, 1865-08-04

Il . w
gle life to those gallant men who followed me
from the Mississippi to the Atlantic; and with
out subjecting brave men to the ungratetul task
of pursuing beaten foe that did not want to
fight. l know my motives, and challenge the
instance during the last four years, when an
armed and defiant foe stood before me. that
did not 60 in for fight, and | would blush
for shame if had ever insulted or struck fall
en- foe.
The instant the terms of surrender were ap-
proved by Gen. Grant, made my order No 65,
lassigning to each of my subordinate command
lers his share of the work. and with Gen. Grants
Aapproyal made special order No &C, putting in
lbnoti0n my old army, no longer required in
eNorth Carolina, northEard of Richmond. Gen.
fGrant left Raleigh at a. M, on the 9th; and
l glory in the fact that during his three days
with me, | did not detect in his language or
manner one particle of abatement in the conf
dence and respect and affection that have
listed between us throughout all the various
events of the past war; and although we have
honestly differed in other cases as well as this,
still we respect each other's honest convictions.
shall adhere to my then opinions that by
few general concessions, 'tglittering generali-
ties" all of which in the end must and will be
conceded to the organized States of the South,
this day there would not be armed battalion
! opposed to us within the broad area of the do
minions of the United States. Robbers and as
| sassins must in any event result from the dis
bandment of large armies But these should be
and can be taken care of by the local civil au-
thorties, without being made charge on the
1 National Treasury.
On the evening of the I'd of May, returned to
| Hilton Head and there for the first time re-
! ceived the New York papers of Al pril 28th con-
tanning Secretary Stanton dispatch of a. m.
Of the 9th of April to Gen. Dix, including Gen.
| Haleck' of p. m, the night before, which
! seems to have rushed with extreme haste be-
fore an excited public, viz: morning of the 28th.
You will observe from the dates that these dis
patches were running backward and forth from
Richmond and Washington to New York, and
there published, while Gen Grant and | were
together in Raleigh, N. c., adjusting to the best
of our ability the terms of surrender of the only
remaining formidable rebel army in existence at
the time east of the Mississippi river. Not one
word of instruction had been sent to me of the
displeasure Of the Government with my official
conduct, but only the naked disa2proyal ofa skel-
eton memorandum sent properly for the the ac-
ton of the President of the United States The
most Objectionable feature of my memorandum
had already april 25th) been published to the
world in violation of official usage, and the con-
tents of my accompanying letter to Gen. Halleck,
Gen. Grant and Secretary Stanton, of even date
though at hand, were suppressed In all these
letters had stated clearly and distinctly that
Johnstons army would not fight, but if pushed
would "disband" and scatter into small and
dangerous guerrilla parties, as injurious to the
people of the United States as to the people
themselves; that all parties admitted that the
rebel cause of the South was abandoned, that
the negroes were free that the temper of all
was most favorable to a lasting peace. | say
all these opinions of mine were withheld from
the public with seeming purpose And do
contend that my official experience and former
service, as well as my past life and familiarity
with the people aud geography of the South en-
title my opinions to at least decent respect.
Although this dispatch (Mr. Stanton's of
April 27th,) was printed official, it had come
to me only IN the questionable shape of a news
paper paragraph headed, "Shermans truce dis
regarded" had already done what General
wilson wanted me to do, viz: had sent him sup
4 plies of clothing and food with clear and dis
! tinct orders and instructions how to carry out
i in Western Georgia the terms for the Surrender
Of arms and parolling the prisoners made by
i Gen. Johnstons capitulaton Of April 26, and
had properly and most opportunely ordered Gen
eral Gilmore to occupy Orangeburg and Angus
ta-strategic points of great value at all times,
ln peace and war But as the Secretary had ta-
ken upon himself to order my subordinate gen
! erals to disobey "orders,' | explained to Gen
! Gilmore that l would no longer confuse him or
i Gen. Wilson with "orders" that might conflict
with those fthe Secretary, which, as reported,
were not sent through me, but in open disregard
of me and my lawful authority.
\ 1t now becomes my duty to paint in justly Sc
we're character the still more offensive and dan
gerous character of Gen. Haleck's dispatch of
i April 26th to the Secretary of War, embodied in
his to Gen. Dix of April q. Gen. Halleck had
been chief of staff of the army at Washington,
in which capacity he received my official letter
/ Of April %, where | wrote clearly that if john
! ston's army about Greensboropgh was pushed
| it would "disperse;" an event wished to pre-
/ vent. About that time he seems to have been
sent from Washington to Richmond to command
the new military division Of the James, in as
/ suming charge of VIII ich on the 22d he defines
the limit of his authority to be Che depart
ment of Virginia, the Army of the Potomac,
4 and such part Of North Carolina as may not be
occupied by the command of Major General
Sherman" See his General Orders, No. |. !
Four days later april 26) he reports to the
Secretary that he had ordered General Meade,
Sheridan and Wright to invade that part of
North Carolina which was occupied by my COM
mand, and to pay ono regard to any truce or or
der of mine. They were ordered to "push for
ward regardless of any orders save those of 1t.
Gen. Grant, and cut off Johnstons retreat. -
He knew, at the time he wrote that dispatch
and made those orders, that Johnston was not
retreating, but was halted under a forty ight
uOuIS truce Win me- anu was laDOIlhB w sur
render his command and prevent its dispersion
into guerrilla bands, and that had on the spot
a magnificent army at my command, amply suf-
fcent for all purposes required by the occasion.
The plan of cutting off a retreat from the direc-
ton of Burkesville and Danville is hardly wor-
thy of one of his military education and genius.
When he contemplated act SO questionable
! as the violation of a truce made by competent
authority, he should have gone himself and not
sent subordinates, for he knew / was bound in
honor to defend and maintain my own truce and
pledge of faith even at the cost of many lives.
When an officer pledges the faith of his Govern
ment he is bound to defend it, and he is no SOL
dier who would violate it knowingly.
AS to Davis and his stolen treasure, did Gen.
Haleck, as chief of staff, or commanding Off
Ger of the neighboring military division, notify
me of the facts contained in his dispatch to the
Secretary No, he did not. If the Secretary
of War wanted Davis caught, why not order, in
stead of publishing it in the newspapers, putting
him on his guard to hide away and escape2 No
orders or intmation to arrest Davis or his stolen
treasure ever came to me, but, on the contrary,
vas led to believe that the Secretary of War
rather preferred he should escape from the
country, if it was made Unknown" to him.
But even on this point inclOss a copy Of my