The Columbia daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1865, 1865-05-19
General Johrston's Manifesto.

manifesto which follows, fronl the hands
OF General Johnston. It'so clearly pre-,
sents the condition Of things under which
he acted, and SO completely justifes his
action, that, hereafter, al! ca Wiling, if there
had been any before. must be fully 81
lenced: and every doubt, touching the
Propriety of his course. must be set at rest
forever. Mr. Davis, with portion of his
Cabinet, es we are told, was present. and
fully concurred in the original terms
agreed upon by Generals Sherman and
Johnston, but whirh were afterwards re-.
pudiated by the President of the United
States. it is the IN dit that the army of
Tennessee got no portion of the public
treasure; an'l large proportion Of them
had been serving for two years without
pay The treasure taken off by Mr.. Davis
is said 10 have been finally distributed
among his escort when he dismissed them
from farther ATTENDANCE upon him-if, in
deed, he ever did dismiss them. On this
score, there arg several conflicting ac-
counts in :he details which lave reached
US. If he did disr,iss his escort, his plan
was TO divert the attention Of his pursu-
ers from himself to his escort, seeking his
safety alone. or with only few attend
ants. in another direction But, then, we
have report Of bloody conflict imme-
diately preceding his capture, in which
many were slain ON bot! sides
In returning to the letter Of General
Johnston, which is meant for the people of
the territory over which his command ex.
tended, we have only to congratulate the
country in the possession Of great cap
tain, at such a uncture, distinguished by
so much wisdom, moderation and lust
regard to humanity. No other course
coull have been pursued by any states.
man:
CHARLOTTE, May 6, 1sc5.--IIavine made
a. mliltarv convention with Muis Gen.
Sherman TO terminate hostii,es in North
and South Carolina. Georgia and Florida.
1T seems to me proper to show to the peo-
pie Of these States the condition of mill
tary affairs which rendered that measure
absolutely. necessary. On the 26th OF
April, the day OF the convention, bv the
returns of the three Lieutenant.G C enerals
of the army Of Tennessee, Chat under nv
comGland,} the number OF infantry and
artillery present aud absent was 7O,5lO;
the number present lS,5TS; the effective
total or fighting force was lt,l79 Lieut..
Gen. Hampton's last return that car. find
was dated April Z. when his effective total
of cavalry was $40. But between the
9Th and 2G'h, it was much reduced by the
effects of events in Virginia and appre-
henslen OF surrender. In South Carolina
we had Young's division of cavalry, Cess
than 10000 besides Reserves and State
troops: together, mud1 inferior to the
Federal force in that State In Florida
we were relatively as weak. In Georgia
our inadequate force had been captured in
Macon. In Lieut.. Gen. Taylors depart
ment, there were no means Of opposing
the formidable army under Gen Cauby,
which had taken Mobile; nor the cavalry
under Gen. Wilson, which had captured
every other place Of military. Importance
West of Augusta. The latter had been
stopped at Macon Ey the armistice, as we
had been near Greensboro. But its dis
tancc from Augusta being less than half
ours, that place was in its power To
carry on the war, therefore, we had to
depe~d on the army Of Tennessee alone
The United States could have brought
against i. twelve o: fifteen times its num-
Der in the armies of Generals Grant
Sherman and Candy. With such odds
against us-without the means of procur.
ing ammunition or repairing arms-wi,h-
out money OF credit to provide food-it
was impossible tu continue the war ex-
cept rs robbers. The only consequences
OF prolonging the struggle would have
been the destruction Of onr remnant of an
army-the best ard BRAY est men who had
served the Confcderacy--and great suffer
ing of women and children by the deso!a
ton and ruin inevitable from the marching