Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-08-28
General Banks. Old Score.

General Banks who is speaking in this
State for Greeley has an old score to set
tie with President Grant. One of the Ar
my of the Tennessee takes occasion to
produce in the columns of the Cincinnati
Gazette, some of the war correspondence
which has LETT ranking wound in the
breast OF General Banks. 1t explains
very clearly why Banks is for ''any body
to beat Grant" We copy portion Of the
correspondence. 1t tells the old story of
General Banks disastrous failure as mil
itary man:
jor General II. W. Halleyk, Chief of staf
You can see from Gen Brayman's dispatch to
me something OF Gen. Banks disaster. have
been satisfied for the last nine months that TO keep
Gen. Banks in command was to neutrolze Large
force and 10 support il most extensively. Although
the service demand that Gen. Reynolds should be
placed in command at once, and that he name his
own successor to the command at New Orleans.
U. 5. GRANT, Lieut.. General.
Endorsement
Headquarters of the Army
Washington, April 30 1854.
This telegram shown to the President by order of
the Secretary of War. The President replied that
he must delay acting on it for the present;
Major General, Chief of staff
Headquarters, culpepper,, .vaa;..
Major General Halleck, Chief of Star:
would send orders to Gen. steele to return to
Little Rock; to Gen. Banks, to return himself i'm
to New Orleans, and make preparations
to carry ont his previous instructions the moment
his troops returned; to place the senior officer
under himself in command OF the troops in the
field; with instructions to see the gunboats safely
out OF the Red river as soon possible, and then
return all the troops rapidly to where they belong
If before receiving these instructions he has taken
Shreveport, then to leave Gen. Steele and the navy
in charge Of the river, giving Gen. Steele if neces
sary all OF Smiths troops. U. 8. GRAFT,
Lieutenant General.
Culpeppcr Court House. Va,
April 25th, 1864.
Major General II. W. Halleck, Chief OF staff:
A.. Smith will have to stay with Gen. Banks
nntjlthe gunboats are out Of their difficulty. Gen.
leave all further execution on Red river in other
hands. have just received two private letters,
one from New Orleans and one anonymous from
the 18th corps, giving deporable accounts of Gen.
Banfs' acknowledgement. His own report and
these letters clearly show all his disaster to be at
tributable to his own incompetency.
U. s. GRANT, Lieut.. General
April, 20, 1864.
General Halleck:
send you this sketch, just received from Admi.
raj Porter with very long letter. full and strong,
but evidently designed for me alone. l would be
willing to send it to you or Gen. Grant, but fea
some expressions as to Gen. Banks would not be
proper. l fear for Steele, but messengers have
been st Mt him from every quarter
W.T. SHERMAN, Major General.
Culpepper, Va, April %, 1864.
Major General II. w. Halleck, Chief Of staff
Gen. Banks despatch Of the 18th received.
lido not see that better orders can be given than
those sent a few days ago.
Gen. Banks, by his failure, has absorbed ten
thousand veteran troops that should now be with
Gen. Sherman and thirty thousand OF his own, that
would have been moving toward Mobile and this
without accomplishing any good result
L. s. GRANT, Lieut.. General.
Culpepper, Va, May 3, 1864.
Major General Halleck. Chief of staff:
1t is now too late for Smiths force to re.
turn to be of any use in the spring campaign, but
do think it waste of strength to trust Gen Banks
with large command or an important expedition.
U. s. GRANT, Lieutenant General.
Near Spottsylvania Court House, Va,
May II, 1864.
Major General Halleck:
Private letters and official statements from the de-
partment Of the Gulf show such state of at
iairs there to demand, in nay opinion, the imme-
date removal of Gen. Banks. The army has evi.
IDENTITY lost confidence in him. If Candy
has simply relieved Banks in command of the De.
partment then the change will be satisfactory
U. s. GRANT Lieut General,