The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1880-08-31
GEN. HARDEE'S REMOVAL.
A DISPUTED Point Of Southern HIS
tory Setiled-Lctter from Jedor-
son DAVIS.

tory Settl0Q-Lettof from JeuST
son DAVIS.
Richmond. Va, August lS.-The
.S,athern horticultural Sceisty I"prrs 81
August and September will contain
long review entitled 'teD. Hartiee
and the Military Operations Around
Atlanta" written nv Gel. I. b. Roy
IF Selma, Ala. THIS gentleman was
on the staff M Gen. Har,iee. and
the paper is a reply to certain crit
cism- Of Gen. Hardee contained in
Gen. Hood's book entitled. advance
aud Retreat" and is intended as a
f, vin,licatinn of the former. Among
ihe mos: remarkable documents pre-
s.ntei hv the writer - the following
recent letter from Jefferson Davis,
which. perhaps, sets At rest one and
the most important of the disputed
poinis--that Of the cause at Hardees
removal from the command OF the
army of the tennessee. besides giving
also other historical data regarding
that officer:
Beauvor, Harrison Co.. Miss,
Feb. -. 1850.
Col. L. Ii. Roy. Selma. Ala.
DEAR SIR-Yonrs Of the 20 inst.
has been this day received. and !
will make such reply TO your in
quiries a. is possible from memory
aad the remnants III correspondents
f. ma my possession.
Ii "a extremely painful Ia me that
any question should have arisen in
voiving the character and conduct %!
I one 81 highly esteemed aud affection
ately remembered nv me, as IL my
deceased friend, the la,e Gen. Hsrdee-
This l. intensified by the tact that the
discussion involves another mast
highly respected, and whose memory
is personally dear to me--the lat.
Gen. Hood. Both have gone wnerr
thew will know, a. they are known.
and both have left a reputation EN-
halmed in the love AMI gratitude oI
.hne. Ebay aa-raA faithfully end'
we'll
] -ympathize in your desire {" sin
dictate Gen. Hardee. and recognize
vour right to call upon me for that
purpose The duty Is one which
rheerinlly perform.
The inference y"u draw from ih.
statement in Gen. Hoods book thai
held a conference with Gems. Stewart
and s. ID Lee To- determine the fitness
of Gen. Hariee for his command
the prnprie,y Of his conduct in th'
operations around Atlsnta, Is justified
by the text. and was No doubt
desired bv Gen. HooI.
/ | had, however, known Gen
Har.lee too long. too intimately and
in too many relations Ia doub. hi,
personal or soldierly qualities. My
obiec, in the conference aud that io'
which | visited the army was 4,
learn its condition and What nigh
be expected from it in active opera
lions against the enemy. \: ;hi
,iay, 80 remote from the event,
cannot claim Ia remember acy con
v-rsstion upon incidental points iha
NAV have occurred, bat ! can "a;
with certainty that Gen. Hardee Va.
not relieved because Of any deprecia
, rion of his capacity. his Zeal or fidelity
: Gen. Har,iee had earnestly r-ques;e,
; to he relieved il hal been th'
subject of correspondence between u
before my visit to the army. and m,
objections 10 complying with his wisi
were entirely complimentary to him
Nv assent 10 his persistent reques
to be relieved was finally given be
cause Of irreconcilable differences he
;ween himself, and the officer com
manding-in-chief.
Among the motives which induce,
me t. make that visit Ia the army o
Tennessee it is hardly supposable tina
one of them was % make inquire
about Gen. Hardee's fitness for com
=. So - -s--'.,, -.
In shat army who knew him as well a,
/. lie had frs, attracted my :,Iten
ton by his good conduct and coo
courage. when. in the early part %
the war against Mexico. he. a.
Junior captain of squadron %
Dragons. extr;cated the portion ol
the command more Immediately
under him. from an ambuscade int,
which it had failed and saved them
from impending massacre. At later
day, because of his professional
accomplishments. !, as secretary oi
war, selected him to prepare the
system OF tactics which bears his name,
and for a long time We daily worked
together. In his appointment a
com mandant Of cadets and in hi,
selection for promotion in a new
regiment Of cavalry was manifested
nv appreciation Of him as q gentle.
man and soldier.
In his various high commands,
during the war between the states
nv estimate Of him was confirmed
and increased. but never diminished.
By reference to his letters from me.
received during the war. you will
find the fervent expression Of my
confidence and regard, especially in
those relating to the appointment Of
Gen. Hood to the command Of the
army of Tennessee. By these it is
shown that Gen. Hardee was not
passed over from any want Of appre.
clation. but because he had previously
declined the position Of commander