Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-08-28

but proper that we should publish the letter
Of explanation which he writes to the Ohio
State Journal:
CANP CHASE, Tuesday, Aug, 25, 1882,
To the Editor ofthe Ohio STATE Journal -
have found the papers filed with accu-
sations against me, touching the surrender
of Clarksville, and the telegrams grossly
misrepresenting the facts in the case. l
have only to state my relations to that
event, and leave to candid and not un-
generous people, the verdict upon me.
On the 18th of June, Gen. Halleck pub
| lished an order changing the boundaries
Of the districts of Gen. Buell., and pro-
viding among other things, that Gen. Buell.
should relieve the forces Of Gen. Grant,
then in garrison at Clarksville. This order
was never carried out. After Gen. Nc
| Clellan's retreat on James river, the rebel
sympathizers became very active and open
in recruiting, and the evidences of a gem
eral rising multiplied. About the same
! time the river fell so that a class of boats
that could reach Clarksville could not pro-
ceed to Nashville, and began TO deposit
their cargoes for re-shipment. These stores
gradually accumulated, and created q
temptation for an attack that had not be-
| fore existed l warned the officers at Gen.
Buells headquarters of the necessity of
increasing my force. l begged them for
cavalry to scour the country, but espec-
tally for artillery. Gov. Johnson tried to
obtain for me even a section of a battery,
but failed. I telegraphed Col. Lowe, at
Fort Henry, and to Lieut. Col. Olney at
Paducah, for assistance; the latter started
battery on boat, but it could not get up
the river, and returned. I telegraphed to
Gen. Grant, as did also Col. Lowe; the
General telegraphed me to give notice to
Nashville of a day when would leave the
post, and to move on that day. gave this
notice, and visited Nashville a few days
after to represent matters at Headquarters.
Major Seidell Acting Assistant Adiutant
General, urged me to remain stating that
Gen. Buell. had requested Gen. Grant to
countermand his order. 1 finally agreed
to await the result, but told him that while
I thought l could hold my camp against
infantry, that I was in no condition to
sustain an artillery attack. That l was
fully advised Of the strength of the enemy,
and that 1 was advised by Lieut.. Col. Bris-
tow, of the Kentucky Cavalry, that they
intended to attack Clarksville. That,
while 1 was willing to do the best could,
I would not hold myself responsible for
the post. He still urged me to remain
On the day 1 had fixed for my departure
received an order from Gen. Grant to re-
main. The day l was in Nashville, Gov.
Johnson also telegraphed Gen. Halleck,
recommending that l should be allowed to
bring the remainder of my Regiment from
Fort Donelson to Clarksville.
So matters remained becoming more
and more threatening, Of which they
were fully advised at Nashville. On
Monday received nOtice of the approach
of the enemy in force. was near my
headquarters in the city, and Immediately
started for camp, which l reached just as
the enemy galloped down the street.
found Lieut.-COl Andrews, who was in
command forming the men in position.
The enemy halted out of range, and sent in
a flag Of truce demanding q surrender.
called my officers together and submitted
the proposition to them. The matter was
some time in consideration. Pending the
negotiations, l asked and obtained leave to
send Lieut.-Col. Andrews along their line
to verify their statement of their force. He
counted them to the number of eight hun
dred, well armed, one company with vol
canic rifles, (sixteen-shooters, one with
carbines, some with muskets, and the re-
mainder with double-barreled shot guns.
Besides this number they were Joined by
citizens variously armed, making their en-
tire force about ten or eleven hundred and
this increasing every hour by a constant
stream of people coming in from the coun-
try. They had, besides, battery Of four
- i t.
this force the officers reported to me one
hundred and ten men, with no artillery'ex
cept little gun picked up at the rolling
mill, and Of no account whatever. Wehad
relied on holding the college about which
we were encamped, against infantry; but
its walls were only thick enough to ex-
plode shell as it passed through them.
We had thrown up some rife pits to guard
the open approach, but had nothing that
could be called Notifications" Our total
nominal force was about two hundred and
ninety enlisted men, but we had four de-
tachments Of six to eight each up the river
guarding boats; another down the rail-
road, and another guarding the wharf, tel
egraph office, commissary's and quarter
masters warehouses, and the stables, so
that the total force in camp, as reported to
me, was only l52 men.
The officers first voted part for sUrren-
der and part against it. told them that
we would then fight for it, and started for
the flag Of truce. While we were talking,
Lieut.. Col. Andrews came to me and told
me that the officers were now unanimous
in their recommendation for surrender;
and I asked an interview with Col. Wood
ward, which resulted in our capitula-
ton.
The question for my consideration was
simple one: On the one hand 1 had the
strongest possible motives for desiring to
make desperate resistance on the other,
that we could not hold the building against
an artillery attack, and that we could not
stand a siege I knew-for we had not suf-
fcient supplies of either water or food
My men out Of camp were all prisoners,
and l could see nothing for it but sur
render, either before fighting or after had
needlessly, and against my own judgment,
sacrificed the lives Of my men. My duty,
thought then, and think so now, was
plain; and terrible as have been the re-
suits to myself l am sure that my con-
science could again, under like cireum-
stances demand q similar action. knew,
as the Louisville Democrat suggests, that
had an opportunity to retrieve my good
name, but have never permitted a selfish
consideration to influence my conduct on
matter of public duty; and, as God is my
helper, I hope I never may. Had for
such motives sacrificed the lives of my
brave men uselessly, should have receiv-
ed, as 1 would have deserved, the execra-
tions of the very men who now, for other
reasons, trsduce me and Ishould not have
been sustained by the voice of my own con-
science.
The telegraph says am to be dismissed
from the service. Should this even be so,