The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1881-08-26
MONROE, LOUISIANA, FRIDAY AUGUST 26, 1881.
4 CHAPTER OF HISTORY.
lNcw York SuN.1

lNcw York sun.
The recent death of the Confederate
General Pcmberton has caused the
publication, i'll Col. Forncy's Progress,
of q letter sent by Gen. Pemhcrton to
Col. Nicholson half \ dozen years ago
on the question whether his capitula-
tion Of NicGsburg Was rs ahject u sub
mission as Batleau in the first volumn
OF his "Military History Of Grant,"
already published, had represented it
to bc.
When Commodore Eootc, in Eebru-
AIRY, 1862, moved against Fort Henry,
it was understood that Gen. Grant
shonld push his troops across the rear
of tho fort, so preventing the escape of
the garrison to Fort Donclson. But
tho garrison were away betimcs, and
Footc, who moved with promptncss,
had bombaricd the fort and had re-
ccivcd the surrender or the small party
Of artillcrists who had boon left be-
Grant got across the specified road of
retreat. Gen. Tilgham was rowcd in u
gig to the Commodorc's flagship and
asked what terms he might have.
ssUnconditional surrender" replied
F'ootc. This ringing phrase, ton days
later, Gen. Grant repeated when asked
by tho commanding officer OF Fort
DOnelsOn what terms hc conld have;
and tho words have since become
famous.
Gen. Badcau seems to think that it
would be rather tinc to have all Of Gen.
Grants victories, as far rs practicable,
presented in the light of unconditional
yicidings by the vanquishcd. To this
view Gen. Pemberton objects, in the
letter just referred to. On July ), 1868,
IN
Grant tho appointment of commits
ing Nicksburg, "to savc the further
etiusion Of blood;" and to this Gen.
Grant replied that tuhc useless cilusion
of blood you propose stopping by this
course can be ended ut any time you
may choose by an unconditional sur
rcndcr Of the city and garrison.' This
looked unprOmising, but Gen. Pcmcr
ton, ut tho suggestion of Gen. Bowen,
rode out to ~ designated place, with
Col. Montgomery of his staff, to sec
Grant in person. The result OF this in
tcrvicw is given in Gen. Pcmbcrton's
letter:
"Again addressing Gen. Grant, ]
said: sln your letter of this morning
you state that you have no other terms
than an unconditional surrender lie
other!' TO this l rcjoincd: 'rhcn,
sir, il is unnecessary that you and
should hold any further conversation;
we will go to fighting again ut once
q can assure you, sir, you will bury
many more of yOnr men before you
enter Nicksburg.' Gen. Grant did not,
rs BadeaU represents, reply, 'Nery
WE'LL nor did he turn of. lie did not
change his position, nor did he utter II
word. The movement to withdraw,
so far rs any movement was made,
was on my part, and was accompanied
by the remark that if he {Gcff. GranD
supposed l was suffering for proViS-
ions, he was mistaken; that l had
enough to last me for :tu indefinite
period, and that Port Hudson was bet
ter supplied than Nicksburg. Gen.
Bowen made no suggestion whatever
in regard to Il consultation between
any parties during this interview, a$
is represented to have done by Badcau.
But Gen. Grant did ut this time pro
pose that he and l should stop aside,
and, on my asscnting, he added that,
If i dad no objection, he would take
with him Gems. Mclhcrson and a. }.
Smith. l replied: sCcrtainly, and
that Gen. Bowen and Col. Montgomery
would accompany me- Gen. Grant
then suggested that those Gcnticmrn
withdraw, and see, whether, on con-
sultatlon, they could not arrive at
some satisfactory arrangement.
at will be understood that ! offered
no objection to this course, as il was,
in fact, 4 withdrawal by Cen. Grant
from the position he had SO unutali-
licdly assumed, to-wit, that there
could be no other terms than uncon-
ditional surrender, and it really sub
mittcd, as had desired it should. tho
discussion OF tho question Of terms to
Il commission, although that commits
sion was now necessarily an i'm
prOmpturc one. Pending tho inter
change of views by the ol,iccas named,
Gen. Grant and ! remained apart from
them, conversing only on topics that
had no relation to the subject that
brought us together.
"Ehc terms which this conan iSsion
agreed to propose were in the main,
those that were aitcrward proffcrcd BY
Gen. Grant, and eventually accepted
by me-"
This is the substance of Gen. Penn
bcrtOnS's version of the famous inter
view. II docs not agree with Badcau'a
Ixspt l.. - t..- h. t....