mmanding Fiftieth Ohio Volunteer Infantry.

General McGinnis to General Wallace:

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana, February 21, 1868.

GENERAL: In reply to your note of this date, I would say, that
being in command of the Eleventh Indiana Infantry, I was
attached to the First Brigade, Third Division, Army of the
Tennessee, commanded by you, and encamped at Crump's Landing, on
the morning of the first day of the battle of Pittsburg Landing.

At daylight of said day, our command was aroused by heavy and
continuous firing from the direction of Pittsburg Landing, which
led us to believe that a general battle was being fought. I do
not think more than twenty minutes had elapsed from the time
that the battle commenced until our whole brigade had received
orders to hold ourselves in readiness, (with three days'
rations) to march to any point required; and that point all
understood from indications would be Pittsburg Landing.

For the purpose of concentrating the division, our Brigade
marched to Winn's Farm, two and a half miles from Crump's
Landing, where the Second Brigade of the Third Division was then
encamped. The road taken by our division, after concentrating,
intersected the Purdy road (from Pittsburg Landing) at a point
near Snake Creek, and not far from the ground occupied by
General Sherman's division on the morning of the battle, being
the right of the army. _This, in my opinion, was the shortest
and most direct route to the point at which the right of the
army was resting, when the battle began_.

Orders were not received for the division to march to the field
of battle, _until about_12 _o'clock, A.M. and no time was lost
during the march_, as we moved with the utmost rapidity.

In the history of that battle, written by (Badeau) who was not
there and who could not have had personal knowledge of the facts
in relation thereto, serious and gross injustice has been done
you.

Very respectfully,

G.F. McGinnis,
Late Brigadier General U.S.A.

[General Fred Knefler's letter to General Lew Wallace corroborating the
statements made by the other members of the staff will be found on page
367--ED.]

Captain Ware to General Wallace:

GENERAL: I submit the following statement in regard to the
movement of your division, on Sunday, April 6, 1862, as far as
came under my observa