The weekly clarion., 1874-06-25

Ii.
remain in command:
ST. LOUIS, August 7th 1872.
General j. B. Hood:
MY DEAR GENERAL-Your letter of
since, and | avail myself of the first OPP
poriunity to answer it.
You ask me to send you "a statement
setting forth the facts as YOU % Inder-
stand them, of the circumstances attend
ing the removal of Gen. J. f. Johnston
from the command of our rmy in Geor-
gia in 1864, and your appointment to sue
ceed him." 1t gives me pleasure to COM
ply with your request.
Monday morning, July 18th yon will
remember, we met about sunrise in
the road near Johnston's headquarters;
and | then informed you of the object of
seeking an interview, and that was that
we should all three unite in an effort to
prevail on Gen. Johnston TO withhold
the order and retain command of the ar
my until the impending battle should
have been fought. | can bear witness TO
the readiness with which you concurred.
| We went together to Johnston's quarters
and you and he had long conversation
with each other, which | did not hear.
At the close of it, however, you and Gen.
Hardee and l went into the Adjutant
Generals office and together prepared
telegram TO the President, stating that in
our judgment it was dangerous to change
commanders at that juncture, and request
ing him to recall the order removing
Johnston, at least until the fate of Allan
ia ha 4 1al ha
substance; cannot remember the Ian
guage. An answer was received that af-
ternoon from the President declining to
comply with our request or suggestion,
on the ground that the order having been
issued, it would do more harm than good
to recall or suspend it.
Very sincerely, yours,
ALEX. p. STEWART,
Late Lieut. General c. S. Army.
| here give the Presidents answer to
our telegram:
RICHMOND, July IS, 1864.
To Generals Hood, Hardee and Ste,oart:
Your telegram of this date received
A change of commanders under existing
circumstances was regarded as so objec
tionable that | only accepted it as the al
tentative of continuing policy which
had proved disastrous. Reluctance to
make the change induced me to send
telegram Of inquiry to the commanding
general on the 10th inst. His reply but
confirmed previous apprehensions. There
can be but one question which you and
can entertain, that is, what will best pro-
mote the public good? And to each of you
| confidently lock for the sacrifice Of eve
ry personal consideration in conflict with
that object. The order has been execu-
ted, and | cannot suspend it without
making the case worse than it was before
the order was issued.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
After the receipt of the above telegram,
| returned to Gen. Johnston's room alone,
and urged him, for the good of the coun-
try, to pocket all the correspondence, re-
main in command and fight for Atlanta,
as Sherman was at the very gates of the
city. To this, my second appeal, he made
about the same reply as in the first in
stance then referred to the great en-
uarrdssInenI or the position III which L
had been placed, saying that [ did
not even know the position of the two
remaining corps of the army.
With all the earnestness of which man
is capable, | besought him, if he would
under no circumstances, retain command
and fight the battle for Atlanta, to re-
main with me, at least, and give me the
benefit Of his counsel, whilst determined
the issue. My earnest manner must
have impressed him, as finally, with a
tear of emotion gathering in his eye, he
gave me the promise that after riding to
Atlanta, he would return that evening
Although our relations were the same
they had been throughout the cam
paign, friendly and cordial, he not only
tailed to comply with his promise, but,
without a word Of explanation or apology,
left that evening for Macon, Ga.
J. b. Hoop.