this important thoroughfare with a portion of his brigade, which was decimated by picket and other details, while another portion was directed to join Colonel Hecker in marching to Geary. Arrived at Tyndale's Hill, Hecker's brigade was ordered to halt a little while, for the purpose of awaiting the re-enforcement, which arrived promptly. A regiment was thrown forward into the gorge through which the railroad runs, and as soon as the One hundred and forty-first New York,the strongest regiment of the Second Brigade, had closed up on Hecker's column, Hecker was ordered to march forward to Geary. He executed the order without delay. The ground between Tyndale's Hill and Wauhatchie was mostly covered with thick woods on both sides of the road. The column marched in a formation, which is proper in the presence of the enemy, front and flanks well covered with skirmishers. It arrived at Geary's position about 5 o'clock, and we are told that Geary met Hecker at 5.30 The day was just breaking.

Here I wish to say a word about the estimates of time occurring in the testimony. It must have struck you that these estimates, as given by the witnesses, are exceedingly uncertain and contradictory. Hardly anybody looked at his watch. An interval between two occurrences, which seemed to General Hooker nearly two hours, seemed to General Butterfield about five minutes. I abstain throughout from referring to the testimony of the latter because his recollection has evidently lost the thread of events. An interval of time appeared to an individual longer or shorter, as his attention was more or less engaged, or his mind possessed of greater or less anxiety. Thus the duration of the stay of the Second and Third Brigades at the cross-roads is evidently underestimated by most if not all our witnesses.

About the time occupied by the movement from the cross-roads to Geary we are fortunate enough to have very precise data. Lieutenant-Colonel Meysenburg met the column at the marshy run about 250 to 300 yards from the cross-roads. He looked at his watch; it was about 4.30. There the troops had to undouble files, which inevitably delays the march of a column a little. From that place to Wauhatchie the distance is not far from 2 miles. Taking into consideration that a little time may have elapsed between Colonel Hecker's arrival at Wauhatchie and his meeting with Geary, it may be concluded with reasonable certainty that his whole march from the cross-roads to Wauhatchie, a march with skirmishers and flankers through a wooded country and over muddy roads, occupied, inclusive of all delays, not over forty-five minutes, probably less. It is proved that this brigade never lost its way or became involved in a swamp, and nobody alleged so. This, I submit, was as quick a night march as anybody could desire; certainly as quick as anybody could execute. That colonel Krzyzanowski reported to Geary much later is very natural. I had placed him with a fraction of his brigade into the gap, while a large portion of his command went to Geary with Colonel Hecker. That this measure was approved and adopted by my superiors in command is easily shown. Lieutenant-Colonel Meysenburg, assistant adjutant-general of the Eleventh Corps, testifies that I was ordered to send re-enforcements to Hecker, which I had already done, but not to evacuate the gap, even if I could leave only a small force in it. I had directed Colonel Krzyzanowski to stay there in person, because I considered the position important, and because it was held by fractions of several regiments. Lieuten-