Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1864-12-29
whx e...,.l Ru.Il R..,.n.a.

why General Buell. Resigned.
The Philsdephis Age publishesa private letter. writ
ten last summer to frieod by General Doa Carlos
Buell. wherein the Generals for resignipg bis
commission in the United States service frankly
given. The letter is among the few declarations made
~ Yankees since the commencement of the that in
dicste sense of q gentlemans responsibilities, and,
almost solitary exception to the dreary catalogue of
Yankee infamis aud barbarties, here place it
record together With the PREDATORY remarks of the dye:
From the Philadelphia Age.
We need not call the attention OF our readers to the
letter of Major General Buell., which publish below.
It ia most interesting in this that it is The expression
of the inner thought and most conscientious convictions
of tried and gallant soldier and we baeve and
General Buell. hints, revelatiOn-an unfolding, it
wereof the real sympathy OF the best soldiers now il
our service with the cause of CONSTITUTE ona liberty
There 10 not in our Judgment regular officer,
disioteresed volunteer who looked into the "crater
Petersburg, and black aud white sojises mingled
in fruitess carnage there is 90 gallant man Who from
"miary necessity" followed in Hunters train Of de-
ISOLATION through Western Virginia. OF watches the
useless Smelling of Charleston, who, n his heart does
not feel precisely as Gen. Buell. does. We thank him
for speaking out boldly his convictions. Ibis letter
was addressed to friend by whose permission print
it:
BEDFORD SPRINGS July 10, 1864
DsAR Sir .-The public have seen no official an
nouncement Of the set-though it ia doubt by this
very generally kno~n-tbat have resigned my COM
mission In the army. have several times since been
assured that my personal friends and many who, with
out tie claim OF personal acquantac have taken
interest In my official career, feel that explanation
OF the circumstances and motives of my action is due
to them. Accepting this claim upon me- have al
ready answered some of friends in substance as do
you now.
1t Perhaps unnecessary to enter into exposition
of the circumstances of my supersedure in Tennessee in
the fall Of 1862 since the particulars though not with
out q certain value, involve interests OF my own with
which 1t 10 not my wish to weary you. AS far as facts
concerned it will suffice for the present to say that
after the adiourpment; about the LIST of May, 1863 Of
the Commission " which Investigated my campaign,
my correspondence with the Department was conhned
to moothiyreport made to the Adutsnt General that
| was waiting the action of the Wax Department on
the proceedings OF that Commission shat about the
first week of April Last, a.s offered Command under
General Sherman, my junior which declined that
month later was again offered co:nmaGd under Gen.
Canby, also my junior which declined; that about
three weeks later | received notification that | was
mustered cut of my rauk Maj General of Volun-
teers, aud that On the same dag seat resigna
ton Colonel in ths Adjutaat Generals Department
OF the Regular Army.
The impulses of most men would approva my course
in this matter, if it rested no other grund than
determination not to acqaiese III any measure that
would degrade me but l had high motive than
that. I believed that the policy and with which
the beng prosecuted were dsceditaoe to the
Datiop and stain upon civilization aud that they
would not only fail to the Union if indeed they
bad not already rend red its restoration impossible, but
that their tendency to subvert the Institutions
der which the country had realiz unsxaMpled pros
peri,y and happiness an1 to such work could not
lend my band
While there may have been or less of personal
ambition mixed up in the movement OF secession, as
there must generally be Ia the management OF POLITICAL
affairs, yet do not doubt that it mainly deterrdin
ed by honest conviction 10 the minds OF those who
engaged in it. that the control of the Government
had passed permanently into the hauds OF sectional
party which would 5000 trampe on the political rights
of the South This apprehension was shared 10
by very large portion OF the people who did not favor
secession and who anxious for the preser walton
of the Unon that coercve measures, if tempered
ny justice and mercy would not have esranged them
Under these circumstances the of military force
put down armed resistance was not Incompatible with
restoration of the Unoo with its former glories and
Affections provided the means employed in such
manner as to convince the people that their constitu
tiona rights would be respected. Such policy, there
FORE in the of orce- force must be resorted to
bad the manifest advantage Ct weakening the power Of
the rebellion and strengthening the Government inde
pendenty of the mo al force which dignity and justice
always lend to authority.
policy which Recognized these principles was wise.
y declared by Congress in the beginning of the
and from ervent desire for the preservation OF the
Union in which pride of country and all my interests
citizen entered, not less than from natural i'm
pulse gave that policy my earnest support. Unfor
unatey it too Often cheated of its due effect by the
intrusion of sectional rancor, and the uiicous or
faithful acts of agents Of the Government and when,
at the expiration of year, system Of spolaton and
disfra5c9 isement inaugurated, the rob
bed of its sanctity and success rendered more difficult
of attainment
You have in these few lines, an explanation Of the
motives of my conduct while Was in command, we'll
OF the step which, after twentythree years OF ser
vice, has closed my career soldier and broken up
the professional habits and associations to which
educated, and in which have passed the larger por
ton of my life. l am very far from casting uoavora-
bic reflections upon the Thousands in the SERVICE who,
perhaps, with views similar to my own, have not chosen
my course Few Of them have been similarly situaIedi
and rather commend the patience with which they
have struggled on in positions which must otherwise
have been filled By less scrupuous men, and Ia which
they might mitigate some of the caamties which they
yet could not wholly prevent
Very truly yours
D. O. BuELL.