The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1875-06-09
At. 2,

AA045 ~. AooiS WcS puUilbueB the lOl-
lowing letter from Mr.. Jefferson Davis,
addressed to Col. w: F. Mellen, "a former
Confederate officer, in which he repels
with warmth the broad intimation con-
tanned in Gen. sherman's ','hIemoirs," "
that he CDavis) was connected with the
plot which resulted in the assassination
of President Lincoln; whilst the story
that when captured he "was travelling
with wagon transportation and had q
few thousand dollars of specie in a
vnlise." is thoroughly exploded. Acting
ON the principle that blows should be
given as we'll MS received. Mr.. Davis
administers severe cnstigntion to Gen
Sherman, charging him with violation
OF the terms OF surrender accorded to
Gen. Johnston, and with the display of
an ineradicable malignity:
MEMPHIS, Tenn, May 81, 1S75.-Mv
Dear Sir: Please accept my thanks for
your kind letter of the 10th instant, and
the accompanying copy of st. Louis
paper, containing an extract from the
forthcoming work of Gen. w. T. Sher-
man. My absence delayed the receipt
of your letter and this reply to it. The
malice that seeks to revive the nefari-
ously concocted and long since exploded
SANDER which connected my name with
the assassination of President Lincoln,
ID quite in character with the man who
SO conducted his invasion of tho South
as to render "Sherman's bummers" the
synonym of pillage, arson, cruelty to
hnI mi 4c
batants, and who closed his career of
arson with q false accusation against
Gen. Hampton in regard to the burning
of Columbia, South Carolina But the
question arises why did Gen. Sherman,
ut the date of his reported conversation
with Gen. j. E. Johnston, suppose ME
capable of completely in the assassina-
ton of President Lincoln?
General Sherman never was personally
acquainted with me, and from those who
knew me-. either in the United States
army or in civil life, surely learned no.
thing to justify such suspicion. In the
conduct of the war between the States.
despite of many baseless accusations, we
can proudly point to record which
shows strict adherence to the usapes of
war between civilized nations. On what,
then, did the suspicion of Gen. Sherman
rest? Was it not that, proceeding on the
rule of judging others by oneself, he
ascribed to me the murderous and mali
cious traits of his own nature?
He reports conversation with Prcsi-
dent Lincoln, from which is to be in
Ierred desire to have authority for de-
parting from the course which, as a SOL
dler, he must have known was usual and
proper towards prisoners of war. Did
he hope to get instructions for the
slaughter of the Confederacy's President
and cabinet officers, as set forth in the
orders of Col. DNhlgren, when he made
his raid against Richmond? If the good
natured, Characteristic reply of President
Lincoln taught him that murder was
not the approved measure, it seems to
have fniled to inspire him with the gene
rosity and charity which is ever found
IN noble minds, or with the chivalry
which ever adorns the character of the
true soldier and gentleman.
Among the articles of the surrender of
General j. E. Johnston, there WAS one
prohibiting military expeditions in the
country East of the Chattahoochie River
That WAS the best consideration obtained
for the surrender of armies, arms, NUM-
tions and manufactures in that section.
and it was in violation of that article
that the brigade of cavalry, by which I
was captured, was securing the country
and freely taking from the unprotected
people the little which was left to them
for their future subsistence. From the
statement of Gen. sherman, we learn
that story had been told, to the effect
that 1 was carrying in wagons millions
of specie to tho South, and, therefore,
we are left to conclude, was made TINT
expedition in violation of the agreement
of surrender. Though the story of the
millions of specie is now admitted by
Gen. Shermaa to have been fiction, the
admission is made in such terms MS
would lead the reader to suppose had
been travelling with wagon transporta-
ton, and had few thousand dollars OF
specie in a valise. But neither supposi-
ton would be true. I had recently
joined the wagon train. and was about to
leave it when captured; my only baggage
was valise, which WAS packed on a
mule, and it contained no specie. The
few thousand dollars of specie were in a
pair of saddle-bags belonging to Score
tary Reagan. Whether thnt money ever
reached the United States Treasury, Mr..
Reagan, from whom it was taken, may
ha able IN 1corp offnr bo o1,on boyo ar