The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-02-06
GUH. BoxRAM's RysIaHArIoN.


The Charleston Mercury, Of February LIST,
says:
We learn from Richmond that Gen. Bon.
hsm has resigned his office as General Of the
Con nfederate States. The reason OF his re-
signation We un derstand to be as follows:
Gen. Bonham was Major General OF the
forces of South Carolina when he received
an appointment OF Brigadier General of the
Confederate States, lad was ordered to Rich
mond. He was appointed . Brigsdier Gen
eral of no particular regiments formed inte
brigade. Indeed, there were no regiments
in tho Confederate service at all in South
Carolina when he was appoin ted. He went
on TO Richmond, however, with Dol. 4reggs
regiment of infantry, sent on by the Cover
nor Of South Carolina. This regiment was
Col. Ksrshaw's, then Bacon's, then Uash's,
and other regiments from South Oaro.
lima, which. as they came, were, with.
out discrimination. put under his com.
enlisted for six months only, was disband.
ed by the expiratio Of its term Of ser.
vice, before the battle Of Manassas, whilst
there were four other regiments under Gen.
command of the four other regiments, and
com manded them at the battle Of Manassas.
He remained in command OF them as his bril-
gade until October. At that time he was in
formed by the Executive that his existence.
as an officer in the Confederate States, had
sxpired when Col. Gregg regiment was dis.
banded, on the ground that his brigade con-
sisted Of but two regiment:-Col. Gregg's
and Col Kershaw's-and Ool. 0regg's going
home, his command and his once were dis
solved. The Confederate Government then
rendered him new commission c0eval with
the departure Of Gregg's regiment, of the
l4th Of July. His first appointment was Of
the Goth April, and put him at the head of
the Brigadier 4enerals-the oldest in the
service. The second, OF the lAth July, put a
dozen Brigadier- Generals above him-amone
n
nected by marriage with the President.
Str tlangely 1t happens that Gen. Walker, Of
Georgia, was superseded by Dol. Taylor, an
other near connection. Gen. Bonham con-
suited all the general officers in the Army OF
tho Potomac, and they all agreed with him
that such treatment Of him was q wrong and
an outrage.
The following letter from Gen. Bonham
on this subject has been published:
NEAR ClxTRxvILLs, Nov. IL, 1861.
Hon. J. P. Benjamin, Acting Secretary of War:
SIH: have not expressed myself happily
il have conveyed to your mind the idea th at
main tain You can date the commission you
now tender me SO as to make zone commits
sion overlap the other" should more cor.
rectly express myself to say that If the law
is such as the President construes it, viz
such as to cause my commission to ex pire
when Dol. 0reEg's six months regiment
went out Of service, and such as to admit of
your giving me on the 2lst Of October a com /.
mission conferring rank from the l4th of
July, I do not perceive why the commission
should not be such as to prevent "loss of the
rank" or "as to give the rank first assigned
me-
DO not comprehend how nv commission
Of the 10th Of April last is not operative; but.
I desirous of remaining with my brigade, as
the enemy ts SO near in our front, and may
advance 1t any moment, I accept the CO m.
mission now rendered I desire, howev or.
at the same time, respectfully to state hat
rshall ask leave to resign 1t Al soon as so me-
thing decisive shall taks place, or we sJ,all
60 into winter quarters.
am, sir, very respectfully, your obed ent
servant, M. Il. BONHAN.
Brig. Gen., LIST Brigade, LIST Corps,
Army Of the Potomat.