Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-06-12
THE TRUTH OF HISTORY.

Famous Conference BEFORE tho Battle Of
the Wi1derness-Gef. Halleck the Au-
thority for the Charge Against Him.
The New York Herald of the 7th inst.
contains the following, which explains itself.
To the Editor of the Herald
WINCHESTER, Va, June 3, 1878.-In your
influential journal of the 9th ult, is pub
lished "a Chapter of History" wherein
General Grant pronounces fictitious the ac-
count of conference written by ne for
the January number Of the North american
Reosep. His language is:-''The whole
story is fabrication, and whoever vouched
for it to General Taylor vouched for fc-
tion.' My authority for the story is the
late General Hallech, who related 1T to me in
New Orleans in 1874 or 1875, and though
not told me in confidence it would not have
been repeated but for the following circum-
stance: During the summer of 1876, at the
White Sulphur Springs, Va, General Joseph
e. johnson gave me the identical story upon
the authority of an officer on duty at the
time in the war Office at Washington.
My publication in the North american
ReUle1c excited some comment, aud sent a
printed slip containing it to General John
son, with note asking him to correct any
errors of memory into which I might have
fallen. His reply:
'R1CHMoND, Jan. 9, 1878.-"MY DEAR
GENERAL-Your note of the 9Th and slip for
my perusal are just received. Ny recollec-
ton of the conference in the war Office be-
tween the President, Secretary of War and
General Grant agrees with yours as published
in the slip, except that in the latter
Grants Indifference to 100000 (hundred
thousand) deaths is less pronounced than in
| my reeollection-not materially, however.
Very truly yours. ~. E. JOHNSTON
Without at all entering into the question
of veracity raised by General Grant against
General Halleck and the officer from whom
General Johnston had the same story, I
submit that there was justification for the
language employed-viz. "The above came
to Inc we'll authenticated and have no doubt
of its correctness I confidently rely on
your we'll established fairness to give this a
| place in your columns. Respectfully yours,
X. TAYLOR.
AN INTERVIEW WITH GENERAL TAYLOR
WINCHESTER, Va. June 6, 18.8-Your cor
respondent had long interview with General
Richard Taylor this evening in regard to
the article published by him in the North
( American lceole0 last January in relation to
the campaign of General Grant in Virginia
| the substance of which information, he now
relates, he obtained originally from General
Halleck, and which statement was subse-
quently confirmed by the statements of
General Joseph E. Johnston. After mar.
rating the facts as they were impressed on
his memory and the subsequent pains which
he took to ascertain from General Johnston
if his recollection of the narrative as related
by himself was correct, General TaA lor said
that he thought his letter already addressed
to the Herald contained as much as he wish
ed to have published in relation to his
knowledge of the subject. The substance OF
his remarks were as follows:
| General Taylor does not desire to enter
into am question of veracity. He simply
desires to show that he was justified by bis
authorities in his belief that such a confer.
ence as was described in the North Ameri-
can ReUieD did actually take place. In ad.
vance of General Grants denial never
shadow of doubt crossed his mind as to its
accuracy. General Taylor had no acquaint
ance with e1-Secretary Welles; never CORE
spond with him, and never CHANGED to see
his article in the March numbsr of the
| Atlantic; nor had his attention ever been
called to the quotations published in the
| Herald in connection with General Grants
denial. He had simply read the part apper
tanning to himself, and as that came marked
the letter of General Badeau was overlooked
General Taylor's article for the North Ameri
| c0n Re0jeao. mentioning the conference, was
written in October 1877.