The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1880-09-29
A Disputed Point of Southern History
Settled.
Letter from Hon. Jefferson Davis.

RICHMOND, VA, Aug. IS-The Southern
Historical Society Papers of August an'
September will contain long review enti
tied Gen. Hardee and the Military Opera
tions Around Atlanta" written by Col. /
Il. Roy, of Selma, Alabama This gentle
man was on the staff of Gen. Hardee, an,
the paper Is reply to certain criticisms o
/ Gen. Hardee contained in General Hood
book entitled, Advance and Retreat" an,
is intended vindication of the former
| Among the most remarkable document
presented by the writer, is the followin;
| recent letter from jefferson Davis, which
perhaps, sets at rest one and the most i'm
portant of the disputed poin:s-that of tn,
| cause of Hardee's removal from the com
| mand of the army of the Tennessee, beside
| giving also other historical data regarding
/ that officer:
BEAUvoIR, Harrison Co, Miss, !
February %, 1880. !
Col. T. B. Roy, Selma, Ala.
DEAR SIR-Yours of the 26th instant ha:
| been this day received, and l will make
| such reply TO your inquiries as Is possible
| from memory and the remnant of CORES
pondence in my possession.
| 1t is extremely painful to me that any
question should have arisen involving the
character and conduct of one 50 highly es
/ teemed and affectionately remembered by
me, As is my deceased friend, the late Gen
| Hardee. This is intensified by the fact that
| the discussion involves another most highly
respected, and whose memory is personally
| dear to me-the late Gen. Hood. Both
have gone where they will know as they are
| known, and both have lett reputation em-
| halmed in the love aud gratitude Of those
| they served faithfully and well.
| sympathze in your desire to vindicate
Gen. Hardee, and recognize your right to
| call upon me for that purpose. The duty is
one which | cheerfully perform.
The Inference you draw from the state
ment in Gen. Hoods book that l held a
conference with Gems. Stewart and 5. ID.
Lee to determine the fitness of Gen. Hardee
for his command, the propriety of his con-
duct in the operations around Atlanta, is
justified by the text, and was no doubt de
red by Gen. Hood.
| had, however, known Gen. Hardee too
long, too intimately and IN too many reIa-
tions to doubt his personal or soldierly
qualities Ny object in the conference and
that for which | visited the army was to
learn its condition and what might be ex-
pected from it in active operations against
the enemy. At this day, so remote from
the event, | cannot claim to remember any
conversation upon incidental points that
may have occurred, but can say with GER
tainty that Gen. Hardee was not relieved
because of any depreciation of his capacity,
his zeal or fidelity. Gen. Hardee had earn
estly requested to be relieved it had been
the subject OF correspondence betWee,: us
before my visit to the army, and my OBJ
jections to complying with his wish were
entirely complimentary to him. My assent
to his persistent request to be relieved was
finally given because of irreconcilabe dit
ference between himself and the officer
commanding-in- chief
Among the motives which induced me to
make that visit to the army of Tennessee it
is hardly supp0sable that one of them was
to make inc uiries about Gen. Hardee's fit
ness for command, as there was probably no
one in that army who knew him as well as
|. He had first attracted my attention by
his good conduct and cool courage, when, in
the early part of the war against Mexico,
he, as junior captain of a squadron of dra-
goons, extrcated the portion of the com
mand more Immediately under him from
ambuscade into which he had fallen and
saved them from impending massacre. At
a later day, because of his professional ac-
complishments, |, as Secretary of War,
selected him to prepare the system of tactics
which bears his name, and for a long time
We daily worked together. In his appoint
ment as commandant of cadets and in his
selection for promotion in a new regiment
of cavalry was manifested my appreciation
of him as gentleman and soldier.
In his various high commands during the
war between the States my estimate OF him
was confirmed and increased, but never
diminished. BY reference to his letters
from me, received during the war, you viii
find the frequent expression of my conti-
dence and regard, especially in those rela
ting 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 apprecia~
ton, but because he had previously declined
the position of commander-in-chiefo of that
army for reasons which were still in force
His modesty put a lower estimate upon his
ability than | did.
Upon reaching the army after the battles
around Atlanta | learned from Gen. Hardee
that he still wished to be transferred to
some other field of duty The unfortunate
relations which had grown up between Gen.
Hood and himself, and the expressed desire
of both for q separation overcame my re
luctance to remove Gen. Hardee from the
troops he had commanded so long and
whose confidence he was known so fully to
possess.
The assignment of Gen. Hardee to an in
dependent and important command, which
was simultaneous with his being relieved
from duty with the army of the Tennessee,
him had not been impaired, and his conduct
in that separate command fully justified
the opinion l continued to entertain.
In this connection it may be appropriate
to furnish you with an extract from a let
ter written by me to Gen. Beauregard on
the 4th of February, 1864 period late in
the course of the campaign through Eastern
Georgia and South Carolina, and long after
the events to which you refer: "You will
assume command of all the forces in the
district as defined before your departure to
the West, and, should you deem it advisa-
BILE, will direct Gen. Hardee to assume the
command of his old crops when it arrives,
and add to it any other forces which may
be adyantageously associated with il"
Thus it appears that in the hour of our
direct need l not only turned to Gen.
Hardee as a soldier and patriot, but ex-
pected of him, at the head of his old corps,
to exhibit the steady courage our necessities
required, and that the veteran corps under
his command would emulate the deeds
which had won for him the honorable
sobriquet of "Old Reliable" With deep
regret for the necessity that has occasioned
it L have endeavored to answer your in
quiries g as to put finally at rest the sup
position which any may entertain that Gen.
Hardee, at any period of his life, had lost
either my confidence or esteem.
Respectfully and truly yours,
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
The Pint Law.