ement from Bunker Hill to Charlestown, which was a retreat,
instead of the advance which the movement to Charlestown he first
proposed to Gen. Scott was intended to be."

* * * * * * * * * * * *

"Question [by the Chairman].--Was not that change of direction and
movement to Charlestown a total abandonment of the object which you
were pursuing?
"Answer.--Entirely an abandonment of the main principles of the
orders he was acting under."

"Question.--And of course an abandonment of the purpose for which
you were there?
"Answer.--Yes, Sir.

"Question [by Mr. Odell].-Was it not your understanding in leaving
here, and was it not the understanding also of Gen. Scott, that
your purpose in going there was to check Johnston with direct
reference to the movement here?
"Answer--Undoubtedly. It was in consequence of the suggestion made
by me at the Council at the President's house. * * * And upon the
suggestion of General Scott they wanted me to go up there and
assist Patterson in this movement against Johnston, so as to carry
out the point I had suggested of first checkmating Johnston before
the movement against Manassas was made here."

* * * * * * * * *

Question [by the Chairman].--Would there have been any difficulty
in preventing Johnston from going to Manassas?
"Answer.--None whatever."

* * * * * * * * *

"Question [by the Chairman.]--I have heard it suggested that he
(Patterson) undertook to excuse this movement on the ground that
the time of many of his troops had expired, and they refused to
accompany him.
"Answer.--That to my knowledge, is untrue. The time of none of
them had expired when this movement was made. All the troops that
were there were in the highest condition for the service. These
three-months' men, it may be well to state to you who are not
Military men, were superior to any other volunteer troops that we
had, in point of discipline. They were the disciplined troops of
the Country. The three-months' men were generally the organized
troops of the different States--New York, Pennsylvania, etc. We
had, for instance, from Patterson's own city, Philadelphia, one of
the finest regiments in the service, which was turned over to