The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1865-06-22
Letter from Major General uallprk

Under Orders of Gen. Grant Hoac the MID
tary Operations IRE { Conducted.
HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE
JAMES, RICHMOND, Va, June 7, 1865.-Sir
have just received the Army and Macy
GGzette, of May 80, containing an official
publication of Major General Sherman's
of May and 26, with other papers on the
same subject, parts of which had been pre-
viously published in the newspapers. In
these letters and papers General Sherman
has made statements and reflections on my
official conduct which are incorrect and en-
tirely uniustified 10y the facts Of the case
/. He charges that encroached upon his
military command by directing portion of
my troops to march upon Greensboro in
North Carolina.
BY direction of the President, was on
the 10th of April last assigned tothe ''corn-
mand of the Military Division of the James,
as were not occupied by the command of
Major General Sherman" At the time my
troops were ordered to Greensboro, General
Sherman's troops did not occupy that part
of North Cardinal it was occupied by the
enemy, and consequently in my command
as defined by General Orders No II of the
War department ses. .
But whether or not Greensboro or any
part of North Carolina, was in my command,
Gen. SherInan's remarks are equally with
out justification. On the 22d of April,
Lieut. Gen. Grant notified me that Sher
mans arrangement had been disapproved
aud orders given to resume hostilities, and
directed me to move my troops on Danville
and Greensboro, precisely as | did move
them, there to await his further orders My
instructions to General Meade Sheridan
and Wright were just such instructions as
Gen. Grant had directed me to give The
offence, or whatever he may please to call
it, if any there was, of marching my troops
within territory claimed by Gen. Sherman,
was not mine, but Gen. Grants; and all the
abuse which ne has directed upon me for
that act must fall upon the General in Chief
2. Gen. Sherman charges that by march
ing my troops into North Carolina | viola
ted his truce which he was bound to enforce
even at the cost of many lives by a collision
of out respective armies.
Gen Sherman had never sent me his truce
| had never seen it, and did not know its
terms or conditions | only knew that his
truce or arrangement" whatever it was,
had been disapproved and set aside by the
Presidents and Gen: Grant, in ordering the
movement of my troops simply notified lie
OF this fact, and the renewal of hostilities.
Even if Shernian's truce had been binding
to ME, which it was not, | had no knowl
edge of the clause relating to forty-eight
hours notice, tslt is strange that he should
seek to bind me by conditions of the exist
ence of which was ignorant and of which
he had taken no measures to inform me-
But even had / known them, l. could moi
have acted otherwise than | did simply
carried out the order of my superior officer,
| who had seen the truce and knew it's terms
If General Sherman was, under the circum-
stances, justified in stopping the movements
of my troops, even by destroying the com
mands of General Sheridan and Genera
Wright, the responsibility of this sacrifcs
! of human life must have rested either upon
| General Sherman or upon General Grant
for simply obeyed the orders of the latter
| i'll regard to these movements. -si. o. -... =
| General Sherman reflects on me for mo-
going III person to violate, as he is pleased
to call it, truce which he twas bound il
honor to defend and maintain ''eyen a
the. cost of many lives" and upon the
marching powers Of the troops which sen
into North Carolina. In reply to this car
ouly say that ! was not ordered to go will
these troops, but to send them, under thei
commanders. to certain points, there II
await further orders from Lieut.. Gen. Grant
precisely as directed. The troops wer
mostly selected by General Grant, not b,
me; aud as he had commanded them for
year, he probably knew something of thei
capacity for marching, and whether or no
they would ''march their legs off to catch
the treasure for their own use."
3. Again, General Sherman complains
that my orders of April &C. to push for
ward against johnston, s army were giyel
at the very time | knew that that army wa
surrendering to him. rs --etft
| In making this statement he forgets tim
and circumstances. He must have known
that did not have, and could not possibly
have lad, at that time, any official inform
alton OF any new arrangements" between
him aud johnston for the surrender of tn,
latters army. Neither General Sherman
nor any one else could have sent me such
official Information than by sea, which
| would have required several days. | only
knew from General Grant that Sherman
arrangements had been disapproved, tina
orders had been given to resume hostiities
and that was directed by him to push
forward my troops to Greensboro, wher,
they won receive further orders. AL
other information from North Carolina came
from rebel sources.
4. The burden of General Sherman.
complaint on this subje is, that l ordered
Generals Sheridan and Wright to push for
ward their troops as directed by Gen Grant
regardless of any orders from any one ex
cept General Grant" This was simply carry
ing out the spirit of my instructions from
General Grant. He had notified me that
orders had been given to resume hostilities
and had directed me, to send certain troops
to Greensboro to await his further orders. Al
these troops approached the boundaries O
North Carolina Johnston, Beauregard ano
other rebel officers tried, on the alleged
grounds of arrangements with Sherman tc
stop the movements ordered by General
Grant. When Informed of this [ directed
my officers to execute the commands which
General Grant had given to me, regardless
OF orders from any one except General
Grant himself. respectfully submit that
Souiu ho1 nave uoho IcSS "ilhouI heSleCliHS
my duty.
5. General Sherman sneers at my sending
troops from the direction of Burkesvile and
Danville against Davis in North Carolina
as hardly worthy Of my military ednca-
ton and genius" However ridiculous Gen,
Sherman may consider these movements
they were made precisely as General Grant
had directed them.
g. He complains that did not notify him
in regard to Davis aud his stolen treasure.
For the reason that had no communication
open to him. My most direct way of com
with him was through the De
partment at Washington, and sent all
information, to the Department as soon as
it was received. How ever ''absurd" Gen.
Sherman may have considered the informa-
ton, it was given by some of the most reli
ii. hU,n, Al