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"Resolved, further, That the Secretary of the Senate is hereby directed to cause to be printed of the reports and accompanying testimony of the committee on the conduct of the war blank copies for the use of the Senate and blank copies for the use of the House of Representatives."

The following witnesses were examined: Major General Joseph Hooker and Major General George B. McClellan.

Adjourned to 11 a. m. on Monday, March 2.

WASHINGTON, March 2, 1863.

The committee met; all present.

The following witness was examined: Major General George B. McClellan, (concluded.)

Adjourned to 12 m. to-morrow.

WASHINGTON, March 3, 1863.

The committee met; all present. The two houses of Congress having adopted the resolution recommended by the committee, to extend their session thirty days after the adjournment of Congress, after discussion it was agreed that the members of the committee on the part of the Senate should continue to take testimony during the time they were in attendance upon the extra session of the Senate which was to follow the adjournment of Congress. The members of the committee on the part of the House gave notice that they should be absent at their homes for two weeks.

Adjourned to meet on call of the chairman.

WASHINGTON, March 5, 1863.

The committee met pursuant to the call of the chairman. Present: The chairman and Mr. Chandler.

The following witness was examined: Brigadier General Silas Casey. Adjourned to 12 m. to-morrow.

WASHINGTON, March 6, 1863.

The committee met. Present: The chairman and Mr. Chandler.

The following witnesses were examined: Hon. William Sprague and Lieu

tenant Colonel Rufus Ingalls.

Adjourned to 12 m. to-morrow.

The committee met.

WASHINGTON, March 7, 1863.

Present: The chairman and Mr. Chandler.

The following witness was examined: Major General H. W. Halleck.

Adjourned to 12 m. Monday, 9th instant.

WASHINGTON, March 9, 1863.

The committee met. Present: The chairman and Mr. Chandler.
The following witness was examined: Major Alexander Doull.
Adjourned to 12 m. to-morrow.

WASHINGTON, March 10, 1863.

The committee met.

Present: The chairman and Mr. Chandler.

The following witness was examined: Hon. William Sprague, (continued.) Adjourned to 12 m. to-morrow.

WASHINGTON, March 11, 1863.

The committee met. Present: The chairman and Mr. Chandler. The following witnesses were examined: Brigadier General Henry J. Hunt, Major General H. W. Halleck (concluded,) and Major General Joseph Hooker.

Adjourned to 12 m. on the 13th instant.

WASHINGTON, March 13, 1863.

The committee met.

Present: The chairman and Mr. Chandler.

The following witnesses were examined: Hon. Lemuel J. Bowden and Hon. William Sprague, (concluded.)

Adjourned to 12 m. to-morrow.

WASHINGTON, March 14, 1863.

The committee met. Present: The chairman and Mr. Chandler.
The following witness was examined: Mr. Lemuel G. Bowden.
Adjourned to 12 m. on Monday, 16th instant.

WASHINGTON, March 16, 1863.

The committee met.

Present: The chairman and Mr. Chandler.

The following witness was examined: Major General George G. Meade. Adjourned to meet on call.

WASHINGTON, March 19, 1863.

The committee met pursuant to call of Mr. Gooch, acting chairman. Present: Messrs. Gooch, Julian, and Odell.

The following witnesses were examined: Major General A. E. Burnside and Lieutenant Colonel B. S. Alexander. Adjourned to meet on call.

The committee met pursuant to call. and Odell.

WASHINGTON, March 23, 1863. Present: Messrs. Gooch, Julian,

The following witness was examined: Major General John F. Reynolds. Adjourned to meet on call.

The committee met pursuant to call. and Odell.

The following witness was examined:
Adjourned to 12 m. to-morrow.

WASHINGTON, March 25, 1863.

Present: Messrs. Gooch, Julian,

Professor Thaddeus S. C. Lowe.

WASHINGTON, March 26, 1863.

The committee met. Present: Messrs. Gooch, Julian, and Odell.

The following witnesses were examined: Mr. S. A. Pancoast, Mr. James M. Leeds, and Major General E. D. Keyes. Adjourned to 12 m. to-morrow.

WASHINGTON, March 27, 1863.

The committee met. Present: Messrs. Gooch, Julian, and Odell. The following witnesses were examined: Major General E. D. Keyes, (concluded,) and Professor T. S. C. Lowe, (concluded.)

Adjourned to 12 m. to-morrow.

WASHINGTON, March 28, 1863.

The committee met. Present: Messrs. Gooch, Julian, and Odell. The following witnesses were examined: Brigadier General David B. Birney, Major General William B. Franklin, and Brigadier General John Gibbons.

Adjourned to meet on call.

WASHINGTON, March 31, 1863.

The committee met pursuant to call of the chairman; all the members present.

The following witnesses were examined: Major General William B. Franklin, (concluded,) and Assistant Secretary Gustavus V. Fox, (Navy Department.)

Adjourned to 12 m. to-morrow.

WASHINGTON, April 1, 1863.

The committee met; all the members present.

The following witnesses were examined: Admiral Louis M. Goldsborough and Brigadier General John H. Martindale. Adjourned to 10 a. m. to-morrow.

WASHINGTON, April 2, 1863.

The committee met; all the members present.

The report prepared to accompany the testimony relating to the army of the Potomac was then read and adopted, and signed by all the members of the committee.

Adjourned to 11 a. m. to-morrow.

WASHINGTON, April 3, 1863.

The committee met; all the members present.

The report prepared to accompany the testimony in relation to the department of the west and the military administration of General Frémont was then read, and adopted by a vote of four to two. The report was signed by the chairman, and Messrs. Chandler, Covode, and Julian. Messrs. Gooch and Odell declined to sign the report; but signed a statement, to be appended to the report, that the evidence being incomplete they preferred to submit the testimony taken without any report thereon.

On motion of Mr. Covode,

The chairman was instructed to prepare reports to accompany the testimony in relation to Bull Run and Ball's Bluff. The remaining testimony to be reported without comment.

The committee thereupon adjourned sine die.

TESTIMONY.

WASHINGTON, D. C., December 24, 1861.

General J. B. RICHARDSON Sworn and examined.

By Mr. Chandler:

Question. You have been stationed, General Richardson, as I am informed, for some time past on the extreme left of our lines?

Answer. Yes, sir; stationed near Fort Lyon, on the south side of Hunting creek, below Alexandria, twelve miles from Washington. I am now stationed about fourteen miles from Washington.

By the chairman :

Question. I want to know whether you have held any general council of war in regard to the movement of this army of the Potomac?

Answer. Since the battle of Bull Run?

Question. Yes, sir.

Answer. No, sir; I have not heard of one. I have not been summoned to one since that night that I told you of, and I have commanded a brigade all the time. Question. I will ask you, as a man experienced in military affairs, is it usual to assemble officers in council?

Answer. It was done in Mexico, at Puebla, by General Scott, to my knowledge, and it was done by General Taylor the morning after the battle of Palo Alto, to decide whether we should advance further or not. On that occasion, although thirteen commanders of corps and batteries were present, only three, in addition to General Taylor, were in favor of moving on. But he went on.

By Mr. Chandler:

Question. Still he called a council?

Answer. Yes, sir. Three were with him, and the rest were against the forward movement.

By the chairman:

Question. I will inquire whether it is a matter of complaint among the officers, so far as you know, that there is no council held, or their opinions sought? Answer. No, sir; I have never heard any complaint. I have never heard anything said in favor or against it. I have not heard it mentioned.

Question. You never have heard that there has been any such council? Answer. No, sir. General McDowell saw fit to call a council-or what you may call a council-before he left the city, to read over those instructions to the officers; and then again on Saturday night, before the general attack on Sunday, he called a council of commanders of brigades.

Question. In your judgment, is a large amount of cavalry useful, and can they be used on the ground south of the Potomac?

Answer. No, sir.

Question. How many cavalry do you, as a military man, think it would be necessary to have in this great army across the Potomac?

Answer. I have always said that the regular cavalry would have been suffiREP. COM. 108

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