Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1866-01-12

the lOTCeS euBaHeu III Tue luGe wal, anu
much of the heretofore secret history of
The military movements Of the Confeder-
ntes:
HvANA, Dec. IS, 1865.
To the Editor Of the New York Ners :.
Having seen it stated in several papers
published in the United States that am
an applicant for pardon, desire to say,
through your columns, that there is no
truth whatever in this statement. | have
neither made nor authorized such APP
plication, and would not accept pardon
from the President Of the United States
if gratuitously rendered me without con-
di,ions or restrictions of any kind. l
have nothing to regret in the course pur-
sued by me during the war, except that
my services were not gilmore avail to the
cause for which I fought; and my faith
in the justice of that cause is not at all
shaken by the result.
l have not given parole or incurred
any obligation to the authorities of the
United States, and | utterly disclaim all
allegiance to, or dependence upon, the
government Of that country. l am a
voluntary exile from my own country,
because ] am not willing to submit to
the foreign yoke imposed upon it. All
declarations attributed to me which are
inconsistent with the above statement,
are entirely without foundation, and |
hope there will be no further misappre-
bepc,on IN M pnettiou
The reports Of the campaigns Of 1864
and 1865 by Secretary Stanton and
General Grant, recently published. con-
tain many erroneous statements which
do great injustice to the Confederate
armies The press in the Southern
States is at present effectually muzzled
by military rule, and the Confederate
cause has no appropriate organ by which
the ears of the world can be reached
The time will arrive. however. when a
true history of the warfare can be written
so as to enable foreign nations and pos
terity to do justice to the character of
those who have sustained so unequal a
struggle for all that is dear to man. In
anticipation of that time, [ will call at
tention to some facts which will show the
tremendous odds the Confederate armies
had to encounter.
Mr. Secretary Stanton's report shows
that the available strength present for
duty in the army with which General
Grant commenced the campaign of 864
was, on the LIST of May, 1864, as fol-
lows:
The Army Of the Potomac (under Gen.
Meade ..l20, 1856
The Ninth Army Corps iuader General
Burnside 20, $50
AgPregate............... lG6
Besides this. be says the chief part of
the force designed to guard The Middle
Department and the department of Wash
ington q" was called to the front to repair
losses in the army of the Potomac, :"
which doubtless was done before that
army left the vicinity of Spottsylvania
Court House. as General Grant says =
1.-The 18th, 18th. 18th, 10th 18th and
18th (of May, 1864 were consumed in
maneuvering and waiting for reinforce
ments from Washington, and Mr.. Stan
ton says the sending of these troops to
the front caused the detaching from
General Lees army of the force under
me to threaten Baltimore and Washing
ton. The available strength of the forces
in those departments, on the LIST Of May.
according to Mr.. Stantoh's report, was
as follows:
In the Department of Washington. l24
In the Middle Dcpartment.....-........ 5,G27
.......................-.,..$f,s Sl