The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-08-16
FIGHTING THEM OVER
What Our Veterans Have to Say About
Their Old Campaigns
BURNSIDE AND HOOKER
nef.nee OF FlghiIng Doe.

mac: but lattcrly think that he IS running
she history into politics, and leaves little
room for someone else to have their say.
There are several things that he describes
that arc correct undoabtedi Is, yet / think that
he is sboriDE under S slight mistake when he
eulogizes Gen. Burnside at Gen. Rockers ex-
peuse: and ] think that can convince every
candid. unbiased mind that In doing 50 " The
Boy Spy is la5oring under mistake.
Ii IS a well-knOwn fact that when Gen. Burn
side was put in command Of the Army Of the
Potomac he crossed the BaPpahaunock River al
Fredericksburg in December, 1852; that ihe
attempted 10 storm and take Marye's Nights;
that he massad his troops above the city Of
Fredericksburg, and was compelled TO with
draw his 8rmy.
Right here / would Ike to ask g. hs Boy
Spy" how many men would be necessary 10
storm and take those hights2 And If be an
sgers correctly, which ! think be viii, be viii
say that Gen. Burnside would require st least
Elk 10 Gen. Lees one behind those fortified
nights We viii suppose that Gen. Lee had
had 60QG3: then Gen Burnside WOgid nave
had 10 have, to have been successful $4,000
men. He had no such army
I'm Msv. 1853. Gen. Sodgwick captured those
nights with the s. xth Corps, and moved out
south from the city Of Fredericksburg. ] was
on the opposite side Of the river, aud having
little curiosity TO see those nights and the way
they we're fortified. I crossed over on one Of
The p0ntoon bridges and spent 8 hBlf day IN
looking the ground over where Burnside's
army had been. also the position Of Gen. Lee.
From that time until now 1 have wondered
why ara tried 10 6ud some excuse for Burn
side doing IS he did. The Boy spy mas FUR
nished IT, Gen. Burnside was evidently out Of
his head I never believed that he was any
thing but good officer and loyal TO the last.
The Boy spy tells Us that in the Spring
q 1853 Gen. Hooker organized the cavalry,
and that from that tiHle until the close OF the
war, whenever the Union and rebel cavalry
met, the rebel cavalry hunted for a place TO
rUu This is q fact; and right II here comes
another fact. that during the yesTs 1851, %,
when the Union cavalry met Ashby's or stu
arts cavalry the Union cavalry looked for 8
place 10 ruu, with the rebs after them. This
may not always have been the case, but II was
the rule. The Boy spy tells Us that Hooker
CrgaHized the cavalry and put Gen. StCHeDau
IN command. tie might also have said that
the cavalry was divided into three divisions
one under Gen. John BuioTd, one under Gen.
Ple2sontCn and one under Gen. AVerell and
all under Gen. Stoneman.
Hooker moved the army up the RIPARIAN
mock River 20 keiley's Ford and crossed, and
also crossed the Bapidan River, with the excep-
tiOu OF one division Of cavalry lAverelfs),
leaving the Sixth COrns under Gen. SedgEick
III Falmouth and then moved out from the
river and selected his position. This done, he
ordered the cavalry to 60 10 a certain point,
there 10 wait until Gen. Ayereil joined them,
when al three divisions we're to 60 70 Cor
louisville. and were TO burn GOrdOnsville.
From there StoHemau was 70 cut the railroad
behind Lees army, sad Averell was to keep
Communication open between Stoneman ana
Hooker as long as il was possible Gen. Stone
man went to the appointed place and waited
q hours for AvereI, but Averen did not put
ia an appearance. Sbonemsn had waited so
long that he a audOned CSordonsviIle and went
and cub the railroad behind Lees army and
cut &c just bali hour after Sen. Hills Corps
o. $1,000 men had gone over 70 join Lees army.
tIhls is what was told me by an officer who
Eas with 1J0nemau on that raid on his re- urn
20 Falmouth The Boy Spy" has told more
shout that raid than 1 can tell, with one excep-
fi0n, and that is that Gen. kilpstricks regi-
meat the u n. y and the l2th III. Cav. did
NOT return with Gen. Stopel1an, bUt went on
10 RiciinOad into The outer Publications Of
the city, but dared not 60 into the city,
but turned and went 10 yorktown, where
there were some Union troops. Here relOined
nv regiment. Some time in June we were or
oered 70 Washington. We left Gloucester
Point, near yorktown. aud crossed 70 UrbaDa,
S town On the iIappaEaeEock River below Fred
ericEsaGTg. and were fe-ried over the river By
the gunboats THAT met Us there. We then went
up What IA Virginia is called the Northern
Meek, the strip of country between the PotO-
mac and Rsppahanngck Rivers, 70 Washing
ton. On that trip We captured three Of Mos
bys men- They lad their servant with them
s m0latto, q man " average intelligence. The
three prisoners we turned over 70 the Provost
Marshal al Washington, and the servant re
manned with our regiment for some time.
cgHVeFsed with him several times, and he 81
ways told the same story that he was 81
Cordousgiile at the tiIne Of stoneman's raid
And said that there were no troops there, moth
ing but few Home Guards and that the
heard the Gauks were coming aud stacket
their arms. lie also said that at shat tim
GsCrGousvI.lG was Gen. Lees EGoT6hGuse; tina
every building in G1rdgnsgilie was packef
witt stores and that large amount OF store
were piled up outdoors, covered with can
vas. TO use his oRu words, ali the roll
ing stock ia the Cculsderscy Wss Of
the track at Gord0nsviile loaded witt
army store and s. locomotives were then o.
the track. This being true land I have be
beved il ever since The Garky told q, 10 hav
barued &oF10lsYille would have whipped Lee
army. EI- only show would nave been 10 &c
bacs 10 Richmond and Gen. Hooker, under
standing the sltgafi9D, did not intend 70 le
him get there
OF the battle O. ChancelIo rsvill e have moth
ing ~ say; but tie Army O. me Potomac wa
CD that side Of tue river with I've days r.
fions, GDd lley were exhausted. A heavy raj
came or and raised the river 10 feet III on
might Hooker was liable 10 lose his pcntoo
bridges, aud II ae did be was in q cold countr1
de kuew nothing 81 5tOnealan OF Of bis doiugs
Of his success or failure. IL is probable tbs
Hooker came 70 the conclusion, after taking a
things into consideration, that the other side
the river was the safest place, therefore be T,
treated and ] have beard il stated s0mewhei
that Lee It The same time retFeated toWal
Richmond As 10 the truth Of this / knew 10
The bib i.l. Cav. was 10 Gen. hFersll's Diya
l0n, and have couVerssd with officers Of ia;
regiment within the last FIVE years. They e
uae that Gen. Avereli went 90 Racco0n Ford. Q
The Eapi1aa River, the appointed place wheI
they were - cross 10 join Stoueman, and wal
&c around there three or four days and r
turned a. they went 10 Gen. Rockers hes,
quarters These officers told me also that the
regiment offered 10 cross tie river, and some
them rode into TIE river, but that Gen. Avere
ordered ihem back.
The Boy spy has said 10 TIE NATION,
TRIBUNE " june that Hooker failed, but D
cavalry did not. Now / claim that the ca
airy failed, and thereby compelled lockers r
treat Hers we Wall leave this for every vi
pgeiuGiCzd reader to form his own ouiniOn Is
She GcueralslIp II the two commanders aft
be- taxes view Of Burusdas army ciimbiI
AaTyc.s ElEGl5 in q storm Of iron aud lead,
haI. aud Hooker with G0Ed0usville burue
hyerall keeping communication open betwe,
Hooker ana stOnemau. With this plan cor
pleted stoueman knew that Hooker lad u
been repGlsed, aud therefore ieit at liberty