South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1875-06-11
Letter from Mr.. Jefferson Davis.
a. se.. s;y.,eu.lyye, q. .sslp q C.a. sa.rs.s..

lie goes s;yoronsly for The scalp Of Gea. Sherman.
TIE ST. Louis Times OF Friday pub
fishes the following letter from Mr.. JEFF.
ferson Davis, addressed to Col. w. +.
Mellen, former Confederate officer,
touching certain matters in General
Sherman's book:
Nempkis Tenn, Nay 81, 1S75.-My
Dear Sir: Please accept my thanks for
your kind letter of the 10Th instant. and
the accompanying copy of n St. Louis
paper containing an extract from the
forthcoming work OF Gen. w. L. Sher-
man. Ny absence delayed the receipt
of your letter and this reply to it.
The malice that seeks TO revive the
nefariously concocted and long since
exploded SANDER which connected nv
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
bummers' the synonym pillage. arson.
cruelty to the helpless, and murder of
non-combatants, and who closed his ca
reer of arson with false accusation a
gainst General Hampton in regard to the
burning of Columbia. South Carolina.
But the question arises, why did Gen.
Sherman at the date of his reported con.
versation with Gen. J. Il. Johnston sup
pose me capable of completely in the as
sassination of President Lincoln?
General Sherman never was person.
ally acquainted with me, and from those
who knew me, either in the United States
army or in civil life, surely learned moth
ing to justify such suspicion. In the
conduct of the war between the States.
despite of many baseless accusations,
we can proudly point to n record which
shows a strict adherence to the usages
of war between civilized nations. On
what, then. did the suspicion of G eneral
Sherman rest? Was il not that, pro-
ceeding on the rule of judging others by
oneself, he ascribed to me the murderous
and malicious traits Of his own nature?
He reports conversation with Presi-
dent Lincoln, from which is to be infer
red desire to have authority for depart.
ing from the course which rs a soldier
he must have known was usual and pro.
per towards prisoners of war. Did he
hope to get instructions for the slaugh-
ter Of the Conlederacy's President and
cabinet officers, rs set forth in the or
ders of Col. Dahlgren, when he made his
raid against Richmond? II 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 i'll noble minds, or with the chiv-
airy which ever adorns the character of
the true soldier and gentleman.
Among the articles of the surrender
of General j. T.. Johnston there was one
prohibiting military expeditions in the
country east of the Chattahoochie river.
That was the best consideration obtain
ed Tor the surrender Of armies. arms,
munitions and manufactures in that Sec
ton, and it was in violation of that ar
ticle that the brigade of cavalry, by which
/ was captured, was securing the coun-
try and freely taking from the uupro-
tected 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 / was carrying in wagons millions
of specie to the South, and, therefore.
we are left to conclude, waI made that
expedition in violation the agreement
of surrender. Though the story of the
millions of specie 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 had
been travelling with wagon transporta.
ton, and had few thousand dollars of
specie in valise. But neither supposi-
ton would be true. l had recently join
ed the wagon train, and was about to
leave it when captured; my only BAG
gage was a valise, which was packed on
mule, and it contained no specie. The
few thousand dollars of specie were i'm
pair of saddle.bags belonging 10 Sec
rotary Reagan. Whether that money
ever reached the United States treasury
Mr. Reagan, from whom il was taken.
may be able to learn after he shall have
assumed his functions as n Representa-
tive in the United States Congress.
Should the course of the commanding
general Of the army, in attempting at
this late day to resu5citate defunct
SANDER against the PRESIDENT OF the late
Coniederacy, and to which SANDER not
even suborned witnesses could give the
semblance Of truth, be taken rs the ex-
ponent of the feeling Of the army, that
arm of the general government would
seem to be ill-suited To the task. of late
so largely assigned TO it, of preserving
civil order and Of restoring harmony a
mong the people Of the United States.
Forpublic considerations it is TO be hop
ed that the ineradicable malignity of
Sherman may be an exception TO the
prevailing sentiments Of the United
States army.
Again thanking you for your friendly
consideration, | am very truly yours,
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
TIE FIrsT BARREL OF New Flour
John VI. Clark & Co., ofAugusta, Ca,