[CHAP. XLIII.

that he was in his position by order of Major-General Howard. General Howard was advised of the orders General Schurz had received; hence I concluded that the Third Brigade was halted, awaiting orders in execution of the movement; even then I was under the impression that the balance of the division was in advance.

As the quickest and most satisfactory way of disposing of this issue, I would recommend the appointment of a court of inquiry, provided it should be the wish of those interested.

I have inclosed a copy of this letter to Major-General Schurz.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOSEPH HOOKER,

Major-General, Commanding.

[Inclosure Numbers 1.]

HDQRS. THIRD BRIG., THIRD DIV., ELEVENTH CORPS,
Raccoon Valley, Tennessee, January 10, 1864.

Major General CARL SCHURZ,

Commanding Third Division:

SIR: In the interest of the officers and men under my command, in the interest of justice and truth, and my own honor as a man and soldier, that has been during a long life without a stain, I address you these lines.

The official report of Major-General Hooker, of the battle at Wauhatchie, came to my hands to-day, and concludes as follows:

I regret that my duty constrains me to except any portion of my command in my commendation of their courage and valor. The brigade dispatched to the relief of Geary, by orders delivered in person to the division commander, never reached him until long after the fight had ended. It was alleged that it lost its way, when it had a terrific infantry fire to guide it all over the way; and that it became involved in a swamp, where there was no swamp or other obstacle between it and Geary which should have delayed it a moment in marching to the relief of its imperiled companions.

An official document, a historical document, must be based on truth, and render justice to all concerned.

I shall and must defend my honor with all means possible, and the present petition is one of them.

I therefore lay before you all that occurred during the night of 28th-29th October, 1863, so far as myself and my command were concerned.

Camping amongst the men of my brigade, I heard a heavy firing in the direction of Wauhatchie. Without waiting for orders, I ordered my men to fall in, and had the regiments in line of battle and ready to march, so that when Captain Spraul, aide-de-camp of Major-General Schurz, arrived with the order to march, and to guide us, I immediately started with my command from the hill, where I as encamped, down to the main road.

As all the brigades marched at the same time, there was some throng in the valley; and I marched forward to the front, immediately behind Tyndale's brigade, and would have marched till finding Major-General Schurz, who, as I ascertained had gone to the front, if I had not been stopped by major Howard, of Major-General Howard's staff, who ordered me to halt until further orders, and bring my men in position, front to the left, toward the hills. I placed the Sixty-eighth New York Volunteer Regiment and Seventy-fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers in line of battle, the Eightieth Illinois Volunteers in column, doubled on the center in second line and the interval between the two first named regiments.