The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1866-03-27
THE SECRET HISTORY OF THE
REBELLION.
The Rebel Military Strength Febru-
AIRY 4, 1865.

The Washington correspondent Of
the Chicsgo Tribune publishes the fol-
lowing interesting information, copied
from records in the Office of the State
Department He says these identical
documents were sent by Mr. Seward,
under date Of March Is, 1865, to ell the
leading diplomatic representatives of
the United States, accompanied by e
circular letter in which he vouched
for their historical accuracy. The pa
pers comprise:
/. A statement showing the entire mill
tsry strength Of the ~Cenfedearcy in Febru-
airy, 1868.
2. An account Of a statement Of General
Lee, in regard to the situation Of rebel az
fairs before a COMMITTEES Of the rebel Senate
in Richmond on January oath, 1865.
3. A conversation between jefferson
Davis and rebel Senator johnson. Of Georgis,
in relation to the unsuccessful peace comInis-
sion Of Alexander H. Stevens, r N. 7.
Hunter and j.. A Campbell, on February
9th, 1865, after she return Of the Commits
sion 10 Richmond.
i. A list Of rebel Senators, members Of
Congress ,sand leading plblc men through
cut the south IN favor at the stated time Of
the reconstruction Of the Government on
the basis Of the Union
They are transcribed UerbatiDl CT htcrGtiMl
from the records Of the State Department:
ENTIRE MILITARY STRENGTH or THE cOEFEDER-
sCY FRoM OFFICIAL RECORDS ~ THE war De
The entire available force Of the Confed-
erscy, February Ath, 1865, was ~, 900 men,
distributed as follows:
Under Lsein Y.rsinis----.-...... Gf,O0J
Command Of bragg and HOEe, North Caro-
Ina y.DOJ
Command Of B.auregafd and HAr1ee, SCUM
Carolina. Chs last embraces the lac
srmy Of HOOf, sndthef forces which eTacu-
htea Savannah. now Al Branchylle, 3. = 2,cOJ
Command Of D.ck Taylor, d. II. HILL snd
hoseh COBB IN 6eO'ga, Alabama anu
En- ire force West Of the Mississippi, under
Kirby smith, Maguder ana PIice-.--.. $1,000
T..1 ,E.oo
Hood went mo Tennessee Wlih---.-.--..--- 5000
he brought out with HIM but.--.--a.-.-...-. i4.IJl
stogirga net loss L...---..............- =, 40
There are Low 10 West Virginia and Eass
Tennessee but 40
This force viii he moved = Lynch0urg sftsr The
lat Of MEr.h.
GENERAL LIE BEFORE THE SENATE COMMITTED
JANUARY oath, 1865.
Intercepted by Senstor Hunter:
2. What DO you think Of eyacuatiug NIr-
GINA and going 10 North Carolina
A. IL would be a bad movement in my
opinion, the Virginia troops would 60 home.
q. Do you think We have troops sufficient
for the next csmpaigu2
A. do not; we cannot last till midsum-
mer.
q. What do you think Of the policy Of
orming 100000 Hegroesg
A. II we intend 70 carry on the war, that
is the least Of evils. But in "a an event,
it should be understood that the slaves
have their liberty.
q. Do you think We could succeed in put
ting the negroes in the held2
A. That would depend on circumstance.
We couIa at least carry o the war for ana
other year.
Iutcrrogated by Senator Hill.
q. What is the sentiment OF the army ina
relation to peace2
A. lii almost unanimous Tor peace. The
men will fight longer If necessary, bat they
believe that we caunOt continue the war
through another campaign.
By Senator Graham.
q. What is your individual opinion upon
the subject OF peaceE
A. think the best policy to pursue is TO
make peace upon the plan proposed by Mr..
Stephens. The people and the country
ought TO be saved further sacrifices.
BY Senator Walker.
q. Provided peace be not made before
Spring, Will you consent 20 take command
of all the armies Of the CJufederacy, to act
with unlimited powers?
A. ! viii take any position the country
assigns 70 me, and do the best / eau. But
DO not think that ! can save the cause
now-that no human p00cr can SqUe. Had
this offer been made a year ago, / think l
could have made our condition Dester than
1t is now.
BY Senator Orr:
q. You think, then, General, that the
best solution OF our difficulties is to make
peace on the Stephens plan2
A. Yes; that is the best policy now. /
think the army and the people ought 10 be
saved, If All else IS lost.
CONVERSATION BETwEEN JEFF. DAyIs AND
SENATOR JOHNSON.
On Monday, the 9th Of February, after
the Peace Commissioner had returned from
Fortress Monroe, Senator johnson, Of Geor-
gia, waited on the President, when, in sub
stance, the following conversation took
place:
J.. Well, President Davis, SO your peace
missioe iaIleu2
D. Yes, / knew itwould. ! now hope the
reconstructiouists viii night Lincoln instead
Of lighting me. (Mr. Lincoln, t seems,
was not opposed to making peace with the
States; but he was not m favor of rec0gnIZ-
ing the Confederate Government as an m
dependent power.)
j.. Isee, President, that you have with
=- o. IL -M.an EA.. I...-aHa inf NNaH-
OlIua aud Virginia. What Will the people
of Georgia DO for protection, in the next
campaign ?
d.. The people Of Georgia have followed
the counsels OF Governor Blown aud Mr.
| Stcphus. They must now protect taem-
| selves,
]. Well, President if YOU can DO without
the people ofGeorgia, the people oi Georgia
can DO without you.
NAMES or PROMINENT EgBELs IL FAVOR or AZ
CONSTRUCTION Oh rHE BASIS OF THE UNION.
TrgiHia-AIlen T Carpenter, Senator
| Thos u Gholson, NJ c; Vim G Rives, Nj
| ID o d'Jarnette, N G; John B Baldwin, NJ
| T.: Fayotte MsMulleu, NC; Samuel Miller
| Ex GOV j A Wise; YIN Goggiu.
North CdrOiiHa-Wm A Graham, Senator
VIM b Dorth, Senator Members at Con
I crcss, r i Bridges, ) I Leach, j NJ Leach.
] a q ENlleFs James AAiAfIB ID n balItEy d
| & Ramsey, 3 SGuuther GOV. Vance W W
| Holden.
South Caroiaa.-jaEges S Orr, Senator;
W W Boyce, NJ c.
Gtorgia.-Herschel Y Johnson, senator;
| Benjamin Il Uill. Senator; Members OF Con
gress, NH Blandford, Clifford Anderson,
J L Sbcnmlkrr, James n Smith, George n
Lester, IT Bell, W Aiken GOV. Brown, j
l. Whitaker, Joshua hill, Linton Stevens,
ia Wright, Y A Gaskell, Judge E1Zurd, II
Waugh, L Tumlin.
AiG5Gmu.-SeustOrs r W Walker, LJame-
son Members OF Congress. Thos j Foster,
w r Smith, D Clopton; lion. Geo. Waite,
John Clements, Hon - Fitzpatrick, for
merly United States Senator, and Hon. Mr..
Parsons, member of the Legislature.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS J W e Watson, EN-
1 Gov. Matthews, and members Of Congress
} A Orr, o L Leighton and " d Holden.
Mexican Affairs.
The President on the 22i inst, trans
mitted TO the House Of Representa-
tives. in compliance with a resolution