The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1870-07-28

enemy directly into Washington City from
the battlefield, 70 a statement that thret
months thereafter, the fruits of the victory
which had then passed into history, were
not reaped by the Generals In consequence
OF his disapproval.
Candor compels me respectfully TO dis
sent from your opinion that there is "nc
terror. In the statement as IL stands In the
sbook, nor discrepancy between il and the
''facts brought to light by the correspOn-
silence" Your language conveys amean-
ing, widely variant from the statement OF
Gen. Johnston. The extract produces the
impression that the President disapproved
the policy of activity and an advance
movement, when in truth he favored such
plan, and 1t was not carried out because OF
his inability to furnish the troops declared
to be essential by the Generals entrusted
with command. In reply TO his inquiry
whether he had prevented the troops from
following up the rout at Manassas General
Johnston answered, "No." And la reply to
his inquiry whether 'he had erer objected to
an advance, or other active operations which
1t was feasible for the army to undertake.
Gen. Johnston replied: ut has Rerer been
lit has done. After a conference at Fairfax
&C H., with the three senior Generals, you
announced it to be impracticable to give
''the army the strength necessary to assume
1.-THE offensive" This letter was dated the
2lst of November of the fall in the "early
part of which you report that President
Davis overruled their purpose to advance
on Washington. Ii does not authorize the
statement or warrant the inference, that
they even advised an advance movem ent,
much less does Ii show that the President
objected to the assuming of offensive opera
TONS 1t only appears that he was unable to
furnish the troops thought by the senior
Generals to be necessary for a movement if
made, against their main force, because he
was well aware that TO have left bare
Yorktown and Norfolk, (Which were not
"remote points whether their proximity
to the scene of active operations. or their re-
lation to the vital parts of the Confederacy
be considered,) would have opened the
way for the ascent of the enemy up James
river to take the Capital, and cut off the
army of the Potomac from all supplies, by
the destruction of railroads. This could
have been done by a small force; and still
small forces would have achieved like de-
s.ructive work at Charleston and other i'm
portant points.
And while this discrepancy is shown to
exist between the extract from your work,
and the facts revealed by the correspondence,
you will allow me further to say, that the
statement is faulty not only in its errone-
Gus representation OF the plan of campaign
of at least one of the parties whose names
are introduced, but in its failure to mention,
that while he president Davis,) did not
have the troops that were required tor a
direct attack on Washington, three months
after the panic ofMcDOwelrs army had died
out, and when the enemy, warned by the
terrible lesson at Manassas, had prepared
themselves to resist such movement, he did
advise an advance into lower Maryland for
the protection of the people of that section,
from the outrages to which they were SUBJ
ected by troops under the command ofGen. |
Sickles. The expedition was deemed feast
Die by the Generals, but was never under
aiken for reasons of which the public are |
not advised; but which may have been en-
irely sufficient. 1t is not my province TO |
pronounce an opinion. Certainly nothing
Gould have more surprised President Davis.
md the persons who were acquainted with
he views which he had communicated to
he officers in command than the attempt to
lold him responsible either for the failure to
pursue the enemy at Manassas, or the in
Ictivity which continued until the retreat
# the army to the defences at Richmond.
And it is worthy of remark, that the allega-
ion of disappearing active operations was
lever made against President Davis. after
Ienl Lee with whose plans he entirely
took command.
am, very respectfully, yours,
Z. BARKSDALE.