Today in History:

131 Series I Volume XII-I Serial 15 - Second Manassas Part I

Page 131 Chapter XXIV. GENERAL REPORTS.

as much as I can remember: On the right was General Kearny; in the center was my corps and that of General Hooker's troops, which had partially relieved my corps, but the troops so relieved were again in good order and ready to advance; on the left of this line was General Reno, in support of General Schenck. General Stevens commanded one brigade of Reno's, and it was posted with two regiments and one battery in the line of General Schenck. The whole number of these forces must have been about 30,000 men, which is a low number, not including Reynolds' division or any of General McDowell's. The enemy had lost ground during the whole day and in the afternoon.

The court adjourned to meet to-morrow, December 23, at 11 o'clock a. m.

TWENTY-EIGHTH DAY.

COURT-ROOM, COR. PA. AVE. AND FOURTEENTH ST.,

Washington, D. C., December 23, 1862.

The court met pursuant to adjournment. Present * * *, and Major General FRANZ SIGEL, U. S. Volunteers, the witness under examination.

* * * * * *

The witness desired to correct the first answer, recorded on page 314 of the record [p. 130], which is in words as follows: "I do not know and did not know where they were." From some oversight in reading the question I said I did not know where Generals Kearny's and Hooker's troops were, which is incorrect, as will be seen from the answer to the subsequent question. I probably had in mind the troops of General Sumner or General Porter, of which I did know nothing.

Question by General MCDOWELL. You say that after the battle of Bull Run you were induced by a remark of General McDowell, made to your aide-de-camp, that you should fight your own corps, to refuse to have any private conversation with General McDowell, &c. Was this remark the single and only cause of your so refusing?

Answer. It was not; but it was the principal cause.

Question by General MCDOWELL. Please state the other cause.

Answer. Although I did regard this matter as a private matter, which I will now bring before the court, and which I did avoid to mention, as I though that some understanding could hereafter take place between General McDowell and myself in a private way, I will mention it. When on the march from Gainesville to Manassas I sent Captain Asmussen, one of my staff officers, back to General McDowell to report to him some matters in regard to our march and to see whether he could not find out something relative to the firing on our left. Captain Asmussen came back and reported to me that General McDowell seemed very irritated, and used, in presence of his staff officers, expressions which seemed to him (Captain Asmussen) improper. This report regarding the behavior of General McDowell Captain Asmussen made to me in private. This is the cause.

Question by General MCDOWELL. Will the witness please state if this cause just stated is the only additional cause. If not, will the witness please give the other causes?

Answer. I have nothing to say about this matter, as I do not believe that they are of importance in regard to our operations. I must say, further, that these two causes, one mentioned before and the latter mentioned to-day, did influence my mind, and brought me to the remark I made to General McDowell.

The recorder was instructed to repeat the question.

Answer. This is the only additional cause which induced me to my private remark to General McDowell.

Question by General MCDOWELL. The witness refers in his last an-


Page 131 Chapter XXIV. GENERAL REPORTS.