Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1875-01-28
letters from the War Department t
General Sheridan.
[CoNFIDENTIAL..] s.
WAR DEPARTMENT.. }

lCONtIDENTIAIh. t
WAR DEPARTMENT,
WASHINGTON CITY, Dec. "a, 1874,
Gen. p. II. Sheridan, Chicago, III.
GENERAL: The President sent for me
this morning, and desires me to say to
you to visit the State of Louisiana and
Mississippi, and especially New Orleans
in Louisiana, and Vicksburg and Jack
son, in Mississippi, and ascertain for
yourself, and for his information, the
general condition of matters in those
localities. You need not confine your
visits to the States of Louisiana and
Mississippi, and may extend your trip
to OthOr rStates-Alabama, &c.--If you
see proper; nor need you contine your
visit in the State of Louisiana and Mis-
sissippi to the places named. What
the President desires is to ascertain
the true condition of affairs and to re-
ceive such suggestions from you as you
may deem advisable and judicious. In
closed herewith is an order authorizing
you to assume command of the mill
tary division OF the South, or of any
portion of that division, should you
SEE proper to do so. 1t may be pOssi-
BILE that circumstances will arise which
would render this proper course to
pursue. You can if you desire it, see
General Mcdowell at Louisville and
make known to him, confidentially,
the object of your trip, but this is not
required Ofy you. Communication with
him by you is left entirely to your own
| Judgment.
OF course you can take with you such
gentlemen of your staff as you wish,
and it is best that the trip should appear
to be one as much Ofpleasure as of busi-
ness, for the fact of your mere presence
in the localities referred to will have, it
is presumed. a beneficial effect.
The President thinks, and so do l.,
that trip South might be agreeable to
you, and that you might be able to OBJ
tain good deal of information on this
subject about which we desire to learn.
You can make your return by WASH
ingtOn and make verable report, and
also infOrm me from fine to time of
your views and conclusions.
Yours, truly, WIN. w. BELKAAP,
Secretary of War.
The order directing Sheridan to pro-
ceed South is included with the above
letter. =
kilograms from General Sherman
are appended, announcing the receipt
OF the copies of the order to General
Sheridan. t -.-'''
The following dispatch from Sheri-
dan seems not TO have been published
before: -
THE BANDITTI TELEGRAMs.
W. W -Belknap, .Sec'y Of War, Wash
i'lgton, ID. c., =.
Please say to the President that he
need give himself no uneasiness about
the condition of affairs here. I will
preserve the pease, which it is not hard
to do with tho military and naval
forces in and about the city; and il
Congress will declare the White Lea
gueas and similar organizations, white
or black, banbitti, L will relieve it of
the necessity of any special legislation
for the preservation of peace and equ-
ality of rights in the States of Louis
lana, Mississippi and Arkansas, and
the Executive from much of the trouble
heretofore had in this section of the
country.
7. II. SHERIDAN,
Lieutenant Gen. u. S. A.
On January Sheridan telegraphs as
follows:
w. W. BetA7aap, Secretary of Var:
There Is some excitement in the ro-
tunda of the st. Charles hotel tonight
upon the publication by the newspapers
OF my dispatch to you calling the re-
cent armed organization banditti. Give
yourself no uneasiness. l see nv way
clear enough if you will only have con-
tidence. -u-53li-'
p. II. SHERIDAN,
Lieutenant General, U. s. A.
Under date of January 10, 1875. Gen.
Sheridan transmits detailed state
meGt of the murders that have been
prepetFated in that State, and of the
intimidation used to control voters.
The statements have hall been publish
ed, and Gen. Sheridan is about to SUBJ
init detailed report upon the subject.
There are finally appended d large
nuber of extracts from the country
papeIs of COuisiana, giving The plat
form OF the White League, and its OBJ
Ject and purposes, to the effect that it
Is white mans party; that the intend
to carry the election and control the
State government.
In addition to the documents relating
to louisiana, there were large num-
ber relating to the condition of affairs
in other States of the South.