Reuben G. Thwaites, Secretary and Editor of the Wisconsin History
Commission, speaking for the Commission, writes thus:
"OPINIONS, OR ERRORS OF FACT, on the part of the respective authors
represented, both in original narratives and in reprints issued by
the Commission HAVE NOT, NOR WILL THEY BE MODIFIED BY THE LATTER. For
all statements of whatever character, the author alone is
responsible.
"Could any plainer statement than the foregoing be phrased in the
English language, to indicate that this Commission certainly does
not endorse whatever criticisms may have contemporaneously been
offered by Lieutenant Haskell?"
As the question has been asked us we reply: As Haskell has been dead for
more than 45 years, and the foul slanders were made public by the
Wisconsin History Commission in November, 1908, defaming President
Lincoln, Generals Sickles, Howard, Doubleday, Barlow, Schurz, Geary, Webb,
Banes and other officers, and thousands of brave soldiers, it certainly
does look to the Comrades of the Philadelphia Brigade as though the
Wisconsin History fully endorsed everything that Haskell wrote. Just how
the Corps, Brigade and Regimental Associations, Grand Army Posts, Loyal
Legion Commanderies, public libraries, the newspaper press, and others to
whom this "Reply" will be sent will regard the actions of the Wisconsin
Commission and the Massachusetts Loyal Legion has yet to be determined.
Writing further, Secretary and Editor Thwaites says:
"If Haskell's account was worth reprinting at all (and we thought it
well worth doing), the only course open to us, as historians, was to
present it just as it was originally issued, and not in the
emasculated form adopted by the Dartmouth editor, and the
Massachusetts Loyal Legion; changes of such character in a
contemporary document are unwarranted, and utterly ruin it as
historical material."
As this seems to be a question of ethics between history makers, it is up
to the Dartmouth editor, and the Massachusetts Loyal Legion to satisfy the
Wisconsin Commission why the unwarranted emasculation was made of the
Haskell "Narrative."
The Wisconsin History Commission concludes its letter of explanation and
excuse to the Philadelphia Brigade Association in these words:
"In reprinting various other rare Wisconsin Civil War material, as we
intend to do, it may happen that the original authors thus selected
for treatment have criticised certain commands; it certainly would
not tend to smooth the path of the Commission if each such command
was thereupon to pass condemnatory resolutions. WE shall certainly
hope to be spared such treatment."
In reprinting the Haskell "Narrative" the Wisconsin History Commission
invited the criticism it justly deserves, and must expect to receive; and
in their reprints in the future, if it permits their authors to criticise
other commands--as they intend to do--They cannot escape the condemnatory
resolutions they hope to be spared.
The Man of Nazareth said: Give, and it shall be given unto you; good
measure, pressed down, and running over, shall men give into your bosom.
For with the same measure that ye mete, withal it shall be measured to you
again.