects, to
oorverse about the war. Among olnef
,,,o,dants he mentioned that he was the
leon who had found that copy OF Gen.
oa,s order which told now scattered were
49, divisions Of his army, and Wnlcn hau
haep dropped by some one III the camp al
frederick, Md, and that be had hanueu
.bot order to Gen. Mcclellan, VINO there
',,or had Mastered his march against
en- Lee. He then spoke OF the battle OIL
Gettvsburg, and finally remarked ''that
if would acknowledge To MN III WrltlhE
NV torces had been driven back from thelr
adyance on July by the forces under ms
command, the Pennsylvanla Reserves ii
would be worth a grade in the army To
him" xo,,o
onv snch acknow edgment, as 1t was the
srst time mad ever heard Of it. That oil
tbesrcounts that had been given to me at
tnetime by brigade commanders, colonies
ond other officers and privates had maze
ma believe that Gen. W otford, the only
bricode commander who had brought ms
hrigade from the front, had been ordered
hack bv Gen. LOngstreet. That cen.
Woford 80 stated to me at the time. ana
n was done in loud and positive voice
and tone, and had afterwards reiterated
II in tine presence Of Gen. LongsJreet ana
from nv own knowledge or Gen. W ard
rom the fact that his men came back in
with General hDISG-
hack in the rear, and that there was no
nursuit, not gun being Iired, had every
Iasson TO believe that Gen. WOf1orl had
really been ordered back, aud WAS nttiol-
Iowad by any one when ne retired. After
the gentleman had gone l began tothink
mai there might be something IL Gen.
Crawford's claim, that he had grounds OF
which was ignorant on which TO base 1t.
And if there was | would give lin the
benefit of 1t; provided the statements OF
those who were in position to know would
authorize it. | accordingly formulated
series OF questions which would cover the
claim made by Gen. Crawford, and sent
copy TO Gen WoffOrd, whose reply was
never received the Generals since dead);
TO Gen. HUMPHREYS, VINO COMMANDED the
2lst Mississippi, in Barksdale's brigade,
and who succeeded Gen. Barksdab, killed
On the I'd; to Gen. Bryan, who command
ed a regiment in Gen. WOtford S brigade
in the charge of the I'd, and WHO on the
night OF that day was placed in command
Of Semmes' brigade, vice Semne5 dan
cerously wounded; to Col. MeGlaskin,
colonel in Semmes' brigade July ?. and to
others. Ny inquiries were specially as to
the retirement OF WOtfords brigade and.
generally, as TO whether any other brigade
in my command had been driven back.
- ,Fs,vr, Mt
made by Gen. W otfOrd to me on the bat
tledeld, and what was told me there by
Others-being that he was not driven back
but retired solely because he WGe ordered,
think it best, so that all who read can
iudge Tor themselves, to give YOU the
statements Of the most prOminentG those
writers who replied to my inquiries,
SUPPORTING EVIDENCE.
Gen. B. &. HUMPHREYS, of Mississippi
graduate Of West Point, and after the
war Governor of Mississippi, wrOe me as
follows:
Il understood at the time that or move
ment to the peach orchard was t, get on
the left flank OF the enemy, but when we
arrived there it was unmistakaDly any,
thing but the flank; it was formidable
compact line of frOwning artillery and
bristling bayOnets. We charged
when the artillery, that which Gen. Long
street had placed in the middle q my line
of battle, ceased, with the general order
to swing to The left still hoping that we
were on the enemy's flank and mus be in
sposltl0n to drive in that fankan push
them towards Gettysburg. We soon found
that we were not on their flank
'Barksdale continued to swing TO the
left, until l was forced to abandon that
movement, being on his extreme right.
ana made direct charge against the guns
IN epeaoh orchard. Tbeirinfantry sup
port Ned and the guns were captuFed /
was In 100 much Of a hurry TO count them
and lett them behind. Pushing on through
t1e orchard l could see the Federals fee
ing to the right and left.
ar to my right / could see fugitiVes
seeking Round Top, from which compact
masses were firing from every crag on
hooIs and our men. Far to ny lett |
CoulG see the weary line rallying and
nghtlng Barksdale. / eDdeaVoTed to turn
Tue guns Of my captured batteries on their
lines, but the Federals had carried Oft the
TANNERS and friction tubes. While ar
ranging to return to BaTksdale / discOV-
eIed long line OF Federals marching from
we direction Of Cemetery Hill directly
against me; looking again to my right
auu rear, saw NOdOrd retiring towards
me peach orchard. To my left, Barksdale
Delhg Killed, the three other regiments
tuat were with him were also retiring. /
JouIu see no reintorcements coming and
determined to retire to the stone fence,
t%naere captured Graham and four gums
,bl4eiOW J, and there make stand. Once
saIeIy behind the stone fence, ] could con-
uoi the ground on which | left the five
Guns Watson's). The enemy did not
urge ME claim to them. | felt the
jGoIatpn OF the victor until just at night
MINK 1t was your Inspector, Capt. Cor
usS, mat bore the oTder) greatly to my
,HoI Ciucatlon, l was ordered to fall back
" tue peach orchard. | demurred and
protested, but the order was imperative
aNG spiked one OF the guns and retired
"itn0ut molestation.
NOuord's brigade was not driven back.
MOI ala they 30 back because they were
elItlo TO nyht. Woford must have gone
T@cA Oy order from some superior author
N!' lot we all know that he was but too
prone 10 20 forward even INTO dis
user. did not know OF the PennsvIya-
Una deserves under Crawford. He may
Eafe been in command OF the Federal
Ridge" - ''Y''' OoiNe'eiy
WHERE BARBsDALE WAS KILLED.
~, me foregoing are extracts from the re-
9 au, Of Gen. j. G.. HUMPHREYS. an able
II. a'u. co3l soldier, whom | ALWAYS found
,b,,eI informed Of the details OF q battle
,',' "u pefhaps any other officer of rank
S'e,gtI my command. Gen. HUMPHREYS
s sa,SD'1mc sy and positively states that he
NV zen. Notord retiring, and thar he
was not driven back--tb9t no ,Vse IN al