[1085]
Corps.
At about ten o'clock at night the corps moved into the works already captured by my division, General Smith being then upon the ground, and by his orders my division was withdrawn to the rear some seventy-five or one hundred yards, as stated in the beginning of this narrative.
What the cavalry brigade of Kautz or the infantry division of Martindale and Brooks were doing in the afternoon while my division was capturing guns and defences, I have never learned; but a day or two afterwards while conversing with General Martindale, he generously said that in his judgment whatever credit was won by the troops on the 15th was mainly due to the movements of my division, for which he heartily congratulated me.
I am, General, very truly yours,
[no. 72. see page 694.]
To so meritorious and able officer as yourself, and to one toward whom the sincerest personal friendship and the highest respect concur in my mind, I am and shall ever be unwilling to utter a word of complaint; yet I think duty requires that I should call your attention to the fact that your column which was ordered to move at daylight in the cool of the morning is now just passing my headquarters in the heat of the day for a ten-mile march. The great fault of all our movements is dilatoriness, and if this is the fault of your division commanders let them be very severely reproved therefor. I have found it necessary to relieve one general for this among other causes, where it took place in a movement of vital importance, and in justice to him you will hardly expect me to pass in silence like fault when of less moment. The delay of Grouchy for three hours lost to Napoleon Waterloo and an empire, and we all remember the bitterness with which the Emperor exclaimed, as he waited for his tardy general, “Il s'amuse a Gembloux.” Respectfully,B. F. Butler, Major-General Commanding.
[no. 73. see page 694.]
headquarters Eighteenth Army Corps, 3.40 P. M., June 21, 1864.
General:--I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your extraordinary note of 9 A. M. In giving to your rank and position all the respect which is their due, I must call your attention to the fact that a reprimand can only come from the sentence of a court-martial and I shall accept nothing as such.
You will also pardon me for observing that I 