Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1866-08-22
How the Government got Information
from Richmond.
a Richmond correspondent of the New for
Times gives the following:

\ Richmond correspondent of the New York
Times gives the following:
The country will remember that during the WIN
ter Government obtained assurance OF the nope
essness of the rebel cause by coming into possession
Of the testimony of Gen. Lee before committee OF
the rebel Congress, which was never reported 10 .ne
houses, except in secret session, II al all. iuli
history of the manner in whleh the government oo-
tanned that information would be more interesting
than snv romance but it is too soon yet 10 do more
! than outline IT, The evidence of General Lee was
taken late in the winter by this committee aud long
before the committee had determined what course
they should pursue-almost before the ink was dry
upon their notes.-the entire statement of the rebel
General word for word was in possession of Presi-
dent Lincoln at Washington. In the room where
the committee met was closet and from that closet
Immediately after their adjournment came the
priceless information. Outside the house it at
changed hands, and second party walked leisurey
through theetreets of Richmond with il, until upon
the environs he encountered one of the common
country carts Of this section proceedings with the
half of a newly killed beef toward the rebel lines
in Buffers front. No communication that the most
lynx-eyed could perceive passed between the man
and the cart but the former gradually changed his
direction, and was soon walking back in the direc-
ton whence he had come. The cart went on reach
ed and passed on through the rebel camps without
molestaton, and reached the picxets where it halted
as matter of course The beef was destined for
the mouse OF planter just beyond the rebel lines
and in plain sight of their outposts and about equi-
distant between them and our own outposts These
explanations made and careless search of the cart
made by the rebel sentry that is look into it. the
cart proceed on its way. Just it neared the house
a small party of our cavalry made dash at it, and
to the utter surprise of the rebel pckets who saw
the whole affair, our men only lowered a moment
around the cart, then galloped back with one more
man than they came with leaving cart and beef and
driver and mule behind them. They did not know
it then, but under the beef was man, and the man
had package and the package contained the state
ments of Gen. Lee before the committee of Congress
a few hours before
In outline, this was how the thing was done. 1t
may seem strange, but Lincoln and Grant knew
long before many of the highest officials of the in
surgent Government the sworn statements of their
commanders to the hopeessness of further resist
ance. Knowing that the Government and Grant
had this information, explains many things in con-
nection with the arrival within our lines of Hunter
Stephens, and Campbell, at the time of the Hamp-
ton Roads conference, which at the time were mex
plicable The feat Of obtaining this information is
unrivalled in the annals of war, and gradually,
the facts to light, it will be found that Grant
had every day such particular information from the
rebel Capital that he knew what JEFF. Davis was
talking about each day in the most private of his
conversations with his Cabinet and members Of his
Congress.