East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1865-06-28

they were singularly unanimous in the
other conclusion; and they will learn
with pain and amazement that am
deemed insubordinate and wanting in
common sense; that /, who in the
complications of last year, worked day
and night, summer and winter, foi
the cause and the administration, and
who have brought an army of seventy
thousand men in magnificent style
across country deemed impossible,
and placed it just where it was wanted
almost on the day appointed, have
brought discredit on our government
/ do not wish to boast of this; but i
do say that it entitled me to the cour-
tesy Of being consulted before pub
fishing to the world a proposition
rightfully submitted to higher author
ity for adjudication, and then accom-
panied by other statements which in
vited the press to be let loose upon
me. 1t is true that non combatants-
men who sleep in comfort and security
while we watch on the distant lines
are better able to Judge than we poor
soldiers, who rarely see newspaper,
hardly can hoar from our families, OF
stop long enough TO get our pay.
envy not the task Of reconstruc-
ton, and am delighted that the Sec
retary has relieved me Of it. AS you
did not undertake to assume the man
agement Of the affairs Of this army,
i infer, on personal inspection, your
mind arrived at different conclusion
from that of the Secretary Of War;
/ will, therefore, go on and execute
your orders to their conclusion, and
when done will, with intense satisfac-
ton, leave the civil authorities to the
execution of the task of which they
seem to be so jealous; but, as an hon.
est man and soldier, invite them to
follow my path, for they may see
something and hear something that
may disturb their philosophy. With
sincere respect,
w. T. SHERMAN,
Major General Commanding.
Lieut.. Gen. U. s. GRANT, General
in Chief.
WASHINGTON, d. G.
p. S.-As Mr.. Stanton's singular
paper has been published, l demand
that this also be made public, though
i am in no manner responsible to the
press, but to the law and my proper
superiors. f1,
w. T. SHERMAN,
Major General Commanding.
We next have detailed report of
General Sherman's operations and the
operations Of the enemy, from April
lst down to the capture of ,Johnson's
army,-the substance Of which has
already been published. The General,
in passing, thus pays his respects to
Gen. Halleck:
Johnson's army (April 14th) was
retreating rapidly on the road leading
from Hillsboro to Greensboro, he him
self being at Greensboro Although
out of place as to time, / here invite
oil military critics who study the
problems Of war to take their maps
and compare the positions of my army
on the 18th and 18th of April with
that Of Gen, Halleck about Burkes-
vile and Petersburg, Virginia, on the
26th Of April, when, according to his
telegram to Secretary Stanton, he
offered to relieve me Of the task of
cutting off Johnson's retreat. Major
General Stoneman ut that time was at
Stateville, and Johnson's only line of
retreat wasby Salisbury and Charlotte.
1t may be that General Halleck's
troops can outmarch mine; but there
is nothing in their past history to show
it or it may be that General Halleck
can inspire his troopswith more energy
of action. / doubt that also, save and
except in this single instance, when
he knew the enemy was ready to sur
render or dispense, as advised by my
letter of April Is, addressed to him
when chief of staff at Washington
city, and delivered into his hands on
the 2lst instant, by Major Hitchcock,
of my staff.
The following is Gen. Sherman's
own version of his interview with Gen.
Johnson, preceding the surrender of
the latter:
ave met johnson on April II, as
arranged. The interview was frank
and soldier-hke. Gen. johnson gave
him to understand that further war
on the part of the Confederate troops
was folly, that the cause was lost, and
that every life sacrificed after the sur
render of Lees army was tho highest
possible crime. johnson admitted the
terms conceded to General Lee were
magnanimous and all he could ask,
but wanted some concessions that
would enable him to allay the natural
fears and anxieties of his followers,
and enable him to maintain his control
over them until they could be got back
to their homes. He also wanted to
embrace in the same general PROPOSE
ton the fate Of all the Confederate
armies that remained in existence. /
never made any concessions as to his
own army, or assumed to deal finally
or authoritatively in regard to any
other; but it did seem to me that there
was presented a chance for peace that
might be deemed valuable to the gov
ernment of the United States, and was
at least worth the few days there
would be consumed in reference there
to. To push an army, whose COM
mander had SO frankly and honestly
confessed his inability to cope with
me, were cowardly, and unworthy the
brave men led.
They met again on the 18th, and
renewed the conversation. He says:
-"Inasmuch as General Johnson did
not feel authorized to pledge his power
over the armies in Texas, we adjourn
cd to meet the next day at noon. /
returned TO Raleigh, and conferred
freely with all my general officers,
every one of whom urged me to con-