I owed it to myself and to my companions to array on one occasion the whole truth in its nakedness against official and private obloquy.

Since the battle of Chancellorsville, the first time that I had the honor to participate in an engagement under General Hooker's command-since that time, when through newspaper articles, dated at the headquarters of the Army of the Potomac, I was covered with the most outrageous slanders, which, although easily disproved were as easily repeated-since that time until the present day, I have had to suffer so much from the busy tongue of open and secret malignity, that even my well-tried patience was rather too severely tested. Under the pressure of military discipline, I held out quietly and in passive silence. At last an official statement appears, intended to throw disgrace upon me and part of my command. Upon this official statement at last I can put my finger, and you will not blame me if I put my finger upon it with firmness and energy. But you will bear me witness that, in discussing the facts in the case, I have said nothing, absolutely nothing, that is not clearly substantiated by the evidence before you. If my language was severe, you must not forget that the truth is still severer.

I said that the honor and reputation of a subordinate is a sacred trust in the hands of his commander. When this trust is violated good fortune gives us, at least, sometimes an opportunity to right ourselves before impartial men. For this opportunity, furnished me by the commander of the army, I am most profoundly thankful, for if indeed a general could be found who, upon a knowledge of facts so lamentably imperfect, upon impressions so vague and unaccountable, could launch into the world so odious and wanton an accusation, I doubt whether a court of inquiry can be found to sanction it.

Respectfully submitted.

C. SCHURZ,

Major-General.

[Appendix C.]

LOOKOUT VALLEY, February 12, 1864.

The report of Major-General Hooker concerning the engagement of Wauhatchie on the night of 29th October, 1863, as far as it is an object of the present inquiry, contains some facts and a conclusion in the form of strictures of serious character, as drawn from those facts. It could be easily demonstrated that the conclusions drawn from the premises could not stand a trial, even before the first principles of logic; but we have to demonstrate further that the facts are untrue in themselves, or are disfigured and misconstrued, and by a confused mixture of time, place, circumstances, and undeserved censure, were published and promulgated in newspapers of unofficial character. The solution of the following questions, in my humble opinion, will exhaust the material before this honorable Court. A long and eventful life of fifty-three years lies behind me, and for the first time I have to defend my honor against reproaches as contained in the said report; and, although my name and brigade is not specified in the report; and, although Major-General Hooker's letter to Brigadier-General Whipple expresses some surprise that I connect my name and brigade with the censure in the report, I was morally forced to apply for a court of inquiry in order to have my conduct set in full light.

The questions are:

1. Was a brigade, and what brigade, detached to the relief of General Geary, and who detached it?