Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1865-06-09
dhe 6ree prrss.
BURLINGTON
FRIDAY MORNING JULY .. 1865
Gen. sherman.

The testimony of Gen. Sherman before th-
Committee on the Conduct Of the War. " re
Iative to hi. dealings with Johnston, is pub
lished, IN which IS concluded Sherman =,
,1iicial rcp,r1 Of operations from April Let t.
May 9th, n1aGc to Gen. Grant on the latte,
date.
Sen. Sherman endeavors to st himself
right, and -lares no sharp words IN rcfercnc,
to the action Of See. Stanton ard Gen iIal-
isck. But We do not see tha. lis portion Is
bertered or materially altered, except IN one
particular, yis t'1at he was ignorant Of the
order OF President Lincoln to Gen. Grant, to
ies aistr.rs ot aril policy alone.
That Sherman made a great mistake in un-
dertakirg treat upon any but military mat
-ers, II IT anything palmer than ever and
ne himself admits it in one Of his despatch
Or to Secretary Stanton. lie >ays Il admit
Uy folly IN embracing in a military cun,cr-
ton any cIvi, matter; hut unfortunately
euch Il the nature OF our situation that ,.,cy
ecem iBrAtrcabh united 80 Gen. Sherman
now ciaiIus that PRECEDENT Lincoln wouli
have approved Of his terms OF agreement
IN when opinion few will concur with tie
General. For Sherman Gays oAI licilly that
the terms Of agreement be drew up, were
purposely made vague aud gencral.-..mcau-
ing little OF u-eaniHg much, according Ia tb,
construction OF parties, and President
lincoln was no more the man 10 agree 10
any ambiguous or undtfncd statements. than
he was 70 make undue concessions ro trui-
tars.
Gen Sherman las complained bitterly that
the War department Suppressed hi, die
patches, and published such a cen-urc. Tie
responsibility seems 10 rest with Gen Grant
10 whom Gen. >lrrluan sent a rcqlest-5r
icnand rathcr-tiHt his correspondence he
published, bu: who preferred not to forward
thr request. hut kept it until Sherman hiu,-
III reached Washington. The following Is
The letter referred to
HpoRs MILITARY DIV OF ruE MISSISSIPPI
In the Field, April ..
Lieut.. Gen. L. S. Grant,
Geaerdi-tH-chiH HgshiHg,0H, D. c.
General; Since YOU left me yester "a.
I have se,u the New ioik TimC If the 9th
INST. conlsiring A budget OF military news. su-
thenticst,d by the signature OF the seer Jtry Of
War. which is grouped in such WY as 10 give F.
very errOieuu, impressi0ts- L embraces copy +
OF the bass - agreement between myself and
zen. JOIN siou Ot April Is. with commentaries
which II will be time enough 10 d9cuss tso or .
three years hence, after the Government has /
sxperimeEied little more IN the machinery hy .
which power caches the scattered people OF the 4
Vast country known as the SJUth. But ia the .
nean tine. 10 thiuk that my rank lIf not past
seryiccs) eutiile me at least 20 tie rtspoct Of
keeping secret what WIS known 10 none but the
Capiuet, until further inquiry comes to be made,
instead q giving publicity 10 documents ! never
ssW, and drawing inirreuces vide Of the truth
never saw OF had furnished me. "A copy Of
Mr. stanton : dispatch TO You Of the 81 Of March,
uor dil Nh. Stanton or any human being, ever
convey 10 ine It's substance, or any thing Ike II;
but on the contrary, ha6 seen Gen. v eitzsl in
relation 70 the Virginia Legislature, made in
Nr. Lincoln's very presence, and had failed 10
discover suy other oficial hints OF plan Of rC-
construction, OF any idea calculated 10 allay the
iears Of the people Of the Sou b, after the de-
struction of their armies and civil authorities,
would leave them without any government at al.
We sh, uld not drive people IN n srcl Y,
sud It Is simply impossible for one military pow
er to waste all the masses Of this unhappy
country
coDfess did not want 10 Dive General
Johnston's army into the hands Of srmel men
going about without purpose, and capable only Of
indefinite mischief
But you saw or our arrival at Raleigh that |
had my armies 60 disposed that ms escape WAS
only possible in , dis rganized shape, and Ms
YOU do not choose 10 direct military operations
IL this quarter. infer that you were satisfied
with the military situation.
At all events the moment ! learned what was
proper CROUCH, the disapproyal OF the President,
wished IN such manner to compel the surren-
der Of Johnstons whole army on the same terms
as you had prescribed to General Lees army
when you had it surrounded and u your abso-
Lutte power.
Mr. Stanton, in stating that nv order to
General Sioneman was likely 10 re-ut IN the
escape of MIR. Davis to Mexico or Europe" i
in deep error
General Stoneman WAS not al Salisbury then.
but had gone back TO Slatesville. laws was
supposed 10 be between US, and Stoueman be-
yond him.
BY turning toward me he was approaching
DAVIS, and had he joinel me ordered, then
would have had q mounted force needed FOR that
and other purposes But even now ! don I
know that Mr.. Stanton wants Davis caught.
And rs my official papers, deemed sacred, are
hastily published to the world, it will be impru-
dent for me 10 state what has been done IN this
respect.
As the editor of thes Times has Gt may bel
logically and fairly drawn the inference from this
singular document, that | am in-ub0rdinate,
can only deny the intention / have never il
ny life questioned or disobeyel order, though
many aud many a time have riskel my life, ny
health, and reputation in obeying orders or
even hints to execute plans and purposes not to
my liking. ltis not fair TO withhold from me
psns snd policy tif any there be- and expect
NE 10 guess at them: for facts anl events appear
quite q ffereBt from different stuuL points.
For four years / have been in camp dealing
with soldiers. and can assure you that the con-
clusious At which ibe Cabinet arrived with such
similar unanimiiy differ from mine, | ceLierIed
freely With the best officers in this army ne to
The points involved in this controversy, and
strange TO ssy, they were siugulLriy unanimous
N the other conclusion, and they will learn with
pain aud sorrow that am deemed insuhordi-
nste, and wanting in common sense; that who
hsre iabored day4and night, winter and sum-
mer, for four ytars. ami have brought an
army Of seventy Thousand men in magnificent
s.odition scross country deemed impassable,
md plaoed II Just where il was wanted almost on
he very day appointed, have brought discreiit
= the government -
80 not wish 70 boast Q, this, but do say
'lSi il entitled me to the courtesT Of being con-
-uiled before Publishing to the world PROPOSE
on rightfuilY submitted to higher suthority for
.iiudicstcn, and then accompanied bv state
n snts which invited the press to be let loose on
me.
It's true tnat nou-combstauts-men who sleep
in comfort sud aud security, while We watch on
rhs distant ilpes-are better able 10 Judge than
sc p,o- soldiers. who rarely see a newspaper,
nardiy can hear from our families or stop long
enough 70 get our pay. enyy Dot the task Of
grcobs,i uction, and am delighted that the Secre-
Isry las relieved me of
As y1u did not undertake 70 assume the man
.genet of the affairs of this army,I infer that on
personal inspection your mind arrived at = jif-
ferept conclusion from that Of Mr.. Secretary