GEN. HENRY W. SLOCUM, 1827-94

Gen. Slocum, one of the three S's, Slocum, Sedgwick, and Sumner, held in honor in central New York, and who was in command of the right at Gettysburg, when Gen. Meade's official report of the battle of Gettysburg was published wrote an official letter to Gen. Meade saying: "Yet the facts in the case are very nearly the reverse of the above in every particular, and directly in contradiction to the facts as set forth in the reports of Gen. Geary and Gen. Williams."

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Gen. Williams, who commanded 12th corps points out four serious misstatements in Gen. Meade's official report, and concludes, "I confess to have read that part of his report relating to the 12th corps with a mixed feeling of astonishment and regret."

Gen. Sickles, commanding the 3d corps, says conservatively: "In other words, Gen. Meade's statement is difficult to reconcile with his high position and the ample means of information always accessible to him," and points out that while Meade says in his letter that Sickles's movement caused a loss of half of the 5th corps, the entire loss of the 5th corps during the battle was 2187 out of 12,000, less than one-eighth.

See also what he says on page 225.

war.

GEN. MERSENA R. PATRICE, 1811-88

Then there was Gen. Patrick, provost master general of the army, a grim old warrior: I should't have liked the job of picking up the fragments of anybody who told him in his prime that his word was not good. I knew him pretty well after the He lived in Manlius, eight miles from Syracuse, and I used to visit his family. We had many conversations about the war, my part being to direct his reminiscences toward the events in which I was most interested. He had kept copies of every order issued, and he told me there were reputations he could make or break if he revealed them. He finally promised to edit them and let me publish them for him. Unhappily, just as he was beginning the work he was called to the command of the soldiers home in Ohio. The removal delayed the undertaking and finally he never got at it. Many of these papers have since been published in the government history of the war, but he proposed to turn them over to me thirty-five years ago, when most of the prominent generals were still living, and when the book would have made a sensation. I should like to quote some things he told me, but I do not feel at liberty to do so, not only because they were told in confidence, but also because I made no memoranda at the time, expecting soon to have his manuscript, and it would not be

fair to hold him responsible for my unaided recollection after so long a period.

But his tesimony before the congressional committee is in print. He says that after the Mine Run fiasco Gen. Meade came to his tent very much depressed, and said that he was conscious his head was off. Unlike Gen. Lee on the third day at Gettysburg he does not seem to have been thinking of the lives he had needlessly sacrificed, but of his own reputation: which does not correspond with the magnanimity his friends ascribe to him.

As a result of the investigations of the congressional committee, Senators Wade and Chandler demanded of the president and the secretary of war the removal of Gen. Meade and the appointment of some one more competent to command, suggesting Hooker. But congress revived the title of lieutenant general, never held except by Washington, and appointed Grant to command of all the armies of the

United States. He retained Meade in command of the army of the Potomac, and was satisfied with him, which makes it

impertinent for any one else to express an opinion as to his service there, though we may smile at Boswell Pennypacker when he suggests that if Meade had been left in supreme command he might have accomplished all that Grant did at less sacrifice. But as I have so often said I am not writing history. I undertook this little investigation only to justify my own, and my fellows' dislike of Gen. Meade and distrust of him. Of course I am speaking of Gen. Meade only as a commander-in-chief: that was the only way I knew him. He may have been a good corps commander, though Gen. Doubleday says he might have won the battle of Chancellorsville with his 5th corps if he had not held them outside when their brothers were fighting. Undoubtedly he had his good points, but they were not. protruding when we were looking.

right. Was put on Orderly. About 12 at night an order came around to pack up, but at 3 we were allowed to go to bed again.

Dec. 4. Pleasant. Our 8 days mail came in. in. Had 5 letters, 14 papers & 3 bundles. Went over to the 1st Div. & saw a man shot for desertion. He belonged to Co. B. 124th N. Y. S. V. He dropped dead as a nail the first pop. The 3d Div. changed Camp.

I have seen the statement that only 121 were shot for desertion during the entire This hardly seems possible, for be

war.

sides this man I saw another shot on May 8 near Spotsylvania on short notice: he happened to be taken prisoner by the company from which he had deserted. Or dinarily men shrink from shooting a fellowsoldier in cold blood, and usually the muskets were loaded by others and given to the squad detailed to do the firing. Of the ten guns one would not be loaded, and as no one of the ten knew which had the unloaded gun, each was at liberty to believe that he had not fired a real bullet. When a company of the 71st Indiana captured one of their own number who had become a deserter and a spy, however, they all begged for permission to shoot him. The number detailed was fifteen, and fifteen bullets were found in his body.

I found it a serious sight to look upon a man shot summarily like this. In battle.

men fall all around you, but you don't know who it is going to be or when. To see a man sitting on his coffin and know that the instant the word is given he will pass out of this life into another is solemn. This man turned black as he fell; death must have been instantaneous. In his memoirs Lord Robertson tells of the famous shooting of Sepoys from the mouths of cannon. The troops were drawn up so as to form three sides of a square; on the fourth side were two guns. It was a terrible sight, likely to haunt the beholder for a long time, but that was what was intended.

The weather is getting Like to have frozen last

Dec. 5. Pleasant. to be very cold. night.

Des. 6. Pleasant.

Went down to the old

3d Div. Camp & got some logs for a house.

Fixed it up very well as far as it went. Night very cold.

Phillips and I were now tenting together. Dec. 7. Pleasant. Continued work on house. Built the chimney in good shape. Got my box all in good condition.

Dec. 8. Pleasant. Very cold. Moved into our house today. Very comfortable indeed. Had letter from Aunt Susan. which I answered. All the Drummers have to go on Orderly henceforth.

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were going back again sure. But "July 30th 1863" soon soaked our Great Expectations.

Dec. 16 Pleasant. Got up early by Nature's call and made a fire. Our old Fireplace goes "Bully."

Dec. 17. Rainy. Very rainy all day. Our house had about six inches of water on the floor. Played 38 games of 45's. Score 13 B. 25 P.

Dec. 18. Rainy. Rather muddy in our

Dec. 10. Pleasant. Was on Orderly. Baldwin cross as usual. Otherwise got on very well.

Dec. 11. Jones came to the Regiment with a little stuff and I filled myself so full of Peaches & Sardines that I had to go to Bed.

Jones was the sutler. I think that combination would stagger me now.

Dec. 12. Baldwin sent us out to build his old Stable but it rained so we had to come in. Signs of moving.

Dec. 13. Splendid!! The best day we have had since my return to Virginia. Warm and pleasant, though muddy.

Rather an anti-climax.

Dec. 14. Cloudy. Old Baldwin got us to work on his mud job again. After finishing he set us to lugging logs heavy enough for men, for his stable floor. The d.

Dec. 15. Pleasant. Drills recommenced. Eat a hearty supper of Beefsteak & eggs and then a whole loaf of Bread before Tat

too.

A very funny circumstance occurred. Joe Wilson sent to Brigade Headquarters for copy of last July order, to go to N. Y. He left it laying on the table, and the Col. saw it without noticing the date. So he gave orders for Recall etc. and we all thought we

25 B. 23 P. At Dress Parade Corpl Green of H Co. had stripes taken off.

Dec. 19. Pleasant. Quite cool. Played 47 games at 45's. Score 25 B. 22 P.

I seem to have been as much interested in winning these games where there was no stake as in the heavy games of bluff.

Dec. 20. Pleasant. Very cold but clear & pleasant. Books came from New York. Rory O Moore very good. Sent four letters.

Dec. 21. Pleasant. Had Baked Beans for breakfast. Score at night B. 25. P. 18. Sent home for two pocketbooks.

Dec. 22. Pleasant. A splendid day, but indications of snow. 45's very close, 25B. 24 P. I am now one game ahead, out of 325. Dec. 23. Snow. Snow for the first time. Was on Orderly. The snow cleared off about 9 A. M. and we were called out 3 times for Review by the new Inspector General. After playing our regular 45's, the score standing B. 21. P. 25, we did not feel like going to bed so we got lots of chips and sat up till 4 next morning.

The chips were not the chips that pass in the night but chips of wood for the fire.

Dec. 24. Pleasant. Felt as well after three hours sleep as thirteen. Had to "do" Brigade Guard-Mounting, Cold Work.

Dec. 25. Pleasant. Christmas.
Christmas. Very