Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-06-06

We are permitted to make public the
following very interesting letter from
Jefferson Davis, in answer to a charge
m ade by General Sherman in his lately
published book OF memoiIs.-T ED.
TINES.
MEMPHIS, Tenn, May q, 1875.
Colonel ". f. AIeneu:
MY DEAR SIR-Please accept my
thanks for your kind letter of the
nineteenth instsnt-and the accJm-
panying copy Of st. Louis paper
containing an extract from the
forthcoming work Of General w.
I. Sherman. My absence delayed
the receipt of your letter and this reply
to it. The malice that seeks to revive
the nefariOus y cJncOcted and long since
exploded slander which connected my
name with the assassination Of Presi-
dent Lincoln, is quite in character with
the man who so conducted his invasion
of the south, as to render "Sherman's
bummersn the synonym of pillage, ar
son, cruelty TO the helpless, and murder
Of non-combatants, snd who closeI his
career OF arson with a false accusation
against General Hampton in regard
to the burning of Columbia, South Caro-
lima. But the question arises, why did
General Sherman at the date OF his re-
ported conversation with General J. E.
Johnston, suppose me capable of COM
plicity in the assassination Of President
Lincoln? General sherman never wss
personally acquainted with me; and
from those who knew me, either in the
United States army, or in civil life; sure
ly learned nothing 10 justify such suspi-
cion. In the conduct OF the war be-
tweeB the States, despite of many base
less accusations, we can proudly point to
q record, which shows g strict adher-
ence 10 the usages Of war between civil
lied nations. On what, then, did the
suspicion of General Sherman rest?
Was it not that, proceeding on the rule
OF judging others by oneself, he ascribed
to me the murderous and malicious
traits Of his own nature? He reports a
conversation with President Lincoln,
from which it is to be inferred desire to
have authority for departing from the
course, which as a soldier he must have
known was asual and proper toward
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
Colonel Dahlgren, when re made his
raid against Richmond? II the good
natured, characteristic reply Of President
Lincoln taught him that murder was
not the approved measure, it seems to
have failed to inspire him with the gen.
erOsity 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
Joseph E. Johnston, there was one pro-
hibiting military expeditions in the
country east of the ChRttahOochie river.
That was the best consideration OBJ
tanned for the surrender OF armies, arms,
munitions aud manufactures in that
section, and il was in violation of that
article that the brigade of cavalry,
by which I was captured, was scour-
ing the country and freely taking from
the unprotected people the little which |
was left to them for their future subsist- |
ence. From the statement of General |
Sherman we learn that a story had been
told, to the effect that l was carrying in
wagons millions of specie to the south, |
and therefore we are left to conclude, |
was made that expedition in violation |
of the agreement of surrender. Though |
the story Of the millions Of specie is now
admitted by General Sherman to have |
been q fiction, the admission is made 10 |
such terms as would leave the leader to |
suppose | had been travelling with wagon |
and had a few thousand |
dollars OF specie in a Valise. But neither |
would be true. l had re- |
Gently Joined the wagon train, and was |
about to leave it when captured; my |
only baggage was a valise, which was |
hacked on q mule, and il contained no 1
specie. The few thousand dollars OF spe- /
Gle were in pair of saddle-bags, belong
ing to Secretary Reagan. Whether that |
money ever reached the United States |
treasury, Mr.. Reagan, from whom it
was taken, may be able to learn after
be shall have assumed his functions as
q representative in the United States
congress. Should the course Of the COM
mRnding-geneTsl Of the army, in at
at this late day, to resuscitste
q defunct slander against the President
Of the late COnfederscy, and to which
slander not even suborned witnesses
could give the semblance of truth, be
taken as the exponent OF the feeling of
the army, that ann of the general gov
would seem to be ill-suited to
the task, Of late so largely assigned to
it, Of preserving civil order, and of re.
storing harmony among the people of
the United States. For public consider
atiOns it is to be hoped that the ineradi-
cable malignity OF Sherman may be an
exception to the prevailing sentiments
1f the. United States army. Again
you for your friendly cOnsid.
erstion, am very truly yours,
JEFF FERSON DAVIS.