Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-06-06
DAVIS AND SHERMAN.
The President OF the Late COHfederaey
Gees for Teeumseh's SeaIP-A VitriOI-
fc EpisfIe.

Goes for Tecumsehs SeaIP-A VitriOl-
Ic EPistIe.
The St. Louis Times of Friday, pub.
fishes a letter from Jefferson Davis to a
gentleman Of that city, in which he
says Of Sherman's Memoirs:
The malice that seeks to revive the
nefariously concOcted and long since
exploded SANDER which connected my
name with the assassination of Presi-
dent Lincoln is quite in character with
the man who 50 conducted his invasion
of the South as to render Sherman
bummers" the synonym Of pillage, ar
son, cruelty 10 the helpless, murder Of
nOncOmjatants, and who closed his ca
reer Of arson with a false accusation
against Gen. Hampton, IN regard to
the burning of Columbia, s. Z.
But the question arises, why did
Gen. Sherman, at the date of his re.
ported conversation with Gen. ]. E.
Johnston, suppose me capable Of COM
plicity in the assassination Of President
Lincoln! Gen. Sherman was neyerper-
sOnally acquainted with me, ard from
those who knew me, either in the
United States army or in civil life, he
surely learned nothing to Justify such
suspicion. In the conduct of the war
between the States, despite of many
baseless accusations, we can proudly
point to a record which shows a strict
adherence to the usages Of war between
civilized nations. On what, then, did
the suspicion Of Gen. Sherman rest ?
Was 1t not that, proceeding on
the rule Of Judging others by
ones self, he ascTibed to me
the murderOus and malicious
traits OF his own nature? He reports
a conversation with President Lincoln,
from which is to be inferred a desire to
have authority for departing from the
course which, as a soldier, he must have
known was usual and proper toward
prisoners of war. Did he hope 10 get
instructions for the slaughter of the
Confederacy's President and cabinet
officers, as set forth in the orders Of
Col. Dahlgreen, when he made his raid
against Richmond: If the good
natured, characteristic reply Of Presi-
dent Lincoln taught him that murder
was not the approved measure, it seems
to have failed to inspire him with the
generosity and charity which is ever
found in noble minds, or with the chiv-
airy which ever adoIns the characterof
the true soldier and gentleman.
Among the articles of the surrender
OF Gen. Johnston there was one pro-
hibiting military expeditions IN the
country east Of the Chattahoochie riv-
er. That was the last consideration
obtained for the surrender of armies,
arms, munitions and manufactures in
that section, and it was IN violation of
that article that the brigade of cavalry
by which l was captured was securing
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 Gen.
Sherman, we learn that a story had
been told to the effect that l was car
ryiug 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 surren-
der. Though the story of the millions is
now admitted by Gen. Sherman to
have been a fiction, the admission is |
made in such terms as would lead the |
reader to suppose that l had been trav-
cling with wagon transportation. and |
had few thousand dollars of specie in |
a Yalise, but neither suppOsition would |
be true. I had recently joined the |
wagon train, and was about to leave |
when captured. My only baggage |
was a 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 Sec
rotary Reagan. Whether that money |
ever reached the United States treas
ury, Mr.. Reagan, from whom it was
taken, may be able to learn after he
shall have assumed his functions as a
in the United States
Congress.
Should the course of the Command
ing General of the army, in attempting,
at this late day, to Tesuscitate a de-
funct SANDER against the President of
the late COnfederacy, and to which
SANDER not even sUbOrned witnesses
could give the semblance Of truth, be
taken as the exponent Of the feeling of
the army, that arm of the General
would seem TO be Ill suited
10 the task Of late so largely assigned
20 it, Of preserving civil order and Of
restoring harmony among the people
Of the United States. For public con-
it is TO be hoped that the
maGgnity Of Sherman may
be an exception to the prevailing SEN
5iment Of the United States army.