Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1862-11-17
Governor JOhnson's Opinion of General
RueifS Course.
n..irl ,orrcspondeuce OF the Press

'Do.iol ,orrcspondeuce OF the Press.
NASHVILLE. Tenn, Nov. .. 1862.
herewith transmit to You extracts from
Governor Andrew Johnson's letter to President
Lncoln. criricising tho course pursued by
General Bnel while in command Of the Army
Of the Ohio. This letter would have been sent
10 the PRECEDENT Immediately afer il was writ
ten had not the Guerilla Morgan cut of all
communication with the North But here
ii l.:
NASHVILLE, TENN, Sept. |.
r. his ErceileDcy Abrdhdn LincolH. UGdting-
ton Chy:
"On two occasions have stated to the Presi-
dent that General Buell would never enter and
redeem the eastern portion of this State. | do
not believe he ever intended to, nOtwithstand-
Ing his fair promises 10 the President and
others that he would.
"A portion Of the rebel troops, II il stated,
under the command OF Bragg, have crossed
tho Tennessee river, above Chat tanOoga, and
are marching in the direction Of Nashville.
His force is variously estimated al from 10000
to 10000. My own opinion is that il cannot
exceed 1000.
"Gencral Buell and his forces are in his front.
ranging from DcchGrd, on the railroad, to Me-
Minnvilc and Sparta, and, in my opinion, with
such generals as he has under his command,
est ease; entering lower East Tennessee, and
turn the rear of the force said 10 be now before
Genera! Morgan, at Cumberland Gap, leaving
Morgan TO march into East Tennessee, and take
possession Of the railroad, at once segregating
and destroying the unity Of their territory, and
that, too, in the midst of a population that Is
loyal and will stand by the Government.
"Thc forces which have passed Cumberland
Gap on MOrgan's right, under command of
Kirby Smith, entering Kentucky in MOrgan's
rear. can and will he met by forces coming in
the direction of Lexington and Nichoasvillc,
and whipped and driven back
81 am now compelled to state, though with
deep regret, what | know and believe General
Buell's policy to be. Instead of meeting and
whipping Bragg where he is, it is his intention
to occupy a defensive position, and Is now, ac-
cording to the best evidence can obtain, con-
centrating all his forces upon Nashville, giving
up all the country which we have had possess
sion of south and east of this place, leaving
the Union sentiment and Union men who took
a stand for the Government to he crushed out
and utterly ruined by the rebels, who will all he
in arms upon the retreat of our army.
'It seems 10 me that General Buell. fears his
own personal safety, and has concluded to gath
er the whole army at this point as kind Of
bOdy-guard to protect and defend him, without
reference TO the Union men who have been in-
duced TO speak out, believing that the Govern
ment would defend them.
"Gcacrd Buell. is DeIU Poputdr Wih The rebc!s,
and tie impression is that he is more partial 10
them thar 10 TaiOR men, and that he fdVors The sS-
tdbiishmst Of a Southern COntetLerdev.
II will not assume that General Buell. desires
the establishment of a Southern Confederacy
and a surrender Of Tennessee TO the rebels, but
will give il as my opinion that, if he had de-
signed 10 do So he could not have laid down or
pursued a policy that would have been more
successful in the accomplishment of both these
objects.
Notwithstanding the untoward events which
have transpired since | came 10 Nashville,
feel and believe that much good has been done
IN preparing the public mind in being reconcil-
ed 10 the Government but If the policy which
have indicated is carried out by Gen. Buell. all
vii be thrown away, without the most distant
idea, II ever, when we shall recover our lost
ground. last Tennessee seems doomed. There
ls scarcely hope left of her redemption If
ever, no one now can tell. May God save my
country from some of the generals that have
been conducting this war"
SEE a woman in another column picking
sambuci Grapes, for speer's Wine. It is an
admirable article, used in hospitals, and hv the
first families in Paris, London and New Yorl;
in preference 10 old Port Wine. It IL worth A
trial, a. it give great satisfaction. tr
Hiram =. Bennett. Union, is reelected 10
Congress from the Territory of Colorado, by a
handsome plurality. He will, II is understood,
press the claims of that territory for admis-
sion into the Union.