Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-04-28
Gen. Beauregard Refutes a slander

From the New Orleans Bee of the 23d.l
We have received from Gen. Beaure-
gard the following letter, with reference
to the malignant Misrepresentation of
his conduct, on the occasion of visit to
Arlington House, the property of the
wife Of Gen. Robert Il. Lee, made by the
Washington correspondent of the Boston
Commonwealth, which we denounced on
Tuesday last.
The Journal will, we have no doubt,
contradict at once the statement of its
correspondent:
New ORLEANS, April %, 1865.
To the Editors Of the N. o. Bee;
GENTLEMEN: Allow me to thank you
for having refuted, in your paper of yes
terday, the following slander contained
in the Washington correspondence of the
Boston Commonwealth, to wit:
Beauregard at Arlington.-Speak-
ing of the cenotaph erected to the mem
ory of the unknown braves, we are re-
minded that the children of General
Lee, as we'll as the notorious General
Beauregard, recently visited Arlington.
The former declined, but the latter bold
ly accepted the invitation to record his
name in the book of visitors kept in the
mansion. A wounded soldier acts as
ianitor of the place. He accompanied
Beauregard to the memorial vault, and
pointed to him the touching words in
scribed thereon. Beauregard read, and
burst into a loud laugh, scoffing at the woe
and suffering be had in part caused.
Senator Wade soon after visited the
grounds. The old servitor told him the
story with we'll expressed Indignation.
Brave fellow exclaimed old Ben,
crippled as you are, why did you not
strike him to the earth with your cane
as he thus jeered at the suferings of our
people p The old soldier, as we lis
tened to him, looked as though he would
like to have the valiant general come
again; and, with such high authority be-
hind him, we have no doubt he would
put into execution at onoe the bluff Sen
ator's suggestion"
This attack Is only on par with those,
from similar sources, which have already
been made upon me and other ex Con-
federate generals. l trust my friends
will pardon me for noticing this new as
persion; my remarks are intended only
for that numerous class of my fellow
citizens who are unacquainted with me.
When in Washington, last October, /
was invited by some friends to visit
Arlington House" which had never
seen except at distance. 1 accepted
the invitation, and, while there, we we're
conducted BY one Of the guardians Of
the place to see the cemetery. We en-
tered il with that silent reserve which is
due 10 the abode of the dead, and l left
III shortly afterward with a saddened
heart at the thought that the graves OF so
many of cur braTe OonfedeFates should
be still uneared for by friends or foes. A
true-hearted soldier feels the same re-
spect for the grave Of a gallant enemy as
for that of a brother-in-arms, and am
yet to learn that q single Federal grave
has ever been desecrated BY true Con-
federate soldier.
On returning to the mansion, our con-
dpctor disappeared for an instant, and
presently returned with q handsome
bouquet Of flowers gathered from the
flower garden Of Mrs. Lee he asked me
to Gccept il as q mementO Of ny visit,
and in return to enter ny name in the
visitors registry-book. We then shook
hands and parted, probably never 70
meet again. If be be "a brave crippled