Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1865-05-18
Hon. Thomas Ewing on the
Sberman-JObnstOn Ne
collation..

The Cincinnati Commercial on Monday
prints the following communication from
Hon. Thomas Ewing respecting the Sher-
mani ohnston Negotiation
FROM THE HON. THOMAS EWING
The public papers, which defended Gen.
Sherman against the attacks made on him
for his transaction with Johnston, including
the capture and surrender of the rebel ar
my, generally assume it, as a foregone con-
cluson, that he made nistdke, yet no one
has shown us wherein the mistake consisted,
and venture to say no one can show any
thing in the matter, either in principle or
in detail, inception or result, to which the
most punctilious can object. ] refer, az a
matter Of course, to what he in fact did, not
to what is assumed for him or falsely impu-
ted to him. The actual facts plainly told,
are these
On the 18th day Of April had
Johnston so hemmed in that he must either
fight or surrender. On that day, and in
this condition Of things, the two gentlemen
met and discussed not only the surrender of
the army under Johnston, but the other
rebel force in the South and West, in the
expressed hope that they might save further
effusion Of blood As the proposed action,
except so far as concerned forces under the
command Of each, was beyond their power,
they agreed to aususpension Of hostilities,
stnfu qpo until each could consvt with, and
obtain the instructions Of those in power
Sherman, of course, that Of the President
of the United States and his Cabinet. liz
reported at once, and received instruction.
to confne himself to the mere military sur
render of the rebel troops in his power. -
He accordingly received the surrender o
Johnston with his 27, 900 men with thei
arms and munitions Of war, precisely 'wha
he would have done. had the Cabinet dlrec
ted him not to negotiate, but without any
attempt to excite public clamor. This il
all Sherman did and all he proposed to do
until he should receive instructions from
the Department. He held Johnston anC
his army firmly, he lost no advantage whicl
he could have gained had he attacked
Johnston Immediately without negotiating
| but saved, no doubt, the effusion of blood
| Now, am at loss to find the mistake. =
/ Was it in the propositions which were sen
to the President and Cabinet g? They ar
greatly misrepresented in the Secretaay
bulletin. But it is no matter what the.
were. they came with no authority. Sher
man assumed none, but simply sent tn
proposition to be passed upon by the CaD
met. Stigma" a very able writer in tn
Commercial, and one who represents tn
case fairly, is of opinion that the PROPOSE
tions were themselves the best pracaticble
1t may be so, and probably is; but a year
experience will show us.
But, in this matter General Sherma
could hardly be charged with thinking fo
himself. The propositions submitted wer
conceived in the spirit of Mr.. Lincoln $ la,
= speech, which Gen. Sherman had no dou'
: seen, as it was in all the public prints; an
} there is no proof, and, indeed, no pretens
e that he had seen Mr.. Liucoln's instruction
a to Gen. Grant, with which the proposition
4 are so elaborately contrasted in the Secret
rvs bulletin The propositions may be Il
best, or the worst possible. but. in eith'
case, have yet to learn that there was
mistake in making them known to the Pres
ident.