Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1865-06-03


/ have seen the New York Times Of the
gath, containing buget OF military news,
authenticated by the signature Of the Sec
retary Of War, which is grouped in such
wsy os o give very erroneous impressions.
1t embraces copy Of Toe basis OF agree.
meDt between myself and Gen. Johnston,
OF April 10Th, with commentaries which IL
will be time enough to discuss two or three
years hence, after the Government has ex |
perimented little more in the machinery |
by which power reaches the scattered |
people Of the vast area Of country known |
as the South. But 10 the meantime dc
think that my innk If not past service,
eutitle me at least 10 the respect OF keep |
ing secrotwhat was krown TO rome but t, o
Cabinet until further inquiry could have
been made, instead Of giving publicity to
a document | never saw, and drawing In
ference wide of the truth. / never saw, or
had furnished me copy of President Lin.
coins dispatch 10 you OF the 5th of March,
until after the agreement, nor did Mr..
Stanton or any human being, ever con
ivey to me the substance or anything like
t. But, on the contrary. han seen Gen.
Wei zel's Invitation TO the Virginia L'gsla
ture, made 10 Mr.. Lncoln's very presence.
ond had failed 10 discover any other
or any idea calculated to ellay the tears Of
the people of the Sou,h that after the
destruction Of their armies and civil
authorities, they would be lett without any
government at all.
We should not drive q people into
anarchy, and it is simply impossible for our
military power to reach all the resources
Of their unhappy couutry confess did
not wish to break General Johns,on's army
into bands of armed men, moving about
without purpose, aud capable Of Infinite
mischief. But you saw, on your arrival,
hat bad my amy 30 disposed that bis
escape was ouly possible 10 a disorganised
chase; and, as you did not choose 10 direct
: iliary operations in this quarter, infer
that you were satisfied with the military
situation. At oil events, The instant l
learned (what was proper enough) the
d:sapproval of the President, | acted in
such manner ns to compel the surrender
' ot General Johnston's whole army, on the
: same terms you prescribed to General Lees
Il army, when you had it surrendered sld il
y your absolute power.
. Mr.. StaDtop, in stating that my order
to Gen. Stoneman was likely to result il
y the escape of Mr.. Davis to Mexico or
Europe, is in deep error. Stoneman wa
- - not at Salisbury then, but had gone bach
~ to Statewide Davis was beyond him, and
~ by tuning toward me he was approaching
IL Davis, ard had he ioined me q
~ o. dered would have had mounted fore
" G. eatly need for that aud other, services. -
Z But even now, dout know that Mr.
e Stanton. warts Davis caught, and N.
IL official papers deemed sacred, are has,l
III published to the world. 1t will be impru
~ dent for mo to state what had been don
20 in shat respect, as the editor of the Times
~ has. 1t may be logically aud fairly drawI
= from this singular document, the conclu
III sion that / am ipsubordinate. can ou
al deny the intention l have never ia NJ
5 life questioned or disobeyed an order
CT though many aud many time have
~ risked ny life, and health, and reputation
he in obeying orders or even bins to execut
H. plans and purposes not to my liking.
. 1t is not fair to Withhold from me plan
"a, and policy, if any there be, and expect N
III to guess at them, as facts and events al
'" pear quite different from different stant
ai points. For four years | have been
tf camp, dealing with soldiers, aud ca
l'S assure you that he conclusion at whC
ny the Cabinet arrived, with such siDguls
M upanmiiy, differs from nine. l conferre
freely with the officers in this army as
The pon.s involved n this controversy
be and, strange 10 sey, they were singuarl
Az unanimous in the other conclusion, On
ar they will learn with pain and anozemel
ms that l nm deemed iDsubordina;e, an
To- wanting in common seuce; that /, who
ial the complications of last year, wolked da
and night, summer and winter, for Il
cause Of The administration, and who ha'
ills brought an army of 10000 men, in ma
ST. niicept style, across q country deemed II
IAN passablc, aud placed it just where.it "
ag- wanted, almost on the day appointed, ha
vas brought discredt on our government.
'as' not wish 10 boast of this, but do ay tn
il entitled me to the courtesy of beil
ms consulted before publishing to the wor
the a proposition righifully submitted to high
mr. authorities for adjudication, and then q
IN, companied by other statements which
hi. yited the press to be let loose upon me.
IN, 1t is true that non combstaBts, who sic
n, in comfort and security while We wat
ou the distant line. are better able
Judge than we soldiers who rarely Sc,
-on newspaper, or hardly eau hear from {
irg, families or stop long enough 10 get {
pay.
ten envy not the task Of reconstruc,i'
Jrf. and am delighted that the Secretary
relieved me Of il. As you did not und
axe to assume the management Of
is army, l infer that, on personal inspec'i
n your mind arrived at different cOncusit
from that OF the Secretary of war.
:. will therefore go on and execute your
Dis ders 10 their conclusion. aud when d.
e''' will, with intenss satisfaction, leave
The civil authorities the execution of
for TASK of which they seem 10 me SO jealo
has but, as an honest man and soldier,
vite them to follow 10 this path. or Il
may see something aud hear someth
tbe that may disturb their philosophy.
a. With sincere respect.
w, 7, SBgRMAf
,o,;. Msj Gen, Commanding
a" To It. Gen. U. 5. GRANT, Gen-in'C
'ao' Washnp.oD ID. q.