The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1862-05-15
Letter from senator sherman.
[core,ponasneo clu,Innatl CONNER eiaI. !,
WAsHisoToy. April 80.

Gen. Halleck. for gallant conduct in the
battle Of Pittbburg Landing, furnishes
proper occasion to repair injus,ie Gone
to Gen. Sherman while in command 10
Kentucky. olm ..rI O.. :;
1t will not be denied that tue CONNER
ciAl largely contributed to throw cloud
upon this ofieeT--at one lime reporting
him as Insane. AS he utterly refu Oed to
defeEd himselfiD the newspapers. or 10
allow others 70 do il, became quite com
mon to assume that he bad shown him
self incompetent, or even worse, although
no direct charges were made. All this
grew out Of four allegations: lst. His
harsh treatment OF newspaper correspon.
denis-trsating them as spMs Of the enc
my. ed, His refusal to allow portion
of his force to match into East Tennessee,
Sd, HIS demand for large reiniorcenents,
and The opinion expressed 10 Cameron
and Thomas. that, to make operations IN
the West effective, it would require
concentration ofirom 100000 to 200, 900
men in the valleys Of the Mississippi,
Tennessee and Cumberland. 9Th, His
IeonceDtration Of troops at sedalia. This
movement was telegraphed all over the
country as the evidence Of his insanity
Let US look at these charges in the light
Of subsequent events. ,a" ..J .t't
That the commendable enterprise Of
our leading journals, however praIsewor-
thy 10 quiet times, created serious EN-
bArrassment in Kentucky,is now obvious.
The command there involved civil and
military duties. The criticisms Of report
ers upon the people of Kentucky, created
, irritation. Their experience and energy
enabled them to publish acts for the en-
emy, which an ordinary spy could not
get Ii was indispensable that he con
ceal The weakness Of his force. Then
! there was no restraint upon the Press
, Since that time limited censorship has
been established with the consent Of at
riotic journalists. No doubt Gen. Sher.
man applied his military rules on CORES.
pondents harslly, by excluding them
from his lines, but they are now used to
this treatment from others. ...
He refused to separate his command to
> send part OF il on detached service
across mountains, into East Tennessee
where every mile advanced. would make
= supplies and reiuforcemenis more difiicul
. and upon Knoxville, where the rebels coz
= by railroad concentrate an veiwhelmin
:. force, and that too. when in front was
= superior force in!renched. To have don
;, so would have been a military crime
~ a is row surprising that any one conceived
the project. Soat least Gen. Buell. tho
J.. and he is admitted to be an able officer
\ He would not make the movement evel
after the battle Of Somerset. when bi
"a force was quadrupiod, and his enemy il
= front defeated. t.u
. As to Gen. Sherman's opinion Of tn
n force ne, esssry in the valley Of the Miss
a is.ippi, time has demonstrated his cutir
40 accuracy.
Our army has not advanced one day
!, march beyond his position, until the fore
., indicated by him had, after months ofdc
- lay and preparation, been concentrated i
Ho Kentucky aud Missouri. Such officers a
Gems. Halleck and Buell., and Con
of Foote could see the necessity Of larg
"a % force and ample preparations, while Can
ID erou thought an officer crazy for advisin
- % it. The very line Of operations advise
~ ~ BY Gen. Sherman in October las;-th
!, ~ valleys Of the three great rivers-haN
no no become the scenes Of great national victc
r. r. ries. What would have been the resu
~ if Gen. Sherman had sent portion
his raw uuarmed volunteers across Il
:, mountains TO Knoxville and the remain
" Of der into the intrenchmen,s Of the rebels
or Bowling GreenP The written opinions
= Gen. Sherman are on tie files OF the WI
-, Department. and will be regarded as r
~ markab!e evidence Of his foresight al
"a. sagacity. tas a "a,
in in Blu. at the time the popular opini'
IL was all against him. Cameron went
ina m St, Louis, quarrelIed with Fremont. 81
III. returned by way oILouisville. GeneI
"a Sherman stated TO him in official con-
~ ~ deuee, in a closed room, at an intervie
" sought by him, his view of affairs
!, Kentucky. He disclosed his plans, |
m =" wishes and his fears. All were publish
!, :. by Gen. Cameron to friend aud foe. !
as a matter Of course nothing was l,ft
-. General Sherman but TO ask his recall.
~ This he did placing bis opinion on reco
y, "for the future" lie was sent to
-. ~ Louis, and his conduct was held up
:" public censure aud .idicule. ' T.l.
-. Soon after he was sent by Gene
'p' HalIeck to Ssdaia, to look after our f
ces near there. He ordered concent
:, tion and change Of camps. This '
,ts = teleQfaphed as evidence Of insanity. Z
In I the o;dsr was approved By Gen. Halle'
- - and executed after full reeonnoisaI
i;0S @ BY our engineer officers. Gen. Shsrm
ou nou has not published defense, nor has
H. H. complained to. or Of. any one. q
!. .1o :, No doubt he will disapprove this let
= =" but | know too we'll the influences of e'
1"V. "~. temporary errors to disregard Them
'o1' Does Il not occur to you how careful
Sa,, ~ press and politicians should be in asst
SSs SSu ING military officers? They have
Dio ,n, means Of defence. Can neither write
'n,S !" . the newspapers or make speeches;
|. ~ vet they are more sensible to assault
=. |. . and assaults are more injurious to the
4 7; ~ - than to any other class Of parsons
NV i trust the natural interest i feel IN
: . :. honor ola relative. aud of,our State, y
!. 30 induce you to publish this.u aieo d.
Oou .,r..1 : ,,a Very truly yours. hs.Lb
'on. S,n ,' .>,. JOHN SHERMAN. I.