New-York tribune., 1867-05-17
GEN POPE Is. GEN. HALLECK.
coRrrsPoNpENcE CONCERNING TIE "TEN THOUSAND
PRISONERS DISPATCH "-REPoRT OF THE COMMIT
TEE ON THE CONDUCT OF THE WAR
Erom he Cincinnati Gazette


TEE ON THE CONDUCT OF THE WAR
From The Cincinnati Gazette
The supplemental report OF the committee on the
Conduct OF the War contaids much interesting Official
history upon various matters Which excited general atten
tion during the war but the exact truth concerning Which
could not be asoertaned. Among these Will DO remeI
bered the highly exaggerated dispatch purporns 10 Dc
from Gen Pope, when pursuing the enemy south OF
Cornth. reporting the capture OF lOVo prS9nois; anu
great quantities OF arms Inc ifehus o ue, It
constantly asserted that he never sent tho uspac Ds
that it, with several others, were manuaelueu Dy " III
matter investigated and, in fact has eNered hmsen 10
suppress evidence in the case In the Nolut jus.
Isbed cp pope takes occasion set this matter right
bc ch9re is made direct by Cen Pope that Hallecl
went so far rs muate the official files at DepanenI
Headquarters for the purpose of conceaS Ine Iafs:
The following the extract from the report concerning
the authenticity OF the dispatch; - ,., 90 a.. lou
duct Of Ue War:
It becomes my duty in this place, and IL Is with pain
feel obliged to perform IT, TO invite attention TO an error
which thas always been my purpose to correct as sot
as could be done without injury to the pubic
The day after my command reached Ms permanent camp
Clear Creek he 3t6 Of G Jgas s% m S '"'
"GEN. HAUEoK's HEADoUAIIhRs June 4, i0Sz Sor
Gen Pope Wit 10000 me5 IS I 80 dIraeIy oS spn ponnrs H 600
prisoners and dcserors from the eIomy ana lSOOV [ S,
,ng away fheir arms farmer says that when Bcaure-
gard learned that Col Elliott had cut the railroad on his
save themselves the best way they could We have cap
trcd locomotives and number OF cars one Oi the
frh.
more will be in running order in two or three days lDe
result is all could possibly desire r. ,.,,,o,,,,,o,
"Hon T.. NJ. Stanton. Secretary OF War"
Gen Pope denies that he ever made such report ana
furnishes the following correspondence between himself
and Cen Hallcck:
"WAsuSGToS. ID. C., July 3, 1855
"GrSrrAL: The war has now ended, and The events
and incidents connected with it passing into history
As wish that any report or mlseoncePon WiSh
has been circulated to my Prtud9e anu %n st - me-
ible OF explanation should stand rccofuc9 "gdis. t,
and rs the reasons which actuated me IN preserving
silence until this time longer exist, desire 70 invite
your attention TO dispatch published IN he neWspapets,
dated al Corinth Mississippi June 4, 1862 pufpolubg 10
have been sent by you to the Secretary OF war n o
alning substantially the iollG%ng Sns %S[Gs NE enemy
hard He already reports 1000 prisoners ana deaeta,
and I, go stsud of arms captuied,' DC. do not know
het o, cvrr srnt such dispatch but do know that
never made such report irer nav II yo, set W.
dispatch IN question you must have done so under very
great Insapprehcnson have therefore 10 request you
: 10 furnish copy OF any report maui ID n'e up'
have full records Of all my letters dispatches ana re-
ports YOU during the operations ~ SoiInIn nI no
| yonr ohcdient servant. TouN PoPE. Major General
"Maior.Gen II. W HallecA United STATES Army Wash
| ngion, ID. c. mil
"WAsrIsGTOS Juy .. 1866
"Gr.EH,t have TO acknowledge the receipt OF your
communication of the sd instant As my papers arc an
fo refer TO the dispatches 90 which you aude nor can
trust NV memory in regard to communications ihad9
never reported To- the Secretary oi War dispatches re-
| ceycd from you which were not 20 received.
very Ie'lco'iu"'' IA " u,tttCE Major General
MAJOR Cen John Pope, Present.
nv,iHISGfoN. D. C.. JulyC. 1868
"CYNERit: Your note. In reply TO my lciicr Hl E
not see ~ make the very hrief examination uI your
necessary 10 make 1t plain 20 you mat 'he %
asked for in my letter due 10 me WAS al least
entitled assurance thar such examination nh"l' ~
made al the earliest practicable moment. 'citdhl5 h
threp weeks which you % pass n NeW-noIk aH9lu
ample time Inspect very fully al your papets bears
| .ftfts sT.fg.r A. gDu
examination now or al any other time am constrained
Ia say you that tho statement which trusting 70 3ohn m
In,lory and without inspection of your MES You 90
make 4 altogether unsatisfactory aud leaves me az
loss determine whether yo are 70 bs nnaerVu ~ ~
DENYING that you sent the dispatch 10 the secretary ol
War whch was the subject of ny letter. ut Hhglac ~
the face Of my positive denial You mean 10 is ,' ~
of rcport made 10 you by me- lfit be- your plIIo 70
make such statement as an answer 70 NY gc.D', ~ NV
and tnuunu0cd assertion that 40 such report as thdt
attributed 10 me made by me- u becomes more
necessary than ever that YOU should 20! U ten y
and furnish me with the papers ask Tor IN snort Stn' @
era utterly deny that the dispatch yurpoung w =, & my
been sent y you the Secretary a. War WAS based upon
any rcport IRON me therein stated and there
fore call upon you either % disaVOw TINS dshch OF 10
furnish mo with copy OF the report attributed 10 me.
I'm almost any other this question could ho easiy
ANA concu~vey decided by reference TO lhc Official
files 90 the Headquarters oi the Department NhMh you
then commanded; but have ascortanel General, tnat
when you left the West you ordered tai pottloho tn9
dbpatches aud reports concerning the , ~
Coruth. which bore upon M Question 10 Ig . "ut Ui
leaving the official records 10 ST. Louis muiiiated ana
am, General respectfully yopr o6edent servant
Major Gen. IT, W HailceA. United states Army New
To this letter no reply has been received.
was called To Washington immediately after this as
patch from Gen. Hallcck made public, and my relt-
lions him during the operations ia 'front.' of Washington
needed close and harmonious IN the face ui The
extraordinary difficulties which confronted that 10
would have shown neither wisdom nor patriotism to
have opened controversy ~ thlt tiinc IT, indeed had
previously resolved against IT, preferred, there
bear unmCritcd rcproach rather than make an
exclamation which might have done Tar moro INJURY 10
he
to me. freely admit that deeply PANIED At The
continued and unjust Hing, which were made nj me III
the newspapers aud IN public speeches ON account OF ts
dispatch Even IL IL had been true that made such
rrport ordinary consideration for an Onicer who had
done his duty with zeal and idellty, and who nt thaJ
very time daily hazarding his life IN the dschafge
that duty. should have induced every patriotic man
rather plain away, than dwt upon matter
that could have other result than 10 inurc unneCs
sariy aud cruelty personal character, at Tine Whch
was employed by the Government ON service vital 10
the country and without the time or me heaS 10 az
reply. confess. too. that was gcaty hupac 10 hnu
any considerable number OF Intelligent people 'ouu
have allowed themselves 10 believe that an officer Oec
pying my position, aud who, certainly, was not IN any
manner responsible for the public disappointment AZ the
result OF the operations around Cornh aud was without
any motive for such an act, should make report Wuch
would disgrace him In the OF every Otlcer ana oer
OF his command and In few days In the eyes OF the
th. matter in sOmo other way that would seem less
harsh but the taken by Gen Halcck leaves me no
alternative except TO publish my correspondence Win
him the subject. IL he really sent uo ulsphlch lh
question he must have done 50 under some gfN or ms
take whigh he will, no doubt, make clear hereafter
JONI PoPE. Major Gcucrah
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PERSONAL