The evening Argus., 1869-02-03
GRANT AND BANKS,
A Probably True Version Of the viokSburg
Story.
Bosroy, January %. 1869.

Bosros, January 70, 1869.
General Banks arrived here from Wash
ington last eyeniug,and the following article,
which appears in the TrareLier this afternoon,
is understood to be "by authority -
The recent revea ton that an order was issued
| from the war department 70 General Banks, just
| before the fall Of Vicksburg, directing him to
repair ts that point and supersede General Grant,
| has been madea topic for comment in newspapers
| in all parts of thecOuntry. 1t has been denied
| by Secretary Stanton end tho truth ,f the state
ment has been called Ia question by Mr. Dana,
| Who was assistant serretHrv Of war Rt the time;
| bUfnotsiMstGHdtng THE, 70. htre he us'trGnce that
tie statement is srtctly true.
The reader may ask, if this is go, how has the
fact leaked out now, and why was IT withheld
from the public so long In answer 20 this 1t
| may he said that the enemies of General Grant
have reported something to this effect before, the
matter having been brought to the knowledge Of
3 few army officers at the time This has boon
denied at the war department, and there are no
papers file there 10 confirm The truth Of tie report,
General Grant never heard Of the story until
about four weeks ago. when one Of his friends cal
| icd his attention to it. General Bndeau Of bis
staff, and congressional friend called on Gen
| eral Banks, and not only learned that the story
|
pondence between himself and the war department
| on the subject hehaviug retained his orders, and
guarded them with the more Oare when he learned
that Secretary Stanton hat dispOscd Of the dupl-
Gates. The contents Of these documents were
discussed at General Grants headquarters, andR
member of the staff communicated tho matter to
the correspondent of the New York Tiass 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 b.'R.. s.t"g OF Gshcrdt
Halleck. and signed By him, will be urged NS an
excuse for his denial but their contents when pub
hshed-and we presume General Grant VIII pub
Msh them some time--will show that both Secre-
tary stanton and President Lincoln knew of what
was written, and that all was done under their di
| IeCtiOn.
| Officers Of the Nineteenth Army Corps knew Of
| this correspondence at the time, and General
| Banks was urged to obey the order, but he ven
tuFed to disregard 1t, and the fall of Nicksburg a
few days later vindieAted General Grant, and the
| war department saw fit not to call General Banks
to account for hisdsobedence. He kept his own
counsel, knowing that the publication of the
correspondence, or the fact of its existence prior
70 the recent election would injure the republican
party, and it 10 only made public now by the
friends of General Grant.
| Some weeks since while Secretary Stanton was
talked Of for q position in Grants Cabinet, our
Washington correspondent expressed tho opinion
that he would not be invited to such position
and few days later--Rbout the timo General
Grant obtained this correspondence--his friends
announced that he proposed to remain in private
life. lift should turn out that he took advantage
Of his position secretary OF war to destroy I'M
portant public documents, and especially those
which might prevent his own political preferment,
il will he cause for regret TO the country that
this determination was not reached some years
ago.
In publishing the foregoing the National
htelltgeacer says:
We stated Thursday, in connection with a
news paragraph of the Washington CORES.
pondent of the New York Herald, upon the
subject matter as above, that the ukase of
Mr.. Stanton against General Sherman, is.
sued after the surrender Of General John.
son, was net 8hoUn toPrssident Lincoln, and
teds subsequently, condemned By him. A re.
| cent statement in the Washington cores.
! pondence of the Baltimore Gazette, to the
effect that Mr.. Lincoln was not privy to the
orders Of the War Department for such a
joining Of the forces Of Banks and Grant rs
to give the former rank in command above
the latter, has not been denied in any, guar
ter. The authority for the statement was
Marshal Lsmon, who was of the official fam.
lily of President Lincoln, and was his conf.
dental and most attached friend. Leading
congressman are implicated.
. The article above, from the Boston Trar.
ei!sr, trad has paragraphs, which Wa have
itahcised that compile i trsns6x Stanton
in wicked conduct. According to it, files
and records at the Wdr Department hare
been tdmpcred Nth and destroyed and that
HaiEeck iCas Stdnt0n's cat par in respect tc
: orders affecting the status Of Grant rhen be
fore lickSburg. With such revelations
what wonder is it that we should find o para
graph like the following IN q western Jour
nal
"0ur Washington correspondents ID. p hs,
recently seen the Hon. Edwin NJ Stanton, and
says that gentleman tsotsId not accept Il Cabinet
Office, and regards he ltte a pubic raa snd,d
Mr.. Stanton makes this statement unde- such
cireuastonces that there is no question that his
resolution is fixed not to take Office"