The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-03-04

and ]. @. Wright. tbrothcrs), borne toe
far by the impetuoslty OF their charge. OF
| otertaken In retreating, were made priso-
ners. and the younger one was basely
| shot and severely wounded after his sur
| render. The elder OF the two, M. u. b.,
was taken into the presence OF General
Avcrell, who questioned him closely as
tc the troops opposed to him, their num-
Ter, eto. Wright replied to the Inquiries
that there was no cavalry In front of
him except w. II. It. Lees brigade, but
that the trains had been hurrying down
all the morning from Gordonsville crowd
ed with enfantry and artillery Pre-
clsely what effect this answer had on the
mind OF General Averell. cannot be detI-
niteiy stated. All the circumstances
seem to indicate that 1t had great
weight, for no attempt was made to
push his command farther.
At $50 P. NJ. that day. the day OF
the Charlottesville battle, General Hook
er sent dispatch to Averel, through
Captain Chandler which read in part:
II am directed by the Major General
commanding. TO inform you that he does
not understand what you arc doing at
Rappahannock Station" To this mes
sage. Averell replied at 7:2o A. NJ. next
morning: II have tho honor to state
IN reply that / have been engaged with
the cavalry OF the enemy at that point.
th!iO IA destroying COInlnuUlCatlO0S. Tn
the day following General Hooker Issued
ar order as follows: ''Brigadier- General
Pleasanton, Will assume command of the
division now commanded by Brigadler-
General Averell. Upon being relieved,
Brigadier-G General Ayerell will report for
orders to the Ad1utant-Ge General Of the
army"
In explanation and Justification OF the
above order Gen. Hooker on May 9th.
n To thA a ~ -A
the army, stated: General Averells
command numbered about 1000 sabers
and light battery, larger cavalry
force than can be found In the rebel
army between Fredericksburg and Rich
mond. and yet that officer seems to have
contented himself between April 49, and
May 4, with having marched through
Culpeper 10 Rapidan. distance of aS
miles, meeting no enemy deserving the
name. and from that point reporting to-
me for instructions"
II could excuse General Averell inhis
disobedience II could any where dis
cover in his operations desire to find
and engage the enemy. / have no dis
position to prefer charges against him,
and in detaching him from this army
my object has been to prevent an active
and powerful column from being nara
lyzed by his presence"
In report written by General AyereIl
whilst stung by the order revealing him.
he explained his delay at Rapidan sta
tion on the ground that, ".lll the intel
l'genee we had been able to gather from
captured mail and from various other
sources, went to show that the enemy
believed the Army OF the Potomac, was
advancing over that line, and that Jack
son was Mt Gordonsville with g 900 men.
to resist its approach" When he penned
mat sentence he must have had well
In mind among the intelligence which
he had been able to gather, VIVA. young
Wright had told him.
Inc two Wrights. named in this COM
munication. are still living (at oldham's,
Westmoreland county, Va..) and retain
vivid recollections of the Incidents here
recorded in their lives as soldiers. 1t
Is a pleasure to testify to their singular
gallantry as soldiers and their substan-
tial worth as citizens. G. w. BEALE,