"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 me,
at their own request; and the most of my regiments were disciplined
and organized troops. They were all in fine condition, anxious,
zealous, and earnest for a fight. They thought they were going to
attack Johnston's camp at Winchester. Although I had suggested to
Gen. Patterson that there was no necessity for that, the camp being
admirably fortified with many of their heavy guns from Norfolk, I
proposed to him to place ourselves between Johnston and the
Shenandoah, which would have compelled him to fight us there, or to
remain in his camp, either of which would have effected General
Scott's object. If I had got into a fight, it was very easy, over
this road I had just been opening, for Patterson to have
re-enforced me and to have come up to the fight in time. The
proposition was to place ourselves between Johnston's fortified
camp and the Shenandoah, where his fortified camp would have been
of no use to him."