, 1862-03-20

What Jeff. Davis and bis Congress
Think Of the Strategy.
eEkLs, ,FloYb AND PILLOW pEPosED
4 Demand in Congress that General
Johnston be Arraigned.

lous report Of the reasons which led to the
surrender Of Fort Done1son, expresses his
opinion of the conduct Of Pillow and Floyd:
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, March II, 1e5t.
To the Speaker Of The Hous& Of Representatives.:
/ transmit herewith copies OF such official
reports Us have been received at the War De-
pa1tmcnt Of the defense and fail Of Fort DON
elsoI.
They VIII be found incomplete and unsatts-
factory Instructions have been given to fur
njsh further Information upon the several
points not made intelligible by the reports.
1t is net stated that reinforccments were at
any time asked for; nor is it demonstrated to
have been impossible to hare saved the army
By yaeuatipg the position; nor is IL known
by what means it was found practicable to
Withdraw part Of the garrison, leaving the
remainder to surrender; nor upon What au-
tholity or principle Of action the senior Gene
rails abandoned responsibility By transferring
the command to junior officer.
III fu,mcr communication to Congress, I
presented the propriety Of d suspension OF
Judgment In relution to the disaater at Fort
Dopc]son, until official reports could be re-
ceivc0-s I regret that the information noy
furnished is so defective. In the meantime,
hopeful that satisfactory explanations may be
be made, have directed, upon the exhibition
Of the case as presented By the two senior
Generals, that they should be relieved from
EON3lUdHN. NJ AhoAt lutt4E1 ttNElE hHHAESIi y
reliable Judgment can be rendered on the
merits OF the case. JEFFERSON DAVIS.
In the rebel House Of Representatives on
March 10, Mr.. Currin Of Tennessee offered L
II solution touching the management Of the
Quartermaster's Department in the State Of
Tennessee, and especially With regard to re-
cent disasters to our arms at Fort Donelson
and elsewhere; and more particularly with
Inference to the action of the Quarterinaster,
Major B. E. Stearn, of that service, before the
surrender Of the city Of Nashville; aud also
with reference to the quantity Of stores-pro.
visions, munitions OF war and hospital stores
which were lost to The government at that
place
which Mr. Adkins OF Tennessee said TINT
while investigations were being made, they
should also be made into the conduct of Gen
| the entire amy Of the West until Gen. Beau
| regard was sent to Columbus. he knew that
| the Cumberland river, when swollen, wou1i
afford entrance into every part Of Tennessee
He knew that the Tennessee river, at higt
tide, would conduct the enemy's vessels iate
| the very heart Of the Southern ConfedcracY
He knew that it won]d let the enemy on Iii
rear. But General Johnston had but one ide:
| "A single idea-to make stand at Bowling
Green. It was was his great idea Now be wou1t
not impeaeh the patriotism and chiTa1ry o
General Albert Sidney Johnston, but it wou1'
I Ut WILL II HE t0Oh HAatEIu 1EUu Llu
coins government, and whenever genera
lost :: battle, remove him, unless there VS.
some sufficiently strong reason and justifa5l
cause for his failure When Gen. Johnsto
fell back from Bowling Green he had betwee
ten and fifteen Thousand troops Before b
had entered Nashville he had determined t
surrender it-before he had reached the COZ
fines Of that proud city Of Tennessee, the caI
itAl Of q State whose citizens never turned theI
back upon the foe During the three days {
tho struggling at Fort Donelson, when me
| stood q foot deep in blood and snow, the cit
as any State iii tile confedeTacy. Gen. John
ton had been desired to make i stand at Nasl
vile, but he declined doing it. Tue speakt
had heard that the President had very lii;
opinion Of Albert Sidney Johnston. # snt
| was the case, he was sorry to differ with hin
The people, the army under Gen. Johnston
command, and the people Of Tennessee, ha
lost confidence in tic military capacity Of Gel
Johnston.
Mr. Moore, Of Kentucky, defended Gener
Johnston. He wished to give wide scope
ipytstigation- It was only Of late that Ge1
Johnston had as many as q, 600 efficient MI
in tho field He was asked for no reinfurc
Bcnts during the battle at Fort Donelson. E
; could not rcinforce thut point, for on the i
| slant that he moved his army from the poi1
at which be was stationed, tue large force
t3le enemy, amounting to 1000 men won
: 6aye marched on Nashville, and thus the who
; army, instead Of portion Of it, would ha'
been captured, and General Johnston won
now Eaye been where the gallant Gener
: Buckner is, in exile. Gen. Johnston had I
8 power to prevent the passage Of gunboats I
1Ie Tennessee river. Fire steamers We
l lying off Nashville, and had been for 6
c months past, and the most that he knew
4 | y ork OIL them all at one time was five me
He [the speaker wanted the blame to Il
t where it properly belongs. What Won
4 | have been tbe consequence Of making stal
4 ! ut Nashville? That beautiful city, instead
= now standing, and in condition still to
the pride Of the South, it she is retake
C would, in al, probability, have been in ash,
! Why did not the people Of Nashville thel
= selves fortify the city
Mr. Foote said that Gen. Johnston had call
+ for 600 or $50 slaves 10 work on the FORT
Y cations, and that the call had been tufly
4 swcred, WHEN Nashville was surrendert
. Gen. Johnston bad been inportuued time 4
again TO fortify Nashville, but he had filled
+ do it. The people Of Nashville had SUR;
deed every arm that they had-shot guns 4
everything else of that sort; those that VII
c there had nothing to fight With.
= understood tlat some vile Elanderez b
called them towards, and had asked II
It did not the women und children so ont q
= fight the foe: When the armed soldi'
r. was flying fast, when Generals Pillow a
- Floyd would not remain in it, when arm
~ forces considered it inpolitie aud unsa
9 some one asks the question Wig did not
r wcmcn and children fight? It was the mt
:. contemplate and foul SANDER that ever
, peartd III the columns Of newspaper, in
u city Of Richmond or elsewhere, and the Il
who perpeirated it was worthy Of place NJ
| the scatfu1d.
Mr, Moore ssid that the gentleman eyide
!, j. had no reference to his speech.
u u The resolution Was passed-yeas 81, n