The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1864-03-19
A .sTARTIING DISCLOSURE"

A few DAYS ago the New York Tribune
90, IN a small sensation by publishing a
statement to the etiec. that a written CON
munication had bsen sent to the War De
2artmen,. froa, citizen Of Maryland and
cousin by marriage o: the rebe! general
LEE, in VIII Csc hease Gen. LEE stayed dur
lug the battle Of AntIetam, in which com
munlca:ioa Secretary Sta nton wasinio-ine Oh
that, en- the nigh. after the battle, LEE
sent messenger 10 MCCLELLAN asking
personal interview, and that. IN accordance
with the request, McCLELI.AN rode through
the lines tina, night, aud had Al Interview
with LEE inside the rebel lines. During
that interview LEE told NcCLELrAS his
army was then crossing the Potomac.
The Tribune, we suppose, In publishing
this intell!s ence, inc agn.d 1t was iuimIn-
atins most damaging disclosure against
no doas., in tie circumstance that LEE
hal drawn McCLELI.,S in a trap for the
purpose of putting the latter into a posi-
tioa where sense CT honor Oh; deter
him from a purs uis Of ths easny across
tho Potomac, since the knowledge OF the
rs<rea. was gained by the voluntary tesii-
monv Of the enemy himself, and, oy m
ference, under pledge Of secrecy But It
seems that the person through whom al
this wonderful deye,o onsat WIS made has
written to the Washington Chronic!e TO
correc, some Sigh. errors N the story
In the first place, he il no. cousin OF don
ROBERT E LEE. S-coadly. LEE csr.e
through the Union liaes 10 meet AcC.EI.
IAN, instead Of Mcclellan i:oin. through
the rebel lines. Thirdly. the Hsrylaad
man lives some ten miles from the battle
field of Antieiam. Foarthiy. the inter-
view took place Tires or fo,r day; a'tsr tie
battle. There are oth.- points OF differ
ence, but they are NO, material. 1t may
turn ont, in addition, that there WAS not
aay such interview a al. One Mrs. Grimes
>is saic. to have given several reasons for not
lending her tub In the fr.. place. the
hoops were all off Secondly. the bottom
was gone Thirdly. she wanted 10 Use il
herself Fourthiy, she had already len,
il. And filthy, she never had any tub
Now. We don't really know whether Len
ever was within McCLELiASs lines under
safeguard at III ali bu, if he was, what o.
it? If the interview tonk place, We ven
ture that Secretary STANTON or Gen Hat.
LICK, or the President knew OF it at the
time, and Of everything thereat Nor, if
true, is it the only iims that personal in
teryisws have been held hetwee military
representatives Of the Confederate and TIE
Federal authorities The cartel fex>
change was arranged in person between
General DIX, Of the Union, and General
HILL, of the .rebe! arm es. The meeting
Of General GRANT and General PEMBERTox,
on the Sd of July last, near Fick.burs, is
fresh in everybolys remen brancs. In
short, there have been numberless instan-
ces during the war OF conversations. brief
or pretracted, between Union and Confed
crate Generals on terms OF mutual court
esy We presume the enemies of McCLEI.-
Ian would like to make out tina; the all
lodged rendezvous after the battle Of An
tietam was sought by that officer for the
purpose Of betrayins the Army of the
Potomac. or doing something to benefit
the rebellion. Much as he is hated by the
Radicals, wo must think there are few who
could be induced to believe him guilty Of
any such dishoi orable ard treacherous
ceaduct.-.S Louis Republican.