Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1866-12-16
THE SURRENDER,


The case or gen. F,iea.ett -ssinding IF
feet OF ParOIes-Geu. sirant's Opin'
afon $50
A number Of deserters from the com
mand Of Gen. Pickett, C. S. A., being cap
tured and hung under the usual military
law during the war, an attempt has beer
made 10 have-Gen P. arrested and pun.
islled for murder. II has not been done
and The Radicals in Congless with Their
usual bIood-thirsty oficiousness, called on
the President for the reason why In his
reponse, the President communicates the
reports Of the Secretary Of War and AttOr-
ney General. From these we extract the
following from a letter Of Gen P. to Gen.
Grant, dated last March, and Gen. G.'s en-
dorsement on the same, which give The
merits Of the whole matter.
Gen p. writes: fT
It has come 20 my knowledge that Ger
tain eyil-lisposed persons are attempting 70
reopen the troubles of fhe past, and EN-
broil me for the action taken by me whilst
commanding officer Of the Confederate
force in North Carolina. acted simply
as she General commanding the department.
Certain men, deserters from a North Caro-
Ina regiment, we're taken with. arms IN
their hands lighting against the eolora nm
der Fhich fhaY he'd enlisted CharFea were
bfei s7e4 lgai6si them, . regularly orgaH-
lied courf martial vas assembled
posed Of officers from North Carolina, Nif-
ginia and Georgia before whom the men
we're tried The evidence in the cases be-
ing perfectly unmistakable, the men be-
ing identified by numbers Of their old re-
gimental comrades, they were found guilty
and Condemned to be hung. The sentence
wac approved by me, and they were duly
executed, according b. the custom Of war
in like cases. Ny action was sanctioned by
the then Confederate government.
IL the time has moi arrived for the Ex-
eeutiye clemency TO be extended to my case,
land which point / am not now pressing, }
merely wish some assurance that ] will
not be disturbed in nay endeayor % keep
my family from starvation, and that my
parole, which was given in good faith, may
protect me from the assaults Of those per
sons desirous Of still keeping up the war,
which has ended, in my humble opinion,
Joreuer. F etiI fhsiL "a
Appealing 10 you as a soldier, and feel
ing confident you will appreciate my po-
sition, l sign myself, with much esteem
your Obedient servant, HIc
GEoRGR +. PICKETT.
This letter contains the following en-
dorsement from Gen. Grant:
Respectfully forwarded to His Excellen-
cy, the President Of the United States with
fL.f fglns
tended IN this case, or assurances given
that no trial will take place for the oiienses
charged against G.. +. Pickett
biring the rebellion belligerent rights
we're acknowledged 70 the enemies Of our
country, and il is clear TO me that the pa
role given by the armies laying down their
arms protects them against pnHishmenls
for acts lawful for any other belligerent
In this case know il is claimed that the
men tried and convicted for the crimes Of
desertiOn were Union men from North
Carolina, who had found refuge within our
lines and IN our service. The punishment
was aharsh one, hat il was IN time Of
war, and when the enemy no doubt felt it
necessary 10 retain by some power the ser
vices Of every man within their reach.
General Pickett know personally TO be
an honorable man, but in this case his
judgment prompted him to do Whist cannot
well be sustained, though do not see how
good, either to the friends Of the deceased
or by fixing an example for the future, can
he secured by his trial now. Ii would only
open up the question whether or not the
government did net disregard its contract
entered into to secure the surrender of an
armed enemy. u. S. GRANT,
March g. 1866 Lieutenant General.