Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1863-02-07
unpublished Facts nbont Fort
HeOneisOn.
AN INTERESTING STORY FROM Az OLD CAM
rAIGNER

We clip the following from the Indiana
polls correspondent of a Cincinnati paper
AT the Bates House few days ago q
number of old men, most of whom Were
engaged in the Mexican War and were ac-
quainted with the principal officers of tie
regular army as it existed before the rebel
lion broke out, engaged in conversation
about the personal history OF some of the
military leaders North and South. Judge
Eckcls, of Greencastle, Indiana, said he knew
Albert Sidney Johnston from boy, was
raised in the same town with him in Ken
lucky, and served sundcr him in Mexico.
Johnston, he said, was actually free soilcr
in politics, and'was only induced to Join the
Contederates by receiving three direct insults
from the federal government
'.Onc Of these was in removing him from
his command in the West without assigning
any cause for so doing, and another was the
arrest of his son in Philadelphia, on charge
of treason, just after the fall of Fort Sumter.
Johnston was in the West when he deter
mined to take sides with the South lie
went to Texas and raised Il regiment of ran
gers with which he prepared TO march on
New Mexico. Knowing that Il garrison OF
troops that lie once commanded would not
fire Il shot at him, he thought it would be
easy work FOR him to place that country
under Confederate rule, parolling all the
federal soldiers on duty there. Before he
had accomplished his New Mexico mission
he received orders to report 10 jeff. Davis
Immediately at Richmond He did 50. He
was rendered a rigadier.general's commits
sion in the Confederate army, but would
not accept. He refused major-gencral' 5
commission. Davis finally offered TO place
him in supreme command of the COntede-
rate troops, and he accepted the charge.
about Il year ago General Johnston was
sent to the West to review tho Notifications
at Columbus, Fort Donelson, Fort Henry.
Bowling Green and other places. After
careful examination he pronounced them
untenabe. lie advised jeff. Davis to con-
tract his lines, warning him that he could
not maintain them against such an army as
the North could bring to bear against them
The Confederate authorities were unwilling
to yield to his opinions, and General Beau
regard was consulted on the sulject, Beau
regard visited all the places named, and
returned 10 Richmond, concurring in John
stons opinion.
1T will he remembered that General
Johnston was in command Mt Bowling Green
when that point was evacuated by the
rchcls. Judge Eckels. in his conversation,
stated that when lie (Johnston) determined
on the evacuation, he te,egraphed 10 Buck
ncr, then i'll command at Doneison, inform
ing him of the course he was about to pur-
sue, and asking him il he needed reinforce
mcnts. The telegraph operator did not
show the despatch to Buckner, but kept it
in his possession two days, and then replied
to it, signing Duckner's name to the despatch
an', saying no more troops were needed tp
defend the fort.
"'-ind 1t Was by that Jelloe's treocaery,'
said Buttcrnut bystander, that ,ce lost Fort
D0Nels0n.'
General Johnston was censured by the
Confederate Congress for the fall of DOncl-
son; and it was the modification he felt at
what he considered the injustice and ingrat-
itudc of this act of his southern friends that
caused him to court death, as lie did on the
field of Shiloh. His wound was not neccs-
sari!y mortal, but he refused to have it
dressed, with full knowledge OF the con
sequences of his refusal.
Judge Eckels told his frlcnds during this
conversation that he had in his possession
letter written to him by the late General
c. f. Smith just before his dea;h General
Smith died at Savannah. Tennessee, shortly
after the battle Of Shiloh, from disease. He
was the Marshal Ney of Fort Donelsou, and
history will accord him all the honors OF
that great victory. His reputation rs m
officer, and his high character as gentle
man, will give great weight TO what ie said,
amnng those who knew him. In this letter
he says, in so mCny words, that the victory
at Fort Donelson was won by disobediencc
ot General Grants orders; that General
Grant had gone down to the river for some
purpose or other, and during his absence
he (Smith) stormcd the rebel works and
took Them