Criticism of officers was unsparing, the slaughter of our soldiers was exaggerated, crimination and recrimination were indulged in respecting the conduct of troops from certain States.
General Grant was accused of having been surprised and of having thereby incurred a danger which narrowly escaped being a defeat.
The subject was brought into Congress and warmly debated.

Senator Sherman of Ohio introduced a resolution calling for all the reports from the officers in command, and made a speech defending the conduct of the Ohio troops, upon which some reflections had been inconsiderately and most unjustly cast.

Mr.Elihu Washburne made an elaborate speech in the House on the 2d of May, in which he gave a full account of the battle, and defended General Grant with much warmth against all possible charges which, either through ignorance or malice, had been preferred against him for his conduct of the battle.

This speech, which was of great value to General Grant, both with the Administration and the country, laid the foundation of that intimate friendship which so long subsisted between him and Mr.Washburne.

Mr.Richardson of Illinois followed his colleague, and expressed his disgust with even the introduction of the subject in Congress.