Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-01-31
GRANT AND BANKS
Another Version of the Story-stantOn
Destroying she Records or the war
Department. ~ IA " GEE CIUI I'd

announcer version OF the Story-StantOn
Destroying she Records or the War
Department. ~ "a " & III [-iUI IA,
Gen. Banks arrived in Boston on
the 10Th inst, and OH the next after
noon the following article appeared
in the IFaUeRer, as is understood
"by authority"
The recent revelation that an
order was issued from the War
Department to Gen. Banks, just
before the fall of Vicksburg, direct
ing him to repair to that point and
supersede Gen. Grant, has been
made topic of comment in news
papers in all parts of the country.
1t has been denied by Secretary
Stanton, and the truth of the state
ment has been called in question by
Mr.. Dana, who was Assistant
Secretary of War at the time; but
notwithstanding this, we have the
assurance that the statement is
strictly true.
The reader may ask, if this is so,
how has the fact leaked out now, and
why was it withheld from the public
so long? In answer to this it may
be said that the enemies of Gen.
Grant have reported something to
this effect before, the matter having
been brought to the knowledge of a
few army officers at the time. This
has been denied at the War Depart
ment, and there are papers on file
here to confirm the truth of the re-
port. Gen. Grant never heard of
the story until about four weeks
ago, when one of his friends called
attention to il. Gen. Badeau, of his
staff, and Congressional friend
called on Gen. Banks, and not only
learned that the story was true, but
obtained from him all the CORES
pondence between himself and the
War Department on the subject, he
having retained his orders, and
guarded them with the more care
when he learned that Secretary Stan
ton had disposed of the duplicates.
The contents of these documents
were discussed at Gen. Grants head
quarters, and member of the staff
communicated the matter to the cor
respondent of the New York Times,
who first made it public.
1t may be asked how Secretary
Stanton can deny these facts, but
those who know him best find little
difficulty in answering it. Perhaps
the fact that they are in the hand
writing of General Halleck, and
signed by him, will be urged as an
excuse for his denial, but their con-
tents, when published We pre-
sumo General Grant will publish
them some time-will show that
both Secretary Stanton and Presi-
dent Lincoln knew of what was
written, and than all was done under
their direction. frF a.
Officers of the 18th Army Corps
knew of this correspondence at the
time, and Gen. Banks was urged to
obey the order, but he ventured to
disregard it, and the fall of Wick
burg, a few days later, indicated
Gen. Grant, and the War Depart
ment saw fit not to call Gen. Banks
to account for the disobedience. He
kept his own counsel, knowing that
the publication of the correspon-
dence, or the fact of its existence
prior to the recent election, would
injure the Republican party, and it is
only madepublic now by the friends
of Gen. Grant.
Some weeks since, while Secretary
Stanton was talked of for a position |
in Grants Cabinet, our Washington |
correspondent expressed the opinion |
that he would not be invited to such |
a position, and few DAYS later
about the time General Grant OBJ |
tanned this correspondence-his |
friends announced that he proposed |
to remain in private life. If it
should turn out that he took advan-
tage of his position as Secretery of |
War to destroy important public |
documents, and especially those
which might prevent his own politi- i
cal preferment, it will be a cause
Tor regret to the country that this
determination was not reached some
years ago. ~