The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-08-11

ENCYCLOPEDIA TOWNSEND REFERS TO AN IN.
| PoRrANr DKsPArcH-GENEBAL MEIGs RE-
spoNslBLE FOR YIRsT CALLING THE AFFAIR
At LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN "a BATTLE FOUGHT
| ABOVE THE CLOUDS"
| From the Fishkill Standard, August 10.l
The NEW YoaK HERALD a week or SO ago published
a long account oil an interview which OF Its
porters had recently with General Grant, in which
the latter gave very expression TO his opinions OF
famous generals and in the course oil the interview
stated that there was no such battle as Lookout
Mountain As this latter statement dd not agree with
what we had always supposed to be true in reference
10 one OF tho grandest and most famous achieve
ments Of the war, especially In its picturesque lea
lures resolved TO test the official records and SEQ
which fault, General Grants statement or the
universal belief OF historians and the public Know
ing that the unfaing source for information IN re-
specific every thing connected with The Ri
Mr. Thomas :. Townssnd's "Encyciopedia Of the Re-
beuon," we interviewed that gentleman, us he was
In town for q short vacation believing that his
ory would bring ut once mind the facts 10 case
as officially recorded Alter calling Mr.. Townsend's
attention to the remarkable statement in the HERALD
we said to hiM:-
sfsW ha, do you think of General Grants statement
that there such battle as Lookout Mountans
''lf there was no such battle, >" Mr. Townsend re-
pied, there hAvo been false statements enough to
shs contrary, Official anu otherwise, on both the
Union and Confederate dss. to MI an entire sheet OF
the Standard"
"Your records" said we "can throw light
on the individuals and events Grant alluded than
DO found whore else in she c0rntry, can they
n0t?"
eyes, SIR" he replied, cor on any other subject
connected directly or indirectly with the history OF
this country from 1850 to 1870"
'sWere there any Official statements at the time of
the battle Of Lookout Mountain representing II 10
have been fought above the couds"
Mr.. Townsend said:-"As my work would oil
railroad car eannos carry under my arm as other
only speak from memory. There
eaidal despatch from .CLa.tanoos. 'imme.
dxtsly after tho battle by QuarIermaster NJ G. Meigs
10 Secretary Stanton in which be said that the battle
was fought above the clouds; that our flag was
planted on the top OF she mountan; that It was ono
Of the admirably fought battles OF tho war, and
that General Grant, alter the battle, went up 10 the
summit Of The mountain. l think you will find tho
official despatch referred TO IN tho HERALD OF the lat
ter part OF November, 1863"
Having published in tho Standard, from week to
week, during tho progress Of tho record OF the
principal events AS they TRANSFERRED wc referred 10 our
nes, and found III the dated December g. 1865 the
HHRALDs despatch referred ", Win General Aeigs'
ofcia TO Secretary stanton In iulI IL
IL dated "Hesdquartcrs Chattanooga. November rs.
1868" We take from II the following extracts rclat-
ing 70 the battle on Lookout Mountain, confirming
what M Townsend said IN The above coEversstion:-
and much Of Gsssral Aooksf's BATH. was iouSh.
shove tho clouds, which concealed him from our
view, but from which his musketry was heard. At
niEhtiali the sky cleared, and the 1uil lncOu the
rsi,ors ooom, shone upon the beausiul scene until
ono A. NJ, when the twinklipg stars upon
sh,Ds was gong %. Then IL ceased.
At night the point OF Missionary R,tCe,
Mountain. on tho extreme right, Olazed with the
camp Ores 81 the loyai troops Atdayght On The 10Th
tho Stars aud s.rPss were dscerned on the peak u
Lookout The rebels had evacuated tho mountain.
General Grant proceeded 10 the summit, ana then
dd We only know IT'S height. Probably not so we'll
during the war; But assault WAS rcpused; but
that assault by calling 70 that point the rebel reserves
p"svensed them repulsing any OF tho otherA"
GRANTS CRITICISMS CoREECTRD-Nor SHEER
MAN, BUT BUELL., THE HERO OF SHILOH.
[Fror, the Christian at Work, Angus, g.
General Grant appears military critic. the
comments upon the various captains OF the last
HIS comments, If correctly reported arc sinsularly
Tree prejudice and exhibit fairness toward these
who DOT wholly In sympathy with him. Touch
ing one battle howcver,he battle Of Shiioh-Gonerai
Grant il made to say
The papers the time oil said
coffee, There surprise about it, except"
had r. a s rs s.S
fore We were attached A. night. before Bues army
1. would beat Bsauresard, even without Buelis
aid that went ,... in person TO eAea division no.,
linz :. four in The %ofalnE shiioh wa: one
,hst our Western soldiers met the enemy in pitched
battle. From shat day they feared fight the
shsy win. shiloh broke the prestge oth
Confeder far Western army ID
III. iaions--hi McCerpaud him
sat to be consummAtc soldier
1t would hardly seen possible that General Grant
could have said this. On Sunday. alter a hard night,
his forces were pushed the OF tho Tennessee
River, many Of them hiding under the protection Of
the biufs, General Prsntiss ensro division having
been captured. The army was certainly q beaten
army, and It was then that General Gran,
sent urgent request to Ge0era Buell.
10 hurry forward his troops, which he
did, arriving late sunday afternoon, Nelson's and Nc
Cooks divisions crossing during tho evening. The
lighting renewed In the morning., the Army of1he
OHIO Offering battle front mile half long, and
fighting under Bueps eyc That lighting won the day,
and led 10 the Issuing OF The following general order
from General BUELL.
HkApou ARrxRs Army or ONO
FIELD or sHILon, Tenn, April 4, HSti2. J
Tho General congrAtulatos army hb mand
the battle neid OF shiloh. near Fittsburg Landing
The alaerty aud zeal with which hoy pressed forward
u sister army imperillsd by the a,tses. OF nu
overwhelming force. the galantry wish which they a.
viii they an ncessant conflict against supe
rior numbers SIX ociLck In the morning until
inE, when the encmy Was driven rom the heh are Incl
dents which point TO great service nobiy performed
The honors oil tho field oI Shiloh belong Genera
Buell.. yet mention Is made OF him In tns reported
coovsrsasion. If General Buell. never rensnreo any
olher service 10 his country what be plishe d
tho battle nsid OF shiloh, 10 use his words
''points TO great service nobly performed" And u
IL dsparagcment TO General sherman to say that
whatever positions ne has occupied before ths
try, he has never filled that OF the hero Of shiloh
A sxNAToR-tLEcr WHO Is WILLING 10 MAXI
GRANT A YIkLD MAIisHAL.