The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1875-06-17

DAVIS ON SHERMAN !
The En- Confederate Generals Notions
Aboni the General Of the
Army ami Ills Book.
1VnMs.,N.aI,4,AIT(4 nMs.,N.aI, 1875.
'dlpn4 ". T. ANq4 BAE !

for your kind letter of the 10Th inst, and
the accompanying copy of st. Louis
paper containing IN extract from the
forthcoming work OF Gen. W. /. Sher-
man. Z My absence delayed the receipt of
your letter and This reply to it.
The malice that seeks to revive the ne
lariously concocted and long since ex-
ploded slander which connected my
name with the assassination of President
Lincoln is quite in character with the
man who so conducted his invasion of
the South as to render "Shermau's bum
mer" the synonym Of pillage, arson, cru
city to the helpless, and murder of non
combatants, and who closed his career of
arson with a false accusation against
Gen. Hampton in regard 70 the burning
of Columbus, South Carolina.
But the question arises, why did Cen
Sherman at the date of his reported con-
yersation with GenyJ. E. Johnson, sup
pose me capahle of completely in the as
! sassinatiOn of President Lincoln
Gen. Sherman never was personally
acquainted with me- and from those who
knew me, either in the United States
army orin civil life, surely know nothing
to Justify such suspicion. In the conduct OF
the war between the States despite OF
many baseless accusations, we can proud
" point to record which shows strict
adh renee to the usages of war between
civilized nations. On what, then, did the
suspicion of Gen Sherman rest2 Was 1t
not that, proceeding on the rule OF judg.
ing others by ones self he ascrbed to
me the murderous and malicious traits OF
his own nature?
He reports a conversation with Presi-
dent Lincoln, from which it is to be in
ierred desire to have authority for de-
parting from the course which, as a sol
dier, 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 Cabi-
net officers, as set forth in the orders OF
Col Dahlgren, when he made his raid
against Richmond? If the good-natured
characteristic reply of President Lincoln
taught him that murder was not the APP
proved measure, it seems to have failed
TO inspire him with the generosity and
charity which are ever found in noble
minds, or with the chiyalry which ever
adorns the character of the true soldier
and gentleman.
Among the articles ofthe surrender OF
Gen. j. Il. johnson, there was one pro-
hibiting military expeditions in the coun-
| try east ofthe ChattohoOche river That
was the best consideration obtained for
the surrender of armies, arms munitions,
and manufactures in that section. and il
was in violation of that article that the
briga,e of cavalry, by which | was cap
tured was securing the country and free
ly taking from the unprotected people
the little which was left to them for their
inture subsistence. From the statement
Of Gen. Sherman we learn that Il 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 was made that expedition in
violation of the agreement of surrender
Though the story Of the millions of spe-
Gle is now admitted by Gen. Sherman to
have been fiction, the admission is
made in such terms rs would lead the
reader to suppose ! had been travelling
with wagon transportation; and had a
few thousand dollars of specie in valise,
But neither supposition would be true.
| had recently joined the wagon train,
and was about to leave it when captured;
my only baggage was valise, which was
packed on mule, and it contained no
specie The few thousand dollars of
bspecie were in pair of saddle-bags, be-
longing 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
he shall have assumed his functions as a
representative in the United States Con-
gress,
Should the course OF the commanding
general of the army, in attempting, at
this late day, to resuscitate a defunCt
slander against the President of the late
Confederacy, and to whicn slander not
even suborned witnesses could give the
semblance of truth, be taken as 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 among
the people of the United States. For
public considerations it is to be hoped
that the ineradicable malignity of Sher-
man may be an exception to the prevail
ing sentiments of the United States army.
Again thanking you for your friendly
consideration, lam very truly yours,