The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1865-06-01
GENERAL SHERMAN.
An Abstract Of his Report.
His Dispatchto to GeneraIGrant.
An Interesting Decument.
Cpraaa nisnafeh


Gen. Sherman's report, covering impOr-
| tant points, is published. 1t contains
the following dispatch 10 Gen. Grant:
HEADQ'Rs MIL. Div OF THE Miss,
In THE FIELD, :
RALEIGH, N. c., April %, 1865. }
GENERAL: Since you left ME yesterday
have seen the New York Times of the
oath, containing a budget Of military
news authenticated by the signature OF
the Secretary of War, which is grouped
in such way as to give very erroneous
impressions. 1t embraces a copy Of the
basis of agreement between myself and
Gen. Johnston of April 10th, with COM
mentaries which it will be time enough
to discuss two or three years hence, after
the Government has experimented a
little more in the machinery by which
power it reaches the scattered people OF
the vast area of country known as the
South; but in the meantime, think that
my rank, if not past service, entitled me
at least to the respect of fkeeping secret
what was known to none but the Cabinet
until further inquiry could have been
made, instead of giving publicity to doc
uments I never saw, and drawing in-
ferences wide of the truth.
never saw OF had furnished me a
copy of President Lincolns dispatch to
you of the 5th of March, until after the
agreement, nor did Mr.. Stanton or any
human being ever convey to me its sub
stance or anything like it; bnt on the
contrary, / had seen Gen. WeitzePs inyi-
tation to the Virginia Legislature, made
in Mr. LincOln's very presence. and had
failed to discover any other official notice
of plan of reconstruction, OF any idea
calculated to allay the fears OF the peo-
ple of the South, that after the destrnc-
tion of the armies and civil authorities
they would be left without any govern
ment at all. We should not drive peo-
pie into anarchy, and it is simply impos-
sible for our military power to reach all
the resources Of their unhappy country.
/ confess did not wish to break General
JohnstOn's army into bands of armed
men, moving about without any purpose
and capable only of infinite mischief;
but you saw on your arrival that l had
my army so disposed that his escape was
only possible in disorganized shape,
and as You did not choose to direct my
operations in this quarter, infer yOn
were satisfied with the military situa-
ton. At all events, the instant learn
ed, what was proper enough, the disap-
proyal of the President, acted in such
manner as to compel the surrender OF
Gen. Johnston's army on the same terms
you prescribed to Gen. Lees army, when
you had it surrounded and in your abb
solute power.
Mr.. Stanton, in stating that my orders
to General Stoneman were. likely to result
in the escape of Mr. Davis to Mexico or
Europe, is in deep error. Stoneman was
not at Salisbury then, but had gone back
to Statesville. Davis was beyond him.
By turning towards me he was approach
ing Davis, and had he Joined me as order
ed, I would have had mounted force
greatly needed for that and other pur-
poses. But even now don't know that
Mr. Stanton wants Davis caught, and as
my official papers, deemed sacred, are
hastily published to the world, it will be
imprudent for me to state what has been
done in that respect.
As the editor of the Times has it, the
conclusion may be logically and fairly
drawn from the singular document that
/ am insubordinate. l can only deny the
intention. have never in mylife ques
toned or disobeyed an order, though
many and many time have risked my
life and health and reputation in obey
ing orders or even hints to execute plans
and purposes not to my liking. 1t is not
fair to withhold from me the plans and pol
10y, If any there be, and expect ME to guess
at them, as facts even appear quite differ
ent from different stand points,
For four years have been in camp deal:
ing with soldiers, and can assure you
that the conclusion at which the Cabinet
arrived with such singular unanimity,
differs from mine. / conferred freely with
the best officers in this army rs to the
points involved in this controversy, and
strange to say they were singularly unan-
imous in the other conclusion, and they
will learn with pain and amazement that
l am deemed insubordinate and wanting
in common sense; that ], who, in the
complications Of last year, worked day
and night, summer and winter, for the
cause and the Administration, and who
have brought an army of 10000 men in
magnificent style across a country deem
cd impassable aud placed it just where
it was wanted almost on the day appoint
ed, have brought discredit on our Gov
ernment. / do not wish to boast of this,
but do say that it entitled me to the
courtesy of being consulted before pub
fishing 60 the world a proposition right
fully submitted to higher authorities for
adjudication, aud which, accompanied by
other statements, caused the press tO let
loosa unon ma II ia true that non COM
batants who sleep in comfort and secnri-
ty while we watch on the distant line,
are better able to Judge than We soldiers
who rarely see newspaper, hardly can
hear from our families, or stop long
enough to get our pay. I envy not the
task of reconstruction and am delighted
that the Secretary has relieved me of it.
As you did not undertake to assume
the management of my army, infer that
YOU arrived at different conclusion
from that of the Secretary of War; will
therefore execute your orders to their
conclusion, and when done will. with in
tense satisfaction, leave to the civil au-
thorities the execution of the task OF
which they seem to be so jealous; but as
honest man and soldier invite them an
to follow my path, for they may see and
hear something that may disturb their
philosophy.
With sincere respect,
Tsigned] W. TSSHERMAN,
Major Gen. Coin'ding.
To Lieut.. Gen. U. s. GRANT, General-in.
Chief, Washington.
As Mr. Stanton's singular paper has
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