The Van Buren press., 1868-12-01

General h. " Whitaker. President Of the
Central Grant Club, Hartford, Conn
GENERAL: Your note ofthe ID inst. in
shich you say, :" in behalf OF Gen. Nil
patrick, that siace the otiicers of the Uni
ted States Army, who were present ut the
into the charges against
Forrest, have not only confirmed Gen.
Kllpat.ick's statements on that subject,
nut have given additional and more
,aocking details etc, is before me and
n reply | will state, what every intelli-
gent man in this country knows to be
rie. THAI the so-called investigation
10 which you aIludc wssa one-sided Rad
cal affair, intended so intensity the bitter
feeling then existing both North and
South, and to make capital in the then
approaching elections.
The few soldiers, black and white, who
gave evidence in that farce, mis- named
" investigation" had not recovered from
thc fright they received in the Fortsfil-
low fight, and knew nothing Of the fate
of the missing men, who were taken pris
oncrs and aiterwarc cxchanged-hence
the willy and INSCRIPTIONS chairman Of
that 50 called Investigating Committee"
easily filed the vacuum in their distorted
imsginations by suggestions which any
shrewd lawyer can make in asking '.lcad-
ing questions" that those missing men
we're " slaughtered, nailed to fences. and
burned TO DEATH" etc
The exercise of little common sense,
sir, wonld teach any man, that, were there
the least vestige of truth in any Of these
infamous and slandcrous charges against
Gen. Forrest, no power on earth could
have saved him from the fate Of Captain
Henry Wirz. anti none should know this
fact better than Gen. Fitzpatrick himselG
1t il y well known fact that Gen. For
rest has repeatedly demanded a Court Of
Inquiry into those charges, to which de-
mand, the "powers that be-" have made
no respone. ~ o8# Hh3H
Since the smoke Of battle has cleared
away, the excitement allayei. and The
eombatants again in friendly communics.
ton with each other, the truth could be
more readily and more accurately arrived
at than when the confusion incident 10
war, was at it's zenith. Then Why has
he been refused this nquiry9 Are the
Radical authorities afraid OF the develop
ment Of such an inquiry fairly conducted?
Gen. Forrest. and his friends, deny the
truth OF those charges, and oil law and
equity comedies men innocent until prov
ed guilty. ~ e sa fs 80
You say "Gen. Fitzpatrick has nothing
to DO with either Forrest or Basil Duke,
except to reitcrate his denunciations OF
Forests unparalleled atrocities" II
Gen Fitzpatrick is not utterly lost to sii
sense OF honor, sir, he will hold you rc.
sponsible for placing him in such an
equivocal position. A distance OF 1--WE
hundred miles from Gen. Forrest evident
ly makes the valiant Fitzpatrick feel very
brave | believe. sir, that distance has
that influence with ail towards and brag.
garts--hencc he 'sreiterates his denuncia-
TONS tic, and seems to forget that he
bias been publicly denounced as, /" a black-
yaard, liar, scoumdrel aud polfroox,"
by this gentleman. With whom you say
he " has nothing to do" He is evident
~ man OF "easy courage and finty
check. Nt'A sgoiee1
If you are the champion OF Gen. Kill
patrick aud authorized to act for him In
this affair with Gen Forrest, would
very respectfully suggest that Cen Basil
w Duke, of Louisville, KY, is the prop
err party to address, and not myself. \
| am, very respectfully, ss'ir Ntt
ms n X. SilACkLEFORD.