The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1868-09-22
Letter from Ex-Governor Brown, Of Geor-
@ t gla.

hare ATLANTA, Aug. %, 1868.
Hon. A. II. Conner, Chairman Republican State
Central Committee, Indianapolis:
DEAR SIR:-Somc unknown friend has
forwarded to me, through the mail, the
enclosed article, headed, "Gov. Brown
Gen. Forrest" which purports to be
from the Indianapolis Sentinel of the
22d of July. 1868, from which I make
the following extract:
'sWe have the evidence to prove that
when Col Streight's command-which
was sent to Rome, Georgia, to destroy
the arsenal at that place-was captured
by the Confederate force under Forrest,
Gov. Brown made "a demand upon j eff
Davis for their delivery to him, SO that
they could be tried and hung. under
State law of Georgia, for inciting an
insurrection" .t..ss...
Gen. Forrest, whose forces had
fought Col. Streghts command for four
or five days, and finally captured them,
protested against the compliance with
Brown demand, and insisted that they
should be treated as prisoners Of war
His protest was effective, and saved the
officers, at least, of Streighs's command
from the hangman's rope that Governor
Brown had prepared for them. @:.,
another step. Colonel I. II. Walk
er was the Lieutenant Colonel of the
- Indiana, Hathaway's regiment.
He had a black servant, to whom he en-
trusted the carry ing OF. his carbine,;
gun of peculiar pattern, which was fas-
tened to the negro's saddle. Failing in
his design to hang the officers OF
Streight's command, Governor Brown
made special requisition upon jeff.
Davis for the delivery to him of Colo
mel Walker, so he. might be tried and
hung, under State law Of Georgia, for
arming negroes. .4#5--.
"Gen. Forrest again stepped forward,
and saved Colonel Walker from . feion's
death e. v,gt94esrss1r-s nsga ss
Now pronounce this whole statement
an unmitigated falseheod, without the
mblance of truth to sustain it. / new
er demanded Colonel Streisht's troops,
nor Colonel Walker. nor any other Fed
eral prisoner of jeff Davis, for any such
purpose, or for any other purpose I
never, during the whole war, had in my
possession, aor under my control, Fed
eral prisoner, OF any name, grade, or
rank. ta5o
At the time Colonel Streight and his
command were captured, Mr.. Davis was
in Richmond, and in Georgia Either
of the demands upon him for the deliy-
cry to me of prisoners. as charged by
the Sentinel, must have been in writing,
staff officer or other messenger. I chal-
lenge the author to produce the letter.
telegram, or messenger who carried either.
He cannot shelter himself under vague
reports or false rumors. demand the
proof, and pronounce him a calum-
niator till he produces it. - sa5 = -.
not only had no control over Fed
eral prisoners, but the relations between
Mr.. Davis and myself during the latter
Part of the war were such that any re-
quest might have made in their behalf
would, as all who know his temper and
disposition, will readily admit, much
more probably have resulted in their in
jury than their benefit. Gag
used all the means at my command,
which were justified by the rules of civil
ICED warfare, to secure the success Of the
Confederacy, but no one can point to q
single instance in which 1 transcribed
those rules by any unauthorized act of
cruelty to those then regarded as enc
mics. Very respectfully,
| Your obedient servant
JOSEPH E. BROWN.
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