The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-08-09
SIuARTAT GETTYSBURG.
An Answer to Certain Criticisms on His
Course.
Lilifnr Of The Times.

~
liversd by General ROsser. has been cir
culated which contains some criticisms
on General j. T.. b. Stuart that should
not 20 unanswered. Stuart Is dead
the men who loved and followed him
will defend his memOry-ii be were
alive he could defend himself. R0sser
saws that Stuart did. in my opinion,
make the fatal blunder which lost US
the battle Of Getty burg.' Icharacierize
his march into Pennsylvania. around
the rear Of Hooker. as nothing more CT
/ less" than a raid. While admitting
that Stuart did leave force Of cavalry
with General Lee. he says that the
officer in command Of it Beverly III.
Robertson) was without ability or ex-
perince. and that Stuart should have
remained with General Lee or left
Hampton or Fitz Lee with him. Gen
eral Rosser is now looking through his
hind-sights. II is strange that any man
should revive this charge against
Stuart in the face of the historical do
cuments published in the Century.
/. On June 23d, 1863. General Lee
wrote 10 Stuart 10 take three brigades
of cavalry. put himself on the right Of
Ewell on the Susquehanna. and to leave
two brigaGes behind to watch and re
port the movements Of the enemy.
II. Stuart was not given the choice OF
remaining with General Lee. or joining
Ewell. or any discretion as to the num-
Der of cavalry he was 10 take with him.
Lees letter gave him authority 10 cross
the Potomac either east or west OF the
Blue Ridge. Stuart crossed east Of the
ridge.
III. Lees instructions 20 Stuart were
sent through LOngstrcet. who was com
manding the rear Of the army. In for
warding them LOngstreet urged stuart
to 90 the eastern route.
". So far as watching Hooker. who
was still in Virginia. was concerned. IL
was immatsrial whether Stuart crossed
on the west or the east Of the ridge.
As his orders required him TO move
north to Ewell on the Susquehanna
they would have placed him far out Of
sight of Hooker and out Of communica-
ton with General Lee.
". Lees letter 10 Stuart shows that
he relied on the cavalry left in Virginia
to watch Hooker and report his move
ments. Lee know that Stuart could not
be on the Potomac aud the Susquehan
ma at the same time.
V. Stuart march was not rGid.
but part or a combined movement of
the whole army. There would be as
much prOpriety in calling General
Lees invasion of Pennsy lvania raid.
The capture of the wagon train was not
the object but a mere incident of the
march. General Lee in his letter to
Stuart had said: COLLECT an the sup
plies you can for the army.
Nor was the incumbrance Of the cap
tured wagons the cause of Stuart s be-
ing unable TO inform General Lee that
Hooker was moving North. General
Lee SAYS that he got notice of IL ON q G
night Of June 2fih. The wagon
were captured June 2s,h. 10 Is true
that Stuart might have reached the
battlefield earlier without them. but
that would rot have repaired any error
committed through ign0rauca OF the
movements OF the enemy. There vas
no special want Of cavalry felt IN The
battle but several days before the bat
tie. Stuart then supposed that Robert
son S command was with General Lee
lie did not know that Robertson was
PLAYING the part of CuWcf0iOr IN Nir-
ginia after both armies had gone into
Pennsylvania.
VI. Stuart is blamed for not having
put IAN ablean experienced officer 900
command OF the cavalry be Left behind
him. IL Is presumed that General Lee
approved the selection. Robertson and
Jones were West Pointers. The former
was the senior brigadier-geueral of
cavalry in the army: the latter bad
been promoted at the request of Stone
wall Jackson. The duty assigned 10
Robertson WAS important but not diff
cult-the mere commonplace. routine
work which any ordinary cavalry
officer could perform. II Stuart S or
ders hag been obcyed. Mead would
have found the Confederate cavalry at
Getty sburg ahead of him But Robert
son did not cross the Potomac
until July lst. the day the great battle
began. Events proved that the cfoice
of Robertson was unfortunate. ~ much
so as Napoleon s selection Of Gronchy
to fall on Blucher Lost him Waterloo.
Nobody claims inia'libtiIty fer Stuart
proves the truth of what
said, that the greatest com
mander Is the one who commits the
greatest errors. But those who are ia .
miliar with the history of the
Army of Northern Virginia
know the fact that Stuart often de- /
tected qualities in men which the world +
had not recognized, There was
young officer of artillery who would F.
probably never have bad am opporiu- 7
nifty to earn the splendid reputation +.
which he Y ON if the quick eve of Stu /
art had not discovered Bis merits and I
him to the cavalry That
officer became a distinguished general /
aud Stuart's critic And thou. too. /
Brutus' CAVALRY. /