Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1865-03-15

90 Chat the enemys numerical suner;o!;,r nnlcted;
duced dAiiy and rapidly, and No could rs.e"ssl re-
nave expected to cope with the Federal ARM
equal ground oy the time the Cattahoochaa' oh
passed. defeat on this side of the riva- "sS
nave been its destruction. We, if beaten hs Ua'u
place OF refuge in Atlanta too strong to bs ,saa.
Cd and too extensive to be invested had b""l
also' that 6y the breaking of the railroad II ~
rear the Federal army might be compelled ~ =. us
ack US IN position of our own CHOOSING " ~ ~
retreat, easily converted into = rout A. ~.
crossed the Etowah, five detachments of o. we
were successfully sent, with instructions to dairy
as much as they could of the railroad betwoon
ton and the Etowah. all failed because too ua'
We,eouid never spare sufficient BODY of c,vss.I
Tor tbs service; as its assistance was ahcol".ai
necessary IN the defence of every position wa ~
cupied. Captain Harvey, an officer Of rra.t NC oc
age and sagacty, was detached on this ss. uuur'
with one hundred men, on the 18th of June 49,
ma'ned tor several weeks near the railroad ~
quently lnterrupting, although not strong enonnh
70 prevent its use. Early in the camnaipn ~
statements OF the strength Of the cavalry in thu
department OF Mississippi and East Louisiana DIV
en- me by Leutenat General Polk, lust from e sho
command of that department. and NV sola ou Tue
correspondence with bis successor Lieutena1t Goa
eral s. u. Lee, gave me reason to hone that NV.
petent force could be sent from Mississinn; 0ns
Alabama to prevent tho use of the railroad nv ,ha
United states army. therefore Suggested 4 :.
the President directly, on the 18th Of .Inns .nJ
10th Of july and through Gen. Bragg on tho ao.h a
19sh, 18th, 18th and Goth Of June: and Also ~
Lieutenant General Lee on the 10th of Nav and
90 llth and 10th Of June. did so in the bslief
tnat TINS caval:y would serve the Confeder.cv
better by causing the defeat Of Major Gsn.S:t
ShermAn'S army than bv ranall;,,, G"ueiA
sippi CIV Al n'ss's-
Besides the causes of my removal, altered in tho
telegram announcing it various other accus,t;on.
nave been made against me-some puhlishad -
newspapers 10 such a manner as to appear tn h,ra
official authority, and others circulated or.llu 10
deorgls and Alabama and imputed to Gen. Rr,o.
, Inc principal are that persistenty disrepardssS
the instructions of the President; that vo1I mt
ngnt the enemy that refused to defend Atlsnt,
tnat reused 70 communicate with Gen. Bragg in
relation to the operations of the army that dc
regarded his entreaties to change nv course .ns
attack the enemy; and gross exaggerations of the
losses of the army. VI 'ne
had not the advantage Of receiving the presi-
dents instructions in relation to the mama. ~
conducting the campaign. But as the conduct "f
my predecessor IN retreating before odd, less than
those confronting me, has apparently been .nnrov.
cd ana Is Gen. Lee, in keeping on the defensive
and retreating towards Grants objective point nm.
der circumstances like mine, was adding to hi.
great 'sne, both In the estimation of the Admins.
trstlon and people, | supposed that nv course
would not De censured. believed then as do
now that It was the only ono at my command
which promised success. N1'D"Ao
shluk that the foregoing narrative shows that
the army Of Tennessee did fight, and with At least
as much effect As it has ever done be6ora ''
The proofs that l intended to hold Atant, an.
the fact that under my orders the work Of strength
ening Its defsnces was going on vporonslv tha
communication on the subject made by mn ~ Gan
Hood, and the fact that my family was in the town
That the public workshops were removed and M
large supplies deposited in the town, as alleged bv
uen' Bragg were measures of common prudence
ana no more indicated the intention to abandon the
pace than the sending the wagons of an army to
the rear on day of battle proves A forecone de-.
termination to abandon the field,
While Zen. Bragg was at Atlanta about the.mid.
dle OF July, VIC had no other conversation concern.
Ing the army there than such as / introduced. He
ssKeo me no questions regarding its operations.
past or future; made no comments upon them no.
SUGGESTIONS and had not the slightest reason to ann.
pose mat Atlanta would not be defended He told
me That the object of bis journey was to confer with
Lieutenant General Lee. and communicate With
zen. f. Il. Smith in relation to reinforcements for
me- He talked much more of affairs in Virginia
s u, IN Georgia, asserting, what believed, that
oner"sh s. army outnumbered Grants, and i'm
unofficial. w ''' "'''
A copy ofa brief report by Gen. Hood acoomp.-
Most respectfully,
-FOUR obedient servant,
q