The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1862-12-19
Gov. Hawes' Letter.
From the Richmond ENQUIRER.

zen BRACES LATE KENTUKY CAMPAIGN.
communication has appeared over
me signature of j. F., which was written
9y Jno. Forsyth, one ofthe editors of the
t.eg'Ster q AdUertiser, who was volunteer
aio 70 Gen. Bragg and newspaper cores
pohoent, IN his late unfortunate cam
p:aigh IN Kentucky, which is written with
ihgular power and adroitness, and so re-
pie'e with erroneous statements of as
s9med facts and distortion of many of
'he essential features of that movement,
as 70 demand reply.
am aware that newspaper alterations.
oh such topics, are deeply to be depreca-
'eo, especially IN their DANA ging effects
: on the public service. This publication,
however, may fairly be treated as endors-
ed by Con. Bragg himself, and I am rs
- ssf
ieet9 that bis people are inisrepresenteo
and illuminated.
The whole subject depends upon dis
poted facts, and it is to be regretted that
mere Is no other means of testing the
'fnth' than by an appeal 10 the intelli-
GEM ohcers and soldiers, who were eye
witnesses to the whole transaction
Mr. Forsyth asserts, among other er-
| roneous statements too tedious to be de-
oased upon the most positive and reliable
promises of a general ipsurreetion in
kentucky, upon the appearance of the
Confederate army, and rush of $4,000
troops to its standard; and instead there
OF, these once brave people were found to
be either scowling Unionists, or timid
friends, who dared not express their Joy
above whisper; and adopts the culmna-
ting conclusion, that by this brief cam
paign the Southern Confederacy has paid
debt OF honor to Kentucky, and that
her exclusion from the Confederate I'm
ION should be no longer in honor or prin-
clple an obstacle to treaty of peace!
With the minor details of the errone-
Gus and discolored accusations, without
proof, OF the conduct of the Kentuckians.
do not mean to trouble the reader; but
will boldly challenge to the witness stand
the officers and soldiers who composed
the invading army.
i viii premise that the true-hearted
Kentuckians, devoted to the Confederate
States, would, on principle and honor,
scorn an alliance with the South, unless
upon the fair and unterrifed vote of a
majority of the people of that State
The Southern Rights Kentuckians have
ever maintained that the people of the
States, acting as sovereign States, Gre
ated the late Constitutional Union, and
that in discovered Union, each State
has the inalienable right to fix It's own po-
litical destiny.
From the beginning of this unchristian
and unnatural war, the supporters of the
South have challenged their opponents to
an unnpirage Of the pe93pTls Of the State in
fzsyS have oeen ccEastanIiy refused. We
now and again are willing to test our un-
ion with the North or the South by the
full and fair vote of Kentuckians.
l utterly repudiate the audacious as
sumption of deciding as to the popular
will of my State, by party Judgment
formed during rapid campaign Of two
or three or four weeks in a small portion
of the State; and that, too, as cover and
excuse for the many errors and short
comings of the campaign.
The State OF Kentucky, by solemn act
of the Confederate Government, has been
admitted as one of the States, upon an
equal footing with the other States. I'm
der the solemn conviction that two-thirds
of blood, as we'll as material and CONNER
cial interests, would prefer Southern al
lance, it is felt as a deep injury and in
suit that the Confederate sisters should
be told by an aid of General Bragg's that
Kentucky has forfeited all claim to fur
ther support, and that her exclusion from
the Union should be no bar to treaty of
peace.
| profess to have a more intimate
knowledge Of the people of Kentucky
than their critic, or any citizens of anoth-
er State, and will advert briefly to this sub
5ect.
/ now propose very briefly to comment
upon some of the prominent short COM
ings of the campaign.
1 lst. Gen. Bragg should have fought,
and could have conquered, Buell's army
before the latter reached Louisville
Why was not this done? 1t was either
from want of ability or will. Gen. Bragg's
army had thrown its lines between those
Iof Buell. and Louisville. Was our army
endangered by Grant or Rusencranz in
the rear? IT so, it was wrong to have adj
yanced at all.
Had he the ability to have whipped Bu-
sll or of ofdriving him across the Ohio or Mis-
issippi rivers, and thereby prevent the
arge increase of forces at Louisville?
appeal to the intelligent officers of Gen.
3ragg'S army to answer these questions,
- full inquiry of Gen erai Polk, Har-
DuckDef, AnuSISOfl. CiSettffdtti
" fnith, and other general officers, an
Sc Killing to abide the solution of these mat
n keS Of fact. Buel's entire force, which
e. as much demoralized, has not beer com
Or 3ated at over 5000, for which Bragg:
ffmy, in the best possible spirits and con
he Pence, was an overmatch.
Sc The victory at Mumfordsville was ar
In aditional leverage to Bragg, and shoulo
Mt ave been a crushing blow to Buell.
ket, Why did Bragg stand idle by, ane
aher Buell. and his wagon trains to pas
stween him and the Ohio river. almos
is sight, without fighting and whipping
d. I'M | again appeal to the judgment
= other Generals of the army.
IL Is well known that Gen. Bragg ha
aAo repeatedly that he allowed Buell. t
f. 10 louisville on purpose. and that wa
ne place where he wanted HIM to be.
Vi lhls same letter writer and aid of Ger
re- Pragg wrote and published a letter i
he Fhlch ne vindicated the conduct of Bragl
,r no promised most glorious results ther
20; Gen. Bragg should have fougi
.--ESe battle of Petryville with $4,000 (
'h i,0t9 men. instead of $4,000. To tho:
at no are familiar with the facts, it
o. no"n that on Saturday afternoon of Il
In OF October, while Gen. Bragg was
frankfort coducting the Inauguration
O, governor Hawes, the first news reache
10 rin that Buell. was in large force with
rlw