Today in History:

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

Page 240 OPERATIONS IN N.VA., W.VA., AND MD. Chapter XXIV.

Question by the COURT. Why were the three batteries with insufficient supply of horses not supplied before the departure of the army, and why was not the Sixteenth New York Battery supplied with equipments?

Answer. Those batteries had once been supplied with horses, but at the last hour a division was made up for General Casey, and I was called upon to furnish it with the requisite field batteries. As there was no time then to instruct new horses, or to select others from the quartermaster's yards, I directed they deficiency of horses in the batteries assigned to Casey's division (that deficiency amounting to about 100 horses) to be made good by the batteries which were to be left in Washington, knowing that in a few hours they could get new horses, and would have an abundance of time and opportunity to instruct them. That answers the first part of the question. I have stated that the Sixteenth New York Battery had only reported a few days before. It had also been directed, in special orders from the War Department, to report to General Wadsworth, and I had no further control over it.

Question by the COURT. In describing the field batteries left by you, do you speak from actual personal inspection of them at or near the time when army went to the Peninsula; and, if so, when did you make such inspection?

Answer. I speak from an actual inspection made by me about the middle of March, and also from an official return made to me by the commanding officer of the camp where these batteries were-about the 3rd of April. This return was sent to me while I was on the Peninsula, the commanding officer thinking he was still under my command, which was not the case.

Question by General McDOWELL. Can the witness state the names of the seven field batteries left for the defense of Washington, giving the names of those fully equipped and the names of those partially equipped?

Answer. Battery C, First New York Artillery, Captain Barnes; Battery K, First New York Artillery, Captain Crounse; Battery L, Second New York Artillery, Captain Robinson; Battery A, Second Battalion New York Artillery, Captain Hogan; Battery B, Second Battalion New York Artillery, Captain McMahon; Ninth New York Battery, Captain Morozowicz; Sixteenth New York Battery, Captain Locke. To the best of my recollection the three that were fully equipped were the batteries of Captains Robinson, Hogan, and McMahon, and those partially equipped Captains Barnes, Crounse, and Morozowicz.

Question by General McDOWELL. You have stated you received a return on the 3rd of April from the commander of the field artillery; did you not infer from this that he at that time still considered himself as belonging to the Army of the Potomac?

Answer. Yes, I so inferred; but understood it was a mistake of his, and so notified him.

Question by General McDOWELL. Do you know if General Wadsworth knew of there being no design to withdraw these batteries? Did he know they had been detached from the Army of the Potomac at or immediately after the time of General McClellan's embarkation at Alexandria?

Answer. No, I don't know it; but I have the best reasons for believing he so understood it, for the reason that General Wadsworth had dismounted one of the batteries and sent it down to garrison Fort Washington. I learned this much from the captain of the battery, who complained of it.

Question by General McDOWELL. When was the battery sent to Fort Washington?

Answer. I don't know, but I understood from the captain about eight or ten days after the army left-perhaps two weeks.

Question by General McDOWELL. Will witness state if this is the only reason he has for believing General Wadsworth knew these batteries were to remain behind?


Page 240 OPERATIONS IN N.VA., W.VA., AND MD. Chapter XXIV.