The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1870-01-01
A DELICATE POINT Nv WAR
HISTORY.
Grants DissdtiyactiOn Nth Gen. Eto'aas
before the Bottle Of Nashville.

OtJOfC TIC 4(t@NNNN y ~E+-NNN0-
Twashing ton Cor. of the Chicago Tribune-l
Let me introduce you into the sump-
tuous mansion of General III. w. Hal
leck, at San francisco
The time was but few weeks ago.
General Halleck had been ordered to re-
port himself IN the Mississippi Valley,
and before setting out he had, out of his
abundant wealth, given fine dinner to
General George III. Thomas, his success
sor in the command of the Department
of the Pacific, and invited thereto about
dozen prominent officers and gentlemen,
among whorn were General Whipple and
and Governor Low, now our Minister to
| China.
The dinner was over; the blood of the
Widow Clicquet had warmed up the mem
ory and the ardent feelings of everybody
present conversation ensued and it
turned upon the disagreeable relations
that possibly might continue to exist be-
tween Halleck and Thomas if the Nash
vile mystery were not frankly and fully
explained between them. General Hal
leck approached this subject squarely,
and it was of the intensest interest to
General Thomas, who, while deliberate
and even slow, is a sensitive man upon
the fine points of his honor and his repu-
tation; and so far as refers to the move
ment against him, he has never been
querulous, but always grave and hurt;
| for many of his friends have led him to
suppose that the order which was issued
for his removal, was as much the fruit of
military conspiracy as of his cautious
| ta-J1noes fH,ax
| by the interposition of the battle.
AS General Halleck approached this
subject, therefore, Thomas gathered up
his great stature, put his hands behind
his back, and with his massive magnetism
looked Halleck through and through.
General Thomas, [ was present"
said Halleck, "when the order came from
City Point for your supersedence. l was
astounded, was dismayed at it. 1 car
ried it to Stanton and asked him to inter-
pose, if only to delay the transmission of
it three days.
''StantOn said: Il am as much surpris-
ed as you are. | think it mistake. But
| won't intervene | shan't take the re-
sponsibility 1t must be sent
Thomas followed all this with his whole
nature and history in his eyes. 'Wen?
well? he said, in suppressed impotence.
81 want you to know all this" contin-
ued Halleck, ''for we may never meet OPP
portunely again. l wanted to tell it to
you to satisfy your mind. | want you to
know it once for all.
''Well, sir, well?"
Il took Grants order to President Lin
coin, and asked him to interpose, to allow
me to detain the order for few days un-
til you got ready. He was as sorry about
it as Stanton or l; but he said, No,
shan't take the responsibility; Grant has
ordered it, and it must 60.
81 went back to Stanton again. / said
to him that | was satisfied this thing was
untimely and unjust; and | said:
"'Mr. Stanton, if | put this order re-
moving General Thomas in my pocket,
and keep it for three days, will you or
der me under arrest?'
&C DO your duty said Stanton; its
mistake, but do your duty
e" i want to know if you will have me
court-martialed if detain it.
s. No. said Stanton, Il WON'T
81 put that order in my pocket, Gen
eral Thomas" said Halleck, Gall present
eagerly listening,) ''and you fought the
battle of Nashville in time to save your
self, to save Grant, TO save Stanton, and
| Lincoln and me, and the country"
"Well, well, sir?" said Thomas, stern
and big as mountain of will, sis that
alp"
81 tell you again" replied Halleck,
''that have been wanting to talk to YOU
about this. / wanted to get it off of my
mind and yours. | may never have a
similar opportunity. That order from
General Grant relieved you from the COM
mand before Nashville. 1t specified, in
the order, who was to take your place,
and that mans name was not John A.
Logan"
Here there was sensation all round
Father Thomas seemed for the first time
to have lost his imperturability. "Well?
wells" was unequal to the occasion, so he
said nothing.
Il tell you, General Thomas, that /
saw the order. l carried the order about.
The name of the man was given, and it
was not John A. Logan"
The company burst out, resolved to
know who it was.
"And the name of the man in that or
DER" said Halleck, with due emphasis,
''was John M. Schofield."
81 knew it," burst forth General Thorn
as, no longer selt-cOnstrained, 81 knew
it I! knew he was the mani"
have given General Halleck's version
of the conversation as believe it to have
been exactly rendered. From under the
tea-cup, where | heard it, some words
might have been lost, but l think not
You have, probably, had set before you
the precise statement, and have shared
the just spirit of the interview.