New-York tribune., 1886-08-14
SICKLES ANSWERS MEADE.
REPLY TO THE LETTER 10 COL. BENEDIcn
QUOTING MEADE's OWN TESTIMONY AND REpoRu
TO REFUrE HIS STATEMENTS,


General Daniel Z. Sickles Yesterday sub.
mtted to the public through the press in rs
ply to the criticisms Of his conduct In battle of Get
tysburg contained in recently published letter OF en.
eral Meade addressed to Colonel Benedict of
VT. and bearing date March 49, 1870. General Henry
f. Treman senior aide OF sckles Getty TO-
| gether with General Charles X. Graham Of hia
| staff, were present by invitation during thu
| delivery OF the narrative. in order 70
refresh his memory where necessary and to confirm h
| recollection as to specific details.
General sckes prefaced his story by expression Of
regret at tho publication OF tho letter after s author
dead. He said that Of his friends had doubted
the authenticity OF the document but the high charsc.
ter Of Colonel Benedict others connected with s
publication removed all doubt on that point. He as
sumed furthermore that inasmuch tho letter re-
| ferred to by Colonel Benedict "conrdentia," the
family and friends OF General Meade have sanctioned
| the course taken.
General Meade is altogether mistaken" said General
Sckes "in speaking OF charges and insinuatons and
attacks having been made against him by me- I have
never spoken OF his conduct at Gettysburg except in
my testimony before the Committee the Conduct of
the War IN February. 1864 General Meades testimony
given the following mouth with full knowledge Of
my statements and he contradicted have
they contradtcted by him or any else Officially
| from that day to this. The report Of that
| committee justified and censured General
Meade. Other corps commanders than myself
made protests against the statements set forth In his
port Of that battle General slocum. speaking of the
port says that the statements contained therein ID
direct contradiction of the facts set forth In the
ports General Geary and General Wlliams The last
named officer, who was in temporary command OF the
Twelfth Corps complained because the operations Of
first division Of corps had been ignored welt az
'the splendid conduct OF General Greenc's brigade
which held entrenched line the right
while credit had been given for Greenea
fight to Geary's division. which was noS
f0ht all
era Meades official report, says I confess to hav0
read part his official report relating the Twelfth
Corps with mixed feeling OF asonishment and regret
"As is we'll known, General Meade drawn to
Gettysburg because Leo had chosen 1t his place of
concentration, and because Buf0rd and Rey nods
cepted battle there. moved my corps from Enmets.
burg to Gettysburg twelve miles, on the afternoon Of
July 3, to help Howard, after Reynolds fell.
At 0 o'clock that night 1 wrote General Meads
asking his approval OF my march without orders and
urging him to come to Gettysburg. describing 1t as
good place to fight ba.tle and pointing out to him
that his weakest point wouf be on his left After
c0nnoiterng the position he frequently spoke of 40
place to fight battle, and as late the night Of
July after 900 Union soldiers had fallen. and when
the council OF had recommended tbs continuance
OF struggle there General SocIm General
Mea lie saying Wel gentemcn the question is set
tied; will remain here. but wish to say consider
this place to fight battle. General Meade seemed
aterward manifest resentment every corps
Gettysburg battle field. lie owed his spendid
position there to Buford, Reynolds and Howard, aud
the divisions OF WadswoIth, Doubleday AMI John u
Robinson. Yet all were dismissed with the scantiest
recognition Howard. however. received the thanks Of
Congress for the choice OF our position on Cemetery
RIDGE the Gibraltar Of Gettysburg Nevertheless Deithel
Howard nor slocum was welcome in Meates
army and both sought service in the West under Sher
man. where they gained SO much distinction
General Meade was surprised by the attack OF
Longstreet the left Buford's division OF cavalry,
which held the Emmettsburg road anu covered eft
flank including Round Top Withdrawn together
with Gearys division OF infantry. Thus weakened
left resist tho formid ,be attack OF Lees right
flank. The first support received was Barnes's div.
OF the Fifth Corps, which did not get into
position until after o'clock, two hours
after the fight began The Comte de Paris in his
ca history says of the with travail OF b tords division.
One OF those blunders that frequently occur on the
battlefield the means Of compromising the safety Of
the Federal lines just In that part which will DO the first
TO Buford alone covered this flank. Meade
only learned this fact at O'clock. lie Immediately
directed Peasanton to strip him entirely but itis
too late; Bdford Is gone > Merritt, VINO Is
coming from Emmettsburg, is still far away,
and sckes has therefore only the skirmsher1
OF his infantry TO watch the movements OF the enemy
whose presence is revealed in force that flank when
shortly after sckles being apprised OF tne unimey de-
parturo OF Buford. decided in order wari of all
prise to repulse him by causing his whole line of
skrmishers advance far the Emnettsburg road
sickles whose military instinct hIa fathomed the
encmy's Intentions, Justly suspecting that Lees
main effort would shortly be directed against
that portion OF the Federal line which has
been entrusted to him, pushes forward
reconnaissance which reveal the OF numerous
enemy who mas masked his movements preparing to
turn Federal left nwhlc sickles thinking only
OF the attack with which he believes himself
requested Meade send him fresh nstructions Re-
cev!ng DO reply lie reres to headquarters Tor the pur
ascertain FOR himself the necessity for making this
ment send General Warren tOsette the In his
place Meade being under the IMPRESSION doubt that
al his left declined either to leave MS heaiqasrers or
TO separate himself from General Warren"
Continuing, General slckles said: Unfortunately
upon right flank. He believe that tue enemy
wouIi attack his left, although both IL Hlneock and my
sell had pointed out TO hm the TACT that hs lef was hs
vulnerable point for an attack. But Meaie dId
Wanted V0s h' to ss awan as hence S,'ed H sd
understand, and IN no other way, the withdrawal o!
timely reinfocements At O'clock In the afternoon x
July Few moments before Longsreet opened the
back 20 my supplies at westmins,er lie hai areaiy
SFe' v Sf eavsS nsr ates 'hsL in the Si'ernSSs
or,er get all tue cavalry and artillery could "a
soon as possible and take up position iu tho rear &c
thus occupied until 10 O'Clock 1T night. when
called by an order from General Meade Meanwhile
General Meade had orer of battle. and his chief OF
artillery, General Hunt states IN his testimony that he
knew nothing OF the intentions OF his commanding gen.
cral whether he was To stay ar To whether his
tactics were offensive defensive. II he stait.
Wnile his lcit n.nk being stripped
cavalry and infantry. vital to its protecon While
commander OF the Third Corps left unsupported
and without definite Instructions, all
the side OF the enemy. From early morning General
Lee with ms leutenans and his stan the saddle
carefully recOnnoier ering left aud lkng eabo.as
preparations for the assault General Lee PROMULGATED
Ills order Of battle placed his infantry and artillery
position and designated the divisions ot
the centre and left to support Longsreets
assault These dispositions made by General Lee weio
disclosed by reconnaissance by General Brney, OF
the greatest soldiers prodGceG ty Pcnnsy aud
VINO commanded left DIVISION. TO his vigilance and
uucrring military Intuition general Meade o the
timely warnings again and by SELF ant
General Iremain as my senior alie. OF the eneuys I'M
perllling the lett Hank OF our army. All admontons
were unheeded, derldod. General Meade declinel
TO accept any suggestion that his LETT
In danger Of attack When the battle OF