The Greensborough Patriot
June 26, 1862
Page 1
Gen. Branch.
This
officer has published the following letter:
Headquarters 4th Brigade, Light Division, }
on the Chickahominy, June 9, 1862. }
EDITORS
– STATE JOURNAL: I have been informed by several friends in North Carolina that
an anonymous letter signed “Hanover,” published in the Richmond Examiner, has
been republished in most of the papers in the State, and that on it a public
opinion has been formed, very unfavorable to me, and which it will be almost
impossible to change.
The
author of that letter was Mr. William T. Nicholson, Adjutant of the 37th
Regiment, commanded by Col. Charles C. Lee.
A
public opinion that would consign me to disgrace on such evidence, I cannot be
expected to have either the hope or desire to change. But for the satisfaction of those who feel an
interest in my reputation, and still more to quiet the apprehensions of those
whose sons are entrusted to my command, I wish it known that Gen. Lee, the
veteran commander of all the Confederate armies, not knowing me personally, nor
having the least reason to favor me above any other officer under his command
but I fear before he read Hanover’s letter,) has written me a letter in which
he says “I take great pleasure in expressing my approval of the manner in which
you have discharged the duties of the position in which you were placed.”
Not
in the nature of an appeal from this emphatic judgment of my distinguished
commander to whom all the facts were known, but to spread upon the records of
the War Department other evidence of those facts than my own report; I have
asked for a Court of Inquiry, before which Col. Lee and his Adjutant will be
called to testify. As many of the best
known officers of my Brigade as the Court shall have time and patience to
examine will be before it. The Court
will be requested to call them indiscriminately without suggestions from
myself.
The
doors of the Court will be wide open to critics, whether they are merely
calumniators or honest fools who think themselves robbed of their deserts
because they have not been appointed to command armies.
I
shall prove before the Court by as many witnesses as the Court will allow to be
examined.
1st.
That my Headquarters, instead of being more than a mile distant were less than
300 yards from the centre of my Brigade where I had slept on a bench in my
clothes the night before.
2d. That Latham’s battery and all the infantry
regiments except Col. Lee’s were ordered under arms, and Latham sent to reply
to the enemy’s artillery by myself. That
I reached Col. Lee’s camp which was my extreme left, and nearest to the enemy
within five minutes after he did himself, and before his regiment had got out
of camp.
That
I was twice at Latham’s battery whilst the artillery firing was going on—no
infantry being engaged on either side—and was all along my line, giving
directions to commanding officers, and making the necessary dispositions to
meet the attack. What these dispositions
were, will be shown by the statement of the officers who were directed to
execute them.
All
this and much more will be shown notwithstanding “Hanover” says I reached the
field after Latham’s battery had been withdrawn.
3d. I will show that every regiment I had except
Campbell’s 7th N. C., which I held in reserve, was engaged in
services of the most important character, the withdrawal from which would have
exposed my brigade to instant rout and capture, and that as soon I could
withdraw it from service it was on, the 33d Regiment was sent to Col. Lee. I will show that for three hours couriers
were arriving, with scarcely intervals of ten minutes, from Col. Robertson of
the 4th Va. Cavalry, a brave and experienced officer, informing me
that a heavy column of the enemy, having driven his regiment, were advancing
rapidly on my rear from Hanover C. H.; and from the cavalry pickets on the
Ashland road, to the effect that a column was approaching my rear from that
direction, and was driving them in.
Confiding in Col. Hardeman of the 45th Georgia Regiment whom
I had ordered to hold the mouth of the Ashland road, at whatever cost, and in
the tried courage and discipline of the 7th N. C. to cover the
retirement of my command from the field, I maintained my position until near
sunset in the hope that reinforcements would arrive and enable me to cut my way
through to Col. Lane. When I ordered the
withdrawal, the steadiness of the 7th enabled me to effect it in
perfect order.
I
saw the eagerness of the 7th to participate, and I knew Col. Lee’s
desire that they should, but I appreciate to much my responsibility as a
commander to gratify either. Col. Lee
had already reported to me that his own regiment had dis______d
and could not be collected.
Having
been forced to the m______g extremity of bringing my
divided _______ to the attention of my ______ and ______ in arms, now that the th_____ … are engrossed by the … which we are partion… … my reputation upon … I shall not attempt to ____
the judgment of the public, I ask no ________ if it. The North Carolina public ___ form its
opinions on such material it thinks fit, on no material at all. … are two cowardly to take to … themselves,
and too mean to do justice those who are in the field, will continue to slander
me as they have done heretofore. If
there is not ___n_r and justice enough left in the
State to protect me whilst absent in the discharge of duties to the country,
from such base and foul attacks, I will remain without defence
until time and circumstances permit me to return.
L. O. B. BRANCH, Brig.
Gen.
