Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1872-09-21

VIM. B. HARKNESS.
Letter from Greysteel--- The Confeder'
ate Repulse at Corinth.
Editors Turf, Field and Farm
The Confederate story of tho war
has never been published. Gener-
al Jos. Il. Johnston is preparing Il
history of his campaigns in the
Southwest, which will bo ably and
conscientiously written. Johnston
was thought by many officers Of
the Confederacy to be second to
none Us n commander in the field,
and as n writer he is, in my Judg-
ment, superior to any OF them.
By an understanding with Gen.
Johnston, tho campaigns prelimi.
nary to his assumption of command
are being written by Gen. Dabney
II. Maury, a gentleman whose
thorough acquaintance with tho
subject and marked literary quail
fications especially fit him for the
performance of the task. General
Maury took an active and promi.
nent part in these campaigns, first
as Adjutant.General to Gen. Earl
Van Dorm, and afterwards as the
commander of as gallant a division
as any in the Southern army. 1t
was nearly destroyed in the opera
tions referred to in tho letter from
"E. II. c." herewith forwarded.
Gen. Maury was recently the OBJ
ject of q savage assault made upon
him whilo in the cars near Hunts
vile, Ala, and the undersigned re-
fers to the matter merely to re,
mark that Con. Maury is physical
ly incapacitated by wounds rccoiv-
cd in service in Mexico, and as re.
CARDS an imputation of his being
armed at tho time Of the assault, it
is to him (thc undcrsigned n mat.
ter of personal knowledge, derived
from long and intimate association
with Gen. NJ, that he has never
carried arms as habit, even in
time of war. He is also II gentle
man of well established character
for urbanity Of fbearing and delicate
consideration for the seIt-respcct OF
others, in his intercourse with all
manner of men. This personal al
lusion would be out of place, as it
is not germane to the main subject
of the Communication, had not the
matter been put before the country
in an e.r parte statement which has
had some circulation in tho papers
North and South, to the prejudice
ola worthy gentleman and quiet
and unoffending citizen. There are
other bullies and ruffians upon the
cars than Foster, and New York
has not monopoly of murderous
violence and outrage.
Among the materials submitted
to Gen. Maury for his use in COLA
ting, is the subjoined letter from a
staff officer, who was present at the
actions around Corinth, November
3, 4, 5, 1862.
"And thus was Corinth lost and won" byron.
DEAR GEN.-With great pleas
ure can reply, as far as my per-
sonal knowledge and my memory
may serve, in recalling the Incl.
dents of our campaign in the Fall
of '62. l shall not load my COM
munication with the common facts,
which are, of course, known to
every one, and will only make such
remarks as were suggested to my
own mind at the time of their oc-
currence, and the substance OF
which l have not seen in print.
Pollard's account oftho campaign
about Corinth, makes Lowell the
chief figure, if not the chief actor,
whereas we know he was most dis
tinguished, in the opinion of the
whole army, by his failure to do
anything. ,
Rosecrans states, in his official
report, that he made the assault on
Corinth with $4,000 men. My own
suppression is that he had about A.
600 infantry and artillery. | new
er knew what the cavalry, inclu-
ding Jackson and Armstrong,
amounted to. Adams, who was un-
der your orders, had two regiments.
The cavalry took no part in the as
sault on Corinth. / believe Ad-
ans skirmished at Halchie Bridge
before the coming up of Moores
Brigade.
Rosecrans said, in the report or
order above quoted, (from memory
only) that he had but little over
half as many men as VIC had. l
had, from some calculation Of my
own, put down the force in Corinth
at $4,000. This would talley pret-
~ nearly with Rosecrans' declfra-
ton. 1 remember that from Bar
rys count, aud, perhaps, from 9th
er sources, you made the number
greater. IL is not 10 be overlooked
thut. besides the forces in Uorintb,
Rosecrans had garrison at lula,
another al Rienzi, and large force
a division or moro, at Bolivar.
am sorry | have not the pam
phlet print Of Van Dorn's trial.
Apart from The interest deriving
from personal association, it con
tanned some good things. Rastis
reply. for instance, that he had ney-
er in his life seen a soldier who bad
not had anything TO eat for three
days. An Item in Bowens testi-
mony, very significant as regards
Lowell, / recall distinctly. Lowell
was on Bowens skirmish lizr<z<
Bowen asked him if y +
charge the works. Lovs 4
be did not mean to mur1 IS i > 4