Evening star., 1905-11-04
The Criticism Of Gen. slocum.

Ine Cr1uc1Em or Gen. Slocum.
To the Editor Of The Star:
In your issue of November find an arr
tfcle referring to my criticism of General
Slccum for not complying with General
Howard's request to reinforce him at the
first day of the battle of Gettysburg. What
1 said in my lecture was this: About 1890
pm. General Howard sent an aid to Slocum,
then at Two Taverns, five miles away, re-
questing him to make a rapid march to
Gettysburg. General Slocum seemed indif-
ferent and reluctant, as he assumed that If
one corps commander could order another
1t might interfere with the plans of the
commander -in-chief My authority for this
Is General Slocum's own words at the re-
union of the Army Of the Potomac at Hart
ford, Conn., several years ago. In series 1,
Vol q, Part I of the Official Records of
follows (page 703): Il now (at 2:45 p.m.)
sent again to Gen. Slocum stating that my
right flank was attacked and asking him
whether he was moving up, stating that
was in danger. of being turned and driven
back. At 3:45 Generals Doubleday and
Wadsworth besought me for reinforce
ments. 1 directed General Schurz, If he
could spare regiment or more, to send
+: to reinforce General Wadsworth. and
several times sent urgent request to Cen
eral Slocum to come to my assistance. To
every application for reinforcements l re-
piled, Hold out, If poosSibe. q while longer,
for l am expecting Gen. Slocum every mo-
ment. AT this time Gen. Doubleday's left
was turned, and troops of the enemy ap-
peared far outf1anking him, and the enemy
were also extending beyond my right flank.
About pm. 1 sent word to Gen. Double
day that If he could not hold out longer he
must fall back fighting. to Cemetery Hill
and on the left Of the Baltimore pike: also
a request to Gen. Buford to make show
of force opposite the enemy's right, which
he Immediately did. 1 now dispatched Ma
jo: Howard, my aidde-camp, to Gen. Slo-
cum. to inform him of the state of affairs.
requesting him to send one of his divisions
to the left, the other to the right, of Get
tysburg, and that he would come in person
to Cemetery Hill. He met the general on
the Baltimore pike. about a mile from Get
tysburg, who replied that he had already
ordered division to the right and that he
would send another to cover the left, as re-
qLested but that he did not wish to come
up in person to the front and take the re-
sponsibiity of that fight. In justice to Gen
Siocum, l desire to say that he afterward
expressed the opinion that it was against
the wish of the commander in general to
bring on a general engagement at that
point. About pm. Gems. Slocum and Sickles
arrived at the cemetery" Such are the ex-
tracts from Howards report
1 never expressed an opinion as regards
results if Gen. Slocum had arrived on the
field on time Had Gen. Slocum moved at
the sound of the guns, as General SickleS
did, or had he moved with that promptitude
that characterZes the military discipline of
Hancock, Sheridan, Sherman and others of
that class he could have been on the field
at 3 o'clock and turned defeat into vic
tory. RICHARD M. CALHOUN.
To the Editor OF The Star:
The comrades residing In Washington
who served under Maj. Gen. Henry w Slo-
cum In the great war for the preservation
of the Union were very much surprised to
read in The Star of the I'd instant notice
of a lecture recently delivered by Col. r. M.
Calhoun on the battle of Gettysburg where
in "he declared that Gen Slocum was in
different to the appeal of Gen. Howard to
hurry to his assistance on the first day. 8
battle and that the rout Of the federal
troops on the first day was due to Gen.
Slocum's tardiness in arriving on the field
Supposing that Col Calhoun has the
courage of his convictions, it is suggested,
in view of the remarks attributed to him,
that he give the authority for his state
ment abovesset forth in a communication to
The Star over his own signature.
JOHN BRESNAHAN.