The Van Buren press., 1875-06-15
THE TRUTH OF HISTORY"
General Bherman's IntImation of JEFF Da-
Wis Completely in the Assassination
Of President Lincoln.

Of President Lincoln.
The ST. Louis Times says: We are
permitted to make public the following |
very interesting letter from Jefferson Da
Wis, in answer to a charge made by Gen |
eral Sherman, in his lately published
book of memoirs.
MEMrHls. Tenn, May 81, 1876.
Col. w. f. MELLES: My dear sir
Please accept my thanks for your kind
letter Of the nineteenth instant-and the
accompanying copy OF st. Louis pa
per, containing an extract from the forth
coming work Of General W 1. Sherman.
My absence delayed the receipt OF your
letter and this reply to it. The malice
that seeks to revive the nefarously con
cocted and long since exploded SANDER,
which connected my name with the as
sassnaion of President Lincoln, is quite
in character with the man who so con
Quoted his invasion of the south AS to
render oherman's bummcrs the syno
nym of pillage, arson, cruelty to the
helpless, and murder OF non-combatants,
and who closed his career of arson with
| false accusation against Gen. Hampton
in regard to the burning Of Columbia,
South Carolina. But the question arises
why did General Sherman, at the date OF
his reported conversation with General
j, +. Johnston, suppose me capable oi
completely in the assassination OF Prcsl-
dent Lincolng General Sherman never
was personally acquainted with me; and
from those who knew me, either in the
United States army. or in civil life, sure
ly learned nothing to justify such suspi
cion. In the conduct of the war between
the states, despite of many baseless sccu-
sations, we can proudly point to record
which shows strict adherence to the
nsages of war between civilized nations.
On what, then, did tac suspicion of Gen.
Sherman rest? Was it not that, procee-
ding on the rule Of judging others by
oneself he ascrbed 10 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
| ferred desire to have authority for de-
parting from the course. whch.as sol
dier he must have known was usual and
proper toward prisoners of war. Did he
uopc to get instructions for the slaugh.
ter of the Confederacy's president and
cabinet officers, AS set forth in the orders
of Colonel Dahlgren. when he made his
raid against RiShmopd2 If the good
natured characteristic reply OF President
Lincoln taught him that murder Was not
the approved measure. 1t seems to have
failed to inspire him with the generosity
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 +
Johnston, there was one prohibiting mil
tary expeditions in this country east OF
the Chattahoochie river. That was the
best consideration obtained for the sur
render of armies, ammunitions and man.
factaries in that section, and il was in vi
olation 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
subsistence. From the statement OF
General Sherman We learn that story had
been told to the effect that was carrying
in wagons, millions ofspecie to the south
and therefore we are left to conclude was
made that expedition in violation OF the
agreement of the surrender Though
the story of the millions of specie is
now admitted by General Sherman to
have been fiction, the admission is made
in such terias as would leave the reader
to suppose had been travelling with
wagon transportation. and had few
thousand dollars of specie in valse.
But neither supposition would be true
l had recently joined the wagon train,
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 ot
specie 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 repre-
sentative IN the United States congress.
Should the course OF the commanding
general Of the army, in attempting, at
this late day, to resuscitate delunct
SANDER against the President of the late
I Confederacy, and to which 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
be i'll suited to the task, Of late so large
ly assigned to it, of preserving civil or.
der, and of restoring harmony among
the people of the United States. For
public considerations it is to be hoped
that the incradIcablc maligity 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.
Why the MosouIro WAS CREATED. -