New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-02-27
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF 1HF UNITED STATES,
..r-L.c-..A ID &, E.n 2 J ..l

To N, Hon A. RAMSEY. Secretary Of War.
SIR. / have tins moment received for the first time
The communication OF H. v B0yntOn, addressed to you
pnder date Of January 26 1880 incosing charges and
sueci6cations against General W. T sherman. with his
volume marked Exhibn b. recognize this manuscript
document as substantially the same as has been pub
h.ed in all the newspapers for the past " weeks, and
herewith return II with the " few remarks " deem
proper TO make
The charge Itself ia an Insult TO my office, my past
record OF public services. and naue which has stood
sixty years without a single mputation my honor
orintegrity.
The two specifications iavolvc pdrcly the civil
offence OF bc siahdcr compressed into the short let
Ter wrote him under date Of January l6 1850 every
word Of which Ia true, ana which am prepared 70
justify.
As 10 the third specific have heard that
General Grant or Thomas Logan Blair or any Of
the great men whom he assumes to defend have ever
appointed General B0yUtOl as their attorney. To lie
living ami 10 the friends OF the dead AIN ever rcspons
bic for every word spoken or written yicd 10 TO man
In my love and veEcration Of comrades. and have
been for fifteen years all suitable occasions their
eniocnsi Ala men have their good qualities and their
human defects; and IN accounting for the actual
events of terrible was forced, Ike every
mander Of to account for actual results II
AVER IN ay life az time have done injustice 10 any
rerson vlomsoever (which dcny) will chccrIuty
submi, the matter umpire aud ablde by mis- iuds
,nen, have made this proposition again and again.
and will renew IL publicly at our next Army meeting
T,oe. ,,octugs are composed or the very men who
80 ~, fcit inc eau .es refereed TO- and compose the
rht,l tribunal the matter sci forth IN the third
admit the right II. V. Bovnon or any citizen to
charges, aud that am a"dys amen
she IN a court martial and am ged ne mas Ieduced
hts complaints to u tangible form lie mas no flght
boweyer 10 impose the United states the heavy cost
nf military trial0f witnesses 'Iom ulstace anu we
necessary attorneys fees regard his premature pup
caton Of these matters Of scandal as IN the line OF ms
nrofessOn and meant purposelY TO aEOd the only tld
which is right aud proper VIZ in one OF The many civil
,,1Luuals which exist In the District OF Columbia foT
this very purpose
4 neg therefore that Won will understand that nm
.lnndantly ready To ger before any court that
.,hen month ago. this BOynt0n publicly threatened
- 18th "a suit I mplOyed my attorney the Hon
a. any and all times have the honor TO DO your
=. hoS,a,,t a., servant W. T. SHERMAN, General.
WASHINGTON ID. C., Feb. 20. 1880.
n. fse Hon. ALEXANDER RAMSEY, Secretary Of Var.
s,n. have the honor OF acknowledging the courtesy
q, your note Of yesterday nclOsng copies Of
the various official endorsements upon "a
charge and specifications preferred against Gen
.,e1 " T. Sherman for conduct unbecoininS an
oncey and a gcntlenan" ard also OF your note OF the
o.,b inst informing me the final action of the Prcsi
aent n the natter notice that General Sherman ad-
o,,s he right of citizen prefer these charges, n
hitch his op,non agrees with the rulings OF tie Judsc
eneras Office notice further that GeDcral
instead Of awaiting himself OF the opportunity
ended to him OF cIs!ng lis rzht 20 ask FOR mil
rv court IN which tlIc gross charges which be pnb-
,Iy made against my Character could be tested. and