The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1865-06-07
WHOLE NO. 45l.

Cen. sherman's Dispatch to Grant.
An abstract Of Gen. Sherman's report,
covering important points, is published. -
1t contains the following: @T
HEApoas. Mil. Div. OF the MISSISSIPPI,
IN TIE FIELD, RALEIGH, N. c.,
April 2Sth, 1865. .-
GENERAL-Since you left me yesterday,
I lave seen the New York Times of the
"a h, con,a' ming budget Of military news
by the signature of the sec
re'ary Of war, which grouped in such a
way as to give very erroneous impressions
1t embraces copy Of the basis Of agree
ment be!w, en- myself and Gen. Johnston.
Of April -, with commentaries which i,
will be time enough to discuss two or three
years hence. after the government has ex.
perienced little more in the machinery By
v hich power reaches the scattered people
Of the vast srea Of country known a. the
8 u'h. But. in the meantime, do think
that my rank, II not past sc, vice, entitled
me At Last to the respect of keeping secre,
what was known TO none but the cabine,
until further inquiry could have been made,
instead Of giving publicity to documents |
never saw, and drawing inferences wide Of
the truth. ] never saw or had furnished
me copy Of President Lincoln's dispatch
70 you Of the 9Th OF March, until after the
agreement, nor did Mr.. Stanton, or any
human being, ever convey to me its sub
stance or anything like il; but, on the con
Irary, I had seen Gen. Wvitzsrs invitation
to the Virginia legislature, made in Mr.
dis cover any other tfficial notice Of the
plan Of reconstruction, or any idea calcu-
lated to allay the fears of the people Of the
south, that, after the destruction Of the
armies and civil authorities, they would be
left without any government At all. We
should no: drive people into anarchy, and
It is simply impossible for our military
power to reach all the resources of their
country. I confess I did not
wish to break Gen. Johnston's army into
bands Of artn' men, moving about with
out purpose, and capable only Of infinit.
mischief. But you saw, on your arrival.
that had my army so disposed that his
e >cape was only possible in q disorganiz. d
shape, and, ss you did not choose to direct
military operations in this quarter, l infer
YOU were satisfied with the military situa-
ton. At al events, the instant learned
what was proper enough. the disapprovsl
of the president, acted in such a manner
as to compel the surrender of Gen. John
ston's whole army on the same terms you
prescribed to Gen. Lees army, when you
had it surrounded and in your absolute
power.
Mr. Stanton, in stating that my orders 10
Gen. Stoneman were likely to result in the
escape Of Mr.. Davis to Mexico or Europe,
is in deep error. Stoneran was not al
Salisbury then, but had gone back to
Statcsville. Davis was behind him By
turning toward me he was approaching
Davis, and had he joined me as ordered. |
would have had mounted force, greatly
needed for that and other purposes; but
even now don't know that Mr.. Stanton
wants Davis caught, and as nv official pa
pers, deemed sacred, are hastily published
to the world, it will be imprudent for me tt
state what has been done in that respect
as the editor Of the Times has. 1t may b.
logically and fairly drawn from this singu
lar document-the conclusion that I a.,
insubordinate. can only deny the inten
ton. | have never in my life questioned
or disobcyed an order, though many and
many time have rIsked my life. anG
health, and reputation, in obcying order.
or even hints to execute plans or purposes
not to my liking. 1t is not fair to withhold
from me plans and policies, if any there be
and expect me to gue.s at thtm as facts
and even appear quite different from diff
erent stani points.
For four years I have been in camp
dealing with soldiers, and can assure you
that the conclusion at winch the csbine
arrived with such singular unaniuity differ,
from mine. conferred freely with tn,
best officers in this army as to the point:
involved in this controversy, and. strarg,
to say. they were singularly unanimous II
the other conclusion, and they will learr
with pain and smaz ment that am deemed
insurbordinate and wanting in common
s.nse-that I. who. in the complication o
last year. worked day and night, summe,
and winter, for the cause and the admins
tration, and who have brought an army o
e. 900 men, in magnificent style. across
country dcemed impossible, and placed
just where it was wanted, almost on tn
day appointed, have brought discredit o,
our government. l do not wish to boas
Of this, but I do say that it entitled me t
tie courtesy Of being consulted before pub
fishing to the world proposition rightfu'l,
submitted to higher authorities for adjudi
cation, and thea accompanied by othc
statements which invited the press to b
let loose upon me.
1t is true that non. combatants-men VIII
sleep in comfort and security while "
watch on the distant lines are better abl
to judge than We poor soldiers, who rarel
see . newspaper, hardly can hear from ou
families, or stop long enough to get ou
pay.
envy not the task of reconstruction
and am delighttd d that the secretary ha
relieved me from it. As you did not IN
dertake to assume the management Of tn
affairs Of the army, infer, on personal ir
spection. your mind arrived at differer
conclusion from that Of the secretary {
war. will therefore 60 on and execut
your orders to their conclusion. and whs
done will. with intense satisfaction, leave
the civil authorities the execution Of tt
task Of which they seem to me so j.alou
but, as IN honest man and soldier, invi
them to following path, for they may 81
something and hear something that ma
disturb their philosophy. With sincel
respect.
| .... W. T. SHERMAN,
Maj Gen. Comma nding.
To Lieut.. Gen. U. s. GRANT, General i,
Chief, Washington, d. Z.
/ p. S.-As Mr.. Stanton's singular pap
has been published. demand that tn
also be made public, though Am in Z
manner responsible to the press, but to Il
law and my proper superior.
| w. T. SHERMAN,
Maj. Gen. Commanding.
MONSIEUR CARMe. the famous Erenc