The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1865-06-09
government amended. altered or absolutely

annuled those terms.
was hurt and ANNOYED that Mr.. STAN
Ton coupled with the terms of my men,
orandum eonfded to him. copy of a tel
egram to Gen. Grant. which he has never
sent to me. He knew. on the contrary,
that when he was at Savannah l had ne
SoflatlonS with civil parties there. for he
was present in my rooms when those par
ties were conierrlng with Inc, and wrote
him letter setting forth the MANY points
OF ii in which | said l aimed TO make a
split in JEFF. Davis dominions by segresa
ting Georgia from their cause: those were
civil negotiations. and far from being dis
eourased from making them. | was en-
couraged by Secretary Stanton himself 10
make them.
by coupling the note 10 Gen. Grant
with my memorandum he gave the world
fairly and clearly to infer that / WAS in
possession Of il now WAS moi in pos
session OF H. and | have reason TO know
that MIR, stanton knew WAS not in pos
session of it.
Next met HE Gen. lIalleck's telegram
indorsed by Mr. Stanton. In which they
publicly aSowe,l an Act of periidy. name
ly, the violation OF INV terms. which 1
had a right 10 make, and which. bv The
laws of war and by the laws of Congress.
is punishable 10y death and no other pun
ishment
Next, they ordered an army TO pursue
my enemy, who WAS known 10 be sllrrer-
dering TO me. in presence of Gen. Grant
himself t1hclr superior oiiicer). and finally
they sent orlers to Gen. Wilson and TO
Gen Thomas, my >ribordinates. acting
under me, on a plan of most magnificent
scale, admirably executed, to defeat NV
orders and tlwaIt the Interests ofthe GOV
ernment of the nited States did feel
indignant; do feel Indignant As TO
my OWN honor. can protect il
In my letter of the 18th Of April |
used this language: | have invited Gov
Vance TO return 10 Raleigh with the civil
officers of llis State did 80 because
President Lincoln had himself encouraged
me to 4 similar course with the governor
of Georgia when | was In Atlanta. and
here WAS an opportunity which the secre-
t;lry OF war should have taken 10 put me
on my guard against making Terms with
the civil authorities. if such WAS the set
tied policy of our government. Had Pre-
Sident Lincoln lived, know he would
have sustained me."
Gen. Sherman says: The news OF
President Lineoln's assassination OH the
lith of April. (wrongly reported 10 me by
telegraph as having occurred on the Ilth).
reached me on the l,lh. and WAS an-
nouncel TO my command the same dav. /
was duly impressed with it> horrible atroc-
ity, and the probable etfoct upon The conn
Try: but when the property and Interests
of millions still living were involved. |
SAW no good reason 10 change my course.
but thought rather 10 manifest a real re-
Spect for hi> memory hv following after
his death that policy which. if living. |
felt certain he woulI have approved. or,
al least. not rejected with di~llin.
Up 10 that hour had never received
one word OF instruction. advice or counsel
a. TO the plan r,.G- -.i' ,l.a .rn,.',,,.,...,,
looking 10 the Restoration "t peace on 1he
part of the rebel States of the South. and
whenever WAS asked ior an opinion on
the points involved. had always e,aded
the subject Ny letter 10 the maror OF
Atlanta has been published 10 the world.
and | WAS not rebukol l.y the w,lr depart
ment for it.
Thus was surrendered 10 u> the second
great army of The >o-callel Conieleracr.
and though undue Importance wa, given
10 the sc-called negotiations which preeed-
ed IL and rehuke and public diSfaror casf
on HE wholly unwarranied bv facts, l re
loloe Ia saying ii was accomplished with
ont further ruin and devastation 10 the
country. without the loss oi a sinrle if;.
70 those gallant men who followed he
from the Mi~~iS~ippi io The Atlantic.
and without sulieciin" The brave men to
an ungricious task of pursuing a fleeing
foe thai did not want 10 fight. A for
myself l know my motives, anl cllalleilat.
an instance during the past four Years
wherein an armed and defiant foe stood
before ne that | did MOI 20 i'm for a fight.
and would blush for shame If had erer
insllltel or struck fallen foe.
In letter TO Gen. Grant, dated April
2S. Gen Sherman say. ia reference 10
Gen. Stanion's commentaries on H. lri>is
OF agreement with Johnston: II think
my rank. If not my service. entitled nae al
ic:ist 10 The respect OF keeping secret what
was known to none lui the cabinet until
further inquiry could have been made. in
stead of giving publicity TO documents l
never saw. and drslwin- differences wide OF
the truth. 1 ncHer saw, or had furnished
me, a copy OF President Lincoln's dispatch
10 YOU of the 9TH of March until after The
agreement Nor dill Mr.. Stanton. or any
other human heing, convey TO me IL sub
stance, or anything like ii; but. on the
contrary. had seen Gen. Weiizel's invi-
tation 10 the Virginia legislature. made ia
Mr. Eneoln's Very presence, and failed 70
discover any other official notice of plan
of reconstruction or any idea calculated
TO allay the fears OF the people of the South
that after the destruction of Their armi,.S
or civil authorities they would be left
without amy government at all.
L did not wish to break Gen. -Iohnsfon's
army into bands OF armed men moving
about the country without puposc. and