The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-06-02
ACard from Gen. JOh nstOR..The Rea.
sons for the Surrender.
From the Charlotte tN. c. Democrat.

From the Charlotte tN. c. Democrat.
We lay before our readers the following letter
from Gen. Joseph E johnson, stating the
causes which induced him TO make terms of
surrender with Gen Sherman. We believe
Gen. JOhnston's conduct, and his refusal to con-
tinue the war alter all hope of success was vain,
is generally approved; but Ii auv one has q
doubt on this point the reasons set forth BY
Gen Johnston will clearly show that he acted
corrected and wisely: ."n
CHARLOTTE N c.. Mays
Having made . convention with Maj Gen.
Sherman tn terminate host,lities in North and
South Carolina Georgia, and Florida, 1t seems
10 me proper to put before the people of tho G
States the condition of military aff.irs who
rendered that measure absolutely necessary.
Gu the 26th of April the day of the cOnven-
tion by the returns OF three Lieut.: Generals Of
the Army of Tennessee Chat under my com
mandy the number of infantry and artillery
presen. and absent was 20 $40; the total pres
ent 18, 578; the effective total or fighting
force, IA l79. On the 7th of April, the date OF
the last return can End the effective total of
the cavalry was s. 440. But between the 7th
and 26th of April it was greatly reduced by
der. IL South Carolina we had Yuung's divis-
ion of cavalry, less than 1000. besides reserves
and State troops; together much inferior to
the Federal force in that State. In Florida We
were rs weak. In Georgia our inadequate
force had been captured at Mrcon. In Lieut..
General Taylor's department there were no
means of opposing the formidable army under
Gen, Canby, which had taken Mobile nor the
cavalry under General Wilson. which had cap
tured every other place of importance west of
Augusta The latter had been stopped Ut Ma
con by the armisice, IS we had been at Green's
boro but as distance from Augusta being less
than half of ours, that place was in its power
To carry On the war. therefore,, we had TO de-
pend on the army of Tennessee alone. The
Uaited States could have brought against it
twelve or fifteen times its number in the ar
mics of Generals Grant, Sherman and Candy.
With such odds against us, without the meaus
of procuring ammunition or repairing arms
without money or cred t to provide food, it
was impossible TO continue the war except as
robbers The consequence of prolOnginy the
struggle would only have been tue destruction
or dispersion Of our bravest men and
great suffering of women and children by the
desolatiun aud ruin inevitable from tue march
ing of Two hundred thousand meu through the
country. Having failed in an attempt To Oh
tain terms giving security to citizens as well as
soldiers, l had TO choose between wantcoly
bringing the evils Of war upon those | had
been chosea to defend, aud avertiug those ca,-
aniities with the confession tina: hopes were
dead which every thinking Southern men had
already lost therefore stipulated with Grn
Sherman for tue security of The brave and true
men committed 10 me on terms which also ter.
minated hostilties in all the country over
which my command extended, and announced
ito your Governors by telegraph as follow. !:
The disaster in Virginia, the capture bv th.
enemy OF all our workshops for the preparati,,n
| OF ammunition and repairing Of arns. lb. i'm
possibility of recruiting our little army. orp,-ed
to more than ten times its number. or of sup
rl,ing il except by rObbing our own citizens,
destroyed MI hepe Of successful war. have
therefore msde military convention with Msj.