The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1875-07-16
JEFF. DAvIS.-.-HE GOEs VIGOROUSLY FOR
THE SCALP cF GEN. SHERMAN


The st Louis Times, of Friday, publishes
the following letter from Mr. Jefferson Da-
Wis, addressed to Col w. L. Mcllcn, a for
mer Confederate officer. touching certain
matters in Gen. Shcrnlans book:
MEMPHIS, Tenn, May 81.
DEAR SIR: Please accept my thanks
for your kind letter Of 10Th instant. and the
accompanying copy of st. Louis paper
containing an extract from the forthcoming
work of Gen. W. H. Sherman My absence
delayed the receipt Of your letter and this
reply to it.
The malice that seeks to revive the ne
tariously concoctcd and long since exploded
slauder which connected my name with the
assassination of President Lincoln is quite
IN character with the mau who so conduct.
cd his invasion Of the South as to render
''Shcrman's bummcrs' the synonym of pill
laSc, arson cruelty to the helpncss, and muir
der OF -combatants, and who closed his
career OF arson with false accusation
against Gen. Hampton in regard to the
burning Of Columbia S. G..
But the question arises, why did General
Sherman at the date Of his reported couvcr.
ton 6f President tihcoiu "'''"ssmas
Gen Sherman never was personally ac-
quantcd with me, and from, those who knew
me, either in the United States army or in
civil life, surely learned nothing to justify
such suspicion In tue conduct of the war
between the States, despite ofmany bascleSs
accusations, wc.;can proudly point to record
which shows a strict adherence to the ,lsagcs
OF war between civilized 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 ascriL-
ed to Inc the mUrdcrous and malicious traits
of his own nature?
He reports conversation with President
Lincoln, from which is to be inferred n de-
sire to have authority for departing from
the course which as u soldier he must have
known was usual and proper towards prison
crs Of war. Did he hope to get instructions
for the slaughter Of the contcdcracy's Pres
idcnt and Cabinet officers, as set forth in
the orders OF Col. Dahlgrccn, when he made
his raid against Richmond If the good
naturcd, characteristic reply of President
Llucoin taught hiln that murder was not the
approved measure, it seems to have failed to
inspire him with the generosity and chivalry
which ever adorns the character of the true
soldier and gentleman
Among the articles of the surrender of
General j. +. johnson, there was one pro.
hbitng military expeditions in the country
cast of the Cattahoochic river. That was
the best consideration obtained for the sur
render OF armies, arms, munitions and
manufacturers i'll that section, and it was in
violation of that article that the brigade of
cavalry, by which ] was captured, was
securing the country and freely taking from
the unprotected people the little which was
left to them for their future sui sistcncc
From the statement of General Sherman,
VIC learn that story had been told to IN,
effect that L was carrying in wagons millioh
OF specie to the South, and therefore wa
are lett to conclude, was made that cxpedi-
. ton in violation Of the agreement of sur
render Though the story of the millions
of specie is now admitted by General Sher-
man to have been Il fiction, the admission is
made in such terms as would lead the road
or to suppose | had been travelling with
wagon transportation, and had few thous-
and dollars of specie in valsc But
neither suppostion wo%ld be true. | had
recently joined the wagon train, and was
4 about to leave it when captured my only
baggage was valisc, which was packed on
mule and it contained no specie The few
thousand doll Of specie were in pair of
'saddlc-bags belonging to Secretary Reagan
neither that money ever reached the Uni
ted StatcsTreasury Mr Reagan, from whom
1t was taken may be able to learn after he
shall have assumed his functions as Rcprc.
sentative in the United States Congress.
shouId the course Of the commanding
general of the army, in attempting at this
late day to rcsuscitatc a dcfunct sandcr
against the President of the late Confcdcracy,
and to which slandcr not even suborncd
witnesses could give the semblancc of truth,
be taken as the exponent Of the feelings of
the army, that arm of the general govern
mcnt would seem to be ill-suitcd to the task.
of late so largcy assigned toit, ofprcserving
civil order and Of restoring harmony among
the people Of the United States For public
considerations it is to be hoped that the in