Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-05-24
JOHN A. LOGANs PRoCLIyITIEs IN
1881

The following letter from ex-GOv.
ernor Porter gives facts which can b.
cOrroborated by many of the Exon.
federates of the army Of Tennessee
and especially by members of the old
Fifteenth Tennessee regiment and the
Thirty-seventh Tennessee which were
consolidated into one regiment some
time after the battle of Murfreesboro
PARIS, Tenn, May IL 1879.
r. j. q. Miller, Esq.-Dear Sir: In
answer to your favor of the 10Th inst, in
relation to the controversy between SEN
ator Logan and Representative Lowe, OF
the Federal congress, ! can furnish moth
ing but hearsay evidence. q.
A short time after the establishment OF
a camp Of instruction for Confederate
troops at Union City, Tenn, in MAY.
1861, captain. afterwards Lieutenant Col.
Onel Brooks, arrived with a company, re-
cruited, in part, in the State of Illinois
and reported 10 General Frank Chsatham
for duty.
At the reqsest of General Cheatham,
upOH whose staff / served, | called and
made the acquaintance of the officers Of
the company, and naturally gave tx
preston to the pleasure | felt al meeting
gentlemen from Illinois. This furnished
Captain Brooks an opportunity for say
ing that we might prepare for a bri-
gade, certainly for a regiment, under
John A. Logon; that his company
was organized NJ the suggestion Of Logan.
and with the understanding that n large
body Of men were preparing 10 leave
Illinois for the Confederate service. 10 b
commanded by him. Brooks introduced
me TO Sergeant Cunningham, as & brother
in-law Of Logan, who confirmed the
statement made by his captain. In a day
or two, by direction Of General Cheat.
ham, / gave Brooks an order 10 report Il
Colonel Carroll, Fifteenth Tennessee
regiment, for duty, accompanied with al
assurance that upon the arrival of Gen.
eral Logan he should be assigned to duty
with him.
Captain Gillett, Of Illinois. commisssry
of the Fifth Tennessee regiment, who
died so calamity on the field OF Perry
vile, doing volunteer duty on the staff OF
General Cheatham, informed myself and
others that he Joined the Confederate
army after a consultation with Logan
and upon his advice and assurance tina
he was raising a large command for th,
same service.
| have the honor to be, very respect.
fully, JAS. d. PoRTER.
The members Of Brooks compan,
often spoke Of the fact that Majo.
General John A. Logan had made hi
arrangements to come South and tax,
command Of a regiment which wa.
partly raised. He backed out or de
cided to remain behind at the las
moment, and these men crossed owe
into Kentucky where they we're joineI
by several others Who went into tn
army with them. The men ofte.
joked and laughed about the circum
stances and had no prejudice agains
Logan. They said they supposed h
got cut off, saw which was the stror
and best paying side, aud, like man
Others, decided accordingly. I'll
writer Of this heard such talk tim
and again in camp, and new,
had any doubt that Logan
one time contemplated entering Il
Confederate army, and cannot eve
now believe Logan's indignant denial
DR.. John A. Wall, of May6eld, Ky
who had lived in Illinois, and WI
familiar with the politics of IL
Southern end of the State, came OF
with these troops, and became majc
Of the Fifteenth and Thirty-sevent
Tennessee regiment. We have ofte
heard him speak familiarity f,
LOgan's Confederate plans an
arrangements to come South, and {
the fact that Logan mysteriously fe
back at the crisis when they had
slip over the river in squads. Wal
however, was lost, and supposed to
killed in the charge on the 22d ,
July, 1864, in front Of Atlanta, an
cannot be used as a witness. Loga
is not the first man who hesitate
which side to take, and we think a
honest confession would do him mo.
good than 80 many frantic deDials.