The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-02-12

ssnndsses in Gsnsrs Johpssons sb nii thai SENATORS
ssem V have but had twice yielded 70 ta wishes the
bs own judgment The President thought thai be could
not % yield third time, and, In his hr % opinion,
sr w,eyIIl br ely responded 10 the remarks or the
esnator from Louisiana- The demand, said he, for
the restorat on Of General Johnston was genera. and
.si. I snssf he comes to the s TIA. there
Ia no desire enthusiasm on the subject The
gentleman had characterized the debate on this subject
As an effort right the personal wrongs OF officer
He did not stand in the Senate 70 right the personal
wrongs Of any man. He there to right his country
Johnston alone was No matter how much that
gallant ofcer may have suffered by the injustice heaped
upon him; but be maintained that the whole country
felt deep interest In t. Tho people with almost ono
voice. had demanded his restoration and yet the Presi-
dent had refused obey. The President had become
cut and he has mot for years been in communication
with them II Is long since he has felt the pusaton Of
the popular heart They have been taught 70 believe
nant He INF WigfalD had no charge to make; he had
NO private griefs personal wrongs to complain Of
an unkind word Of him But he desired to see the Chief
MAGISTRATE reinsaed in the confidence Of the people, and
the s sep 70 ne
eman from Louisiana says II calamity befals the co IN.
try by the refusal OF the President 70 rensate General
W his country destroyed
IL be very small consolation 70 him 70 be informed
and the people call upon the President to use his
ertions accomplish that end They want General John
restored command Some good changes had lately
taken place, but more necessary. There WAS dead
wood in the Cabinetwhch must he cleaned and IL Q
men put in instead The Senator says General Johnston
mas no. m %
great captain that Senator's aver he s then Is not ut
tie remarkable that tho people have thrice raised
HIM. l tell you (said Mr.. WigfalD he stands on the
record OF the most successful generals OF his day.
and when those documents and letters which have been
vapaa cnll fin forthcoming
that assertion will be sustained beyond doubt the
Senator wants facts, let him get the whole Of the cor
tary operations in Northern Georgia, and not garbod
extracts Why asked he, is the correspondents in re-
70 hear 90 much allowed TO sumber among the rubbish
in the War Oce9 10 II because Pensron had an order
from Ricanynd n his pocsa 70 hold vGksn.g 9. al
Johnston Of tho movements Of Grant before vicksburg
was surrendered and inquired what course he ahoud
sponded attack him At once, and viii cooperate
with you" Did Pemberton stack No Doubtless
he had orders from Richmond not 70 attack
Of General Johnston who tod him that II he carried his
heed Johnstoni No He marched his army back into
the doomed city, and was compelled 70 surrender Fem
beron wrote 10 Johnston TO propose TO Grant TO let him
was that Of soldier "No; II make such proposition
II will be admission Of my weakness" But said
MAKE any So ss.e u'
viii cooperate with you" This Pembcrton agreed TO-
and Johnston started with his army TO the point desg
camo up and informed him that vicksburg and the gar
rson had been surrendered. In the september Of 81
's no s
pie Of that State an opportunity 70 rise and
then march against Washington. The plan was made
approved IT, To do this he wanted sixty thousand men,
and the President was applied to TO reinforce him with
were fused, and the army did not cross This sams
allng back general was also opposed to the retreat
from Centrev and gave his reasons for It at that time
against his Judgment the mandate issued by the
chief Executive at Richmond, and the army fell back
Mr. sEsMn-I have understood differently. have
always heard that Johnston favored the evacuation Of Gen.
treyile, and asked where he should stop.
Mr. WlovArI,-J know this movement the subject
OF discussion in Richmond at the me He bore II like
good soldier N silence WITH not one wora o. COMPLIANT M
Judgment I throw down the gauntlet There is way
get the facts OF the Call for the correspond
ence and you will see that am correct ! assert that
d falling bak Jrcw Csarev.lk Uasby o,dev # ne Prrs-
dat hinsaH Mr. wigall then briefly reviewed the Pen
was ordered 70 the Peninsula without consulting him.
He asked 10 be allowed 10 CO. No sooner had he sur
yeyed the ground than his military eye saw that
great military blunder and he 70 expressed himself
His plan was bring the troops from the CArolinss
to keep bis army Richmond, and allow Magruder TO
fall back slowly before Mc ellan and, when the latter
nsared the Chickahomny, he would strike him crush
ing blow. General Johnston objected 10 tho position at
Yorktown that Mctlefan with ono hundred and forty
OF his guns OF position and that before he could
then got to Williamsburg Mcclellan would land at Ethan
and 10 on his way Richmond. The result proved tho
correctness OF his judgment Johnston evacuated his
position the night before Mcclellan was about TO open
upon him. and when he got TO Ethan Caseys corps was
already there Mr. Wigfal then reviewed the campaign
from Dalton 70 Atlanta No fair criticism be made upon
Gen Johnsons campaign without considering fully and
fairly the condition country Of the army when he
the command Of the latter The army had been
routed at Missionary Ridge under the leadership OF
gen raj in whom tho President had such confidence that
dtafa In m
Of the Confederate Ststes routed because II the bad
coudrct or the ps tho President informed the Con-
rress after the disaster and when he must
have all the facts and while they were yet fresh
in his memory II torn with dsscnsions filed with
and organized into caeas and the
great organizer and discplinaran General Bragg
Mr. srxMss-Has the Senator ever seen the letter OF
General Hardoe speaking Of its excellent condition be-
fore General Johnston assumed the commando
Mr. WIGYALI-- No, am not member Of the Cabne, or
Of privy council and have therefore, no access to
the private correspondence o. me rrcseen py winch
Mr. sENxEs-Docs the gentleman intend that rs surf
Mr.. WlaFALL-Take IL In Pickwickian sense. How
admirable the cation OF this army General
Hardee was not wiling TO risk his reputation with t.
General Johnston was, and be had hardly assumed the
command DO ore all antagonisms were removed, all dis
sensions dspeed and all cabas broken up Peace har
rnony and confidence wore established In their stead
Sherman object to cut the communications between
this place and the Gulf States and the Mississippi valley
His objective point the Montgomery Opeka, Macon,
II II aud Augusta road Till he reached that our com
mupications were open When he reached Atlanta he
was still one hundred miles from that road The fall
of Atlanta, therefore, without the defeat Of our
army was Of military importance Atlanta,
therefore, scarcely II the stakes In this
sreat game OF war Mnlcdgevills, Macon, Mont
gomcry Mobile, Columbus, Augusta, Savannah Colum
bia and Charesto those and the railroads connecting
then wore staked on the table on the sde and all
the territory to the Ohio river the other For thces
stakes Johnston and Sherman we're 70 play. The de-
structon OF army the other decided the game.
Yet General Johnston required by the President TO
deliver battle At or front OF Dalton. Whist his
situation thonS Sherman had been reinforced by two
corps Johnston had then received reinforCcnents
His army had boon routed and driven from behind
brcastwors by Sherman before 10 had been reinforced
He required, with the defeated army, " drive the
victorious army from lis ntrenchncnfs posted upon
ground selected by sherman Was he right not TO RISK
battles II he suffered defeat sherman held 10 the
Gulf II he succeeded could anything moro be accom-
plished than victory without fruitsf sherman could
fall back behind other dcfepccs aud could Johnston,
with shattered army continue Ia assault I'LL his adver
sary Destroyed Would his own destruction not have
be0n moro probabsy II bth lay behind The trenches
exhausted but neither crushed sherman had all Eureps
from which 70 recruit Where could Johnston and the
material with which 10 oil the saps made In his armyi
This view seemed 70 have occurred 10 Tho Prcs-
dent lincoln, Mcdowell tcls ne said, at council Of
otEcc In of ha NOT