Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1874-06-19
G n. "a % DIS Reply To General
JOhESt0n,s Nanatiye


G n. "a DIS Reply To General
JohEston's Nanative.
General Hood has published in the
New Orleans Times article No. of
his reply to General Joe Johnston's
structures upon his conduct and we
regret that cur columns just now are
SO crowded that we cannot publish it
in full.
The article concludes as follows:
As retrace all these facts and cir
cumstances, [ cannot think General
Johnston in earnest when he says that
he intended or desired to fight at the
different points mentioned; moreover,
it must seem strange to my comrades
of the Virginian army that l, who had
always been ready and willing to do
my duty, should undergo SO complete
a change under General Johnston dur
ing the last year of the war. In truth.
I had no wise altered in my nature,
and 1 will add that no general ever re-
ceived more thorough cooperation Of
his corps commanders than did Cen
Johnston during his campaign from
Dalton to Atlanta. He was on cordial
terms with each of us, and it should
be borne in mind that the animus dis
played toward Gen. Polk and myself
never became apparent till after | was
assigned to the command of the army
of Tennessee, and the noble Polk had
been laid in his grave nigh two months.
Gen. Johnston was then residing in
n
cial report in which were brought for
ward for the first time these unjust
and ungenerous accusations. Ii [ was
SO little to be relied upon, aud had
given cause for complaint successfully
at Resaca and Cassviile, why did he
entrust to me the important operations
at New Hope Church, from which it
was supposed a general engagement
might ensue? The truth is, he had
no real cause of complaint, and / re-
iterate he had the full cooperation of
his Lieutenants. No matter what the
views held by them as to his mode of
handling an army, they were all suffi-
GENTLY good soldit rs TO forego making
remark even III the presence of one
of their own staff officers, which might
tend to destroy confidence i'll their
chief
/ will give historical fact, ilIustra-
tive of this spirit of discretion and for
bearance, which will be peculiarly in
teresting as it has never, to my knowl-
edge, been made public:
Just before leaving New Hope
Church, his three corps commanders
were assembled alone at night in his
quarters-then little cabin near the
church-when Gen. Johnston suggest
ed Macon as being the place to fall
back upon. If / remember rightly,
this suggestion WAS received in silence,
for | cannot recall the reply of any one
OF lis at the moment; l well remember,
however, after we had left the presence
of Gen. Johnston, and were riding
through the darkness Of the night to
our respective headquarters, the unani-
nous sentiment expressed on this oc-
casion. 1t was to this effect: ''ln the
name of Heaven what is to become of
rs Here we are with the lepots for
recruits drained from Mobile to Rich
mond, all the troops having been sent
either to us or to General Lee, in Nir-
ginia; our army fifty or sixty miles
from Dalton, no general battle fought,
and our commander talking of Macon,
one hundred miles beyond Atlanta, os
being the place to fall back upon"
This gloomy outlook brought about
the comparison touching our losses up
to that time, and TO which / referred
in my first reply. We finally separated
and each rode OF to his own tent: how
soever dispirited, [ am confident not
one of rs SO far lost sight of that CO.
operation so necessary in time of war,
as to even mention to any one Gen.
Johnston's contemplated retreat to
Macon.
Shortly thereafter we found our
selves at kennesaw Mountain, the last
stronghold of the many piney ridges
passed over during our retreat. It was
to the left Of this place, on Pine
Mountain, that we lost the brave and
niagnanimous Polk, and with him
much of the history of this remarkable
campaign. We remained some thirty
days at kennesaw Mountain, when
sherman resorted to what he had
learned from experience would prove
effective: he sent a few troops to make
a rumbling sound in our rear, and we
folded up our tents as usual, under
strict orders, to make no noise, and
under cover OF darkness marched to
and across the Chattahoochee upon
the fiat plains of Georgia.
After our passage of this river, on
the night Of the 9th of July, Sherman
moved rapidly to the eastward and
across the Chattahooehee, some dis
lance above PCachtree creek. He
formed Il line parallel to this creek,
with his right on the river. and APP
preached Atlanta from the north,
whilst Schotield and Mcpherson. on
the left, marched rapidly III the direc-
ton of Decatur, to destroy the rail
road to Augusta. See map, page 347. |
General Johnston says, pages 34S- 10 |
80: "On the 18th OF May General |
Wheeler reported that the whole Fed |
eral army had crossed the Chattahoo- |
chez. The following teIe- !
gram was received from General |
Cooper, dated July 18th: Lieutenant
General j. Is. Hood has been commits
stoned to the temporary RANK Of Gen
eral, under the late law of Congress-
[ am directed by the Secretary of War
20 inform you that, IS you have failed
20 arrest the advance of the enemy
10 the vicinity of Atlanta, far III the
Interior of Georgia, and express no
confidence that you can defeat or repel
him, you are hereby relieved from the
command of the Army and Depart
nent of Tennessee, which on will in
turn over to General Hood
r General Hood came to my
quarters early on the morning of the
9Th, and remained there during the
lay. Intelligence soon came from
Major General Wheeler that the Fede-
ad army was marching toward Attain
a, and at General Hoods earnest re-
Iuest [ continued to give orders
trough Brigadier General Mackall,
hief of staff, until sunset" About IL {
clock p. M, on the night of the 18th, :
received telegram from the War {
)ffice ordering me to assume com 5
land of the army. This totally mex
ected order SO overwhelmed me with
sense of the responsibility thereto
ttached that ] remained in deep I
bought throughout the night. Be {
pre- day / started for General John
toms headquarters, short distance
rom which met Lieutenant-G General {
:. P. Stewart, one of my division
who had been recon-
lended by me and recently promoted s