The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1866-02-08
Condition of Affairs in the Late Re.
belllOus states Report of MaiO
General sherman.

go
confidence.
Condition of Affairs in the Late Re-
belllOus States Report of Major
General sherman.
To the senate Of the Uaiied States.
In answer 10 the resolution Of the Senate
Of the 30th ultimo, requesting the President.
"f not Incompatible with the public inter
ests, 10 communicates 10 the Senate a copy Of
the late re- ort Of Major General shermsn
upon the condition Of the States in his de-
partment, in which he has lately made a
tour Of inspection, &" / transmit herewith a
copy OF q communication dated December
p, 1905, addressed 10 the headquarte s Of
the army by Major General sherman, com
handing the military division Of the Mis-
sissippi. ANDREW JaHssoS.
WA~sHISeToS, Feb. >, ls6G.
HEsBo's Nh. DIV. of THE MIssIssIrrI.D
ST. LoUGs, Mo, Dec. -, 1863.
General } A. Raw De. CLef ii stah, Washing
GrSERAL-I have Just returned from a rnr-
tial inspection Of the Department Of Arkan
sss. IL was my purpose 10 nave extended
nay visit up to Fort Smith, but the Arkansas
river Wss TOO low, and I limited il 10 Little
Rock. The route usually Travelled remains
substantially as &c was during the war, hy
way Of Whine river 10 DuyaiIs Bluff, aad
hence forty eight miles Of railroad 10 Little
Rock. The Arkansas river IS az al seasons
too preesrIOus to be relied on, but the white
river, lying IN the a~lluvion Ofthe n isis ippi,
retains at all seasons q depth Of water OF
three and a half feet, as Tar up Is Duyall's
Bluff. The railroad heGce 10 Little Rock
IS in good enough condition for all present
purposes, and has been restored to the pos
session Of the eompsny who built il, and
is operated 10 the satisfaction OF General
Reynolds and his chief quariermaster, Col
onel Noble.
Il would contribute much TO our military
convenience, as well a. 10 the general IN
terests Of tue State Of Arkansas, # the rail
road could be finished TO Memphis.
Isaw Mr.. r. G. Brinkley, Of Memphis,
president OF the railroad company, Who
seemed very anxious 10 finish il, but said
/ the company had lot 70 much by the wa,
that unless he could receive help from the
Government be feared he could not under
take IT. The road was once in operation
from Memphis 10 Madison, on the st. Fran
els river, WIN q fine bridge completed over
the stream, aud 1t the time the Federal
army occupied Memphis, in 1862, he had a
| thousand tons OF railroad irOn on hand,
ready to be applied on The unfinished sec
ton between Madison and Duvall Buff;
bat this iron was taken by US and carried
away TO Columbus, Kentucky, and used in
repairs on the Mobile aud Ohio railroad,
then in our military possession from Colum-
bus 70 Corinth. The costly bridge over the
st. Francis was burned by the rebel Gen
eral Hindman.
Mr.. Brinkley agreed, If we could help
him b grade the road { om Madison 10 Da-
vall's Buff, and 10 cut in the woods slong
the line the necessary number Of ties, he
would undertake % purchase on credit the
necessary quantity Of iron, and 20 construct
the bridges necessary 10 make a continuous
railroad from Memphis TO Little Rock.
General Reynolds has now al Helena three
colored regiments, at Pine Bluff one, nd at
Little RocE another. lie could easily ap-
ply the labor Of two more of these regiments
10 the grading OF this road and IN getting
out the ties, and Mr.. Bfinklsy sgrees TO pay
for this labor in land belonging 10 the com
pany lying adjacent 70 the road.
4 iGenerals Reynolds, commanding the de-
partment, and Sprague, commissioner for
freedmen in Arkansas, approve heartily
This pisn, and l think we are sufficiently in
terested in this road to encourage 1t by all
means. Accordingly, l ask that, u3less il
be propssed 70 muster out the colored regi-
ments, that the War Department will sane
ton the pa so far As 10 authorize General
REYNOLDS 10 order the execution Of the work
during the present winter and spring
months.
found al the troops in Arkansas in
good condition aud well commanded, Gen
eral REYNOLDS being admirably qualified
aud adapted 20 his command. General
Sp.aeue also has the respect ofthe civil aud
military authorities. The negroes in Ar
kansas can all find profitable and lucrative
employment, and are protected m all their
rights snd property by the civil authorities.
I met no QUE citiEvn, or soldier who ques-
toned or doubted that their freedom wss as
well assured in Arkausas as IN ohi'. Gov
ernor Murphy told me that negroes could
ACQUIRE ia q 20 rcal estate or any kind OF
pr6pertv. and that the courts, both FEDERAL
ana state. could aud would protect them.
There was an universal expression Of con 20
fdence in the present condition OF thalrs,
eNcent on the part OF some former rebels,
who thought the present test oath Pee
scribed Tor them was too stringent and Sc
we're. A convention Of them, cnnYoned /
know not how, vas In session at Little Rock
when I wac there. 4 committee from u
waited on General Res nolds and myself,
inviting as 10 attend. We agreed TO So,
provided no debate OF proceedings
were lu progress during our VISIT.
On our entrance @ The hali, the presI-
dent addressed us Ia Language as loyal
aud earnest ~ possih e, aud asked our ud-
vice. ! responded, aud gave them the best
ndyice knew how, amounting sul~tau-
. AhMMNN U.s. NNAHHN- H..
since the cone. usion ot hos.llitlcs had pro-
rrcssed. ana were sin progressing, a. last
a. they could expect; thatl doubted IL any
actiou ca their part, az o. convention Of she
State. would b. REGARDED D. The act OF Ar
tansns, but that auy respectful representa-
uou ct iact- from them ia tueir individual
capacities, IA the nature ct q petition 20
General Reynolds, q President Johnson, OF
the national Congress, would doubtless re-
ccive every possible confederation; at the
same time, . called their attention 90 the
poverty % their country, add how much
better t would be Cor them 10 give their
pcrsouai attention. each 90 their own Affairs,
rather than bother themselves with gen
eral matters ot politics. Aler leaving Lit
lie Rock l learned that the convention htd
adjourned, 80 that Z hope thinrs there viii
remain Us quiet as before. faao1i, So rar
as nr observation goSs, Acrc IS pc-tccf salts
faction fcr ~ al caSS,s q rae people, cr-
cgpf or Rc part Of "a Ucrg Ice Uto arc i1et-
iHg % Futarg c5UbtHanous t@sra.Fung As local
aaf uHinperiaaf Nlaic gc5rs.
/ iouud.~ everywhere "a the South. q large
number oi cur ohiceIs and soldisrs looking
ont for land and employment, and doubt
not that during the next year Oh the land
which is cleared wall BE- under cultivation,
& larer part Of Il under the direction OF ca
erccuc Young men. aud that all braoches Of
business ia Arkansas viii be stimu ated BY
the presence OF q Glass 81 meu which has
no. heretofore existed in that Uate.
Single individuals now travel uusrmed
from one part OF the State 10 another, and
General Reynolds Is rarely called upon 10
afford military protection 50 any enc, white
or black. Ism, viii respect, your ohedi-
eut servant. ". +. SHsENsN
Major General, Commanding.
M Council Of Generals.
The Washington correspondent Of
the Cincinnati Gazette telegraphs un-