The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-06-23
WHO WAS TO BLAME9
Another Chapter Of Disputes Over Con-
fcdefate War history.

Gen. Joseph z. Johnston, who Is now 8
permanent resident Of Washington, denies
all the charges made against him in JEFF:
Davis new book, and says he had expected
the book would contain them, although he
had denied them before in a book published
in 1873. He says it would have been ab-
surd for him to have attempted after the
battle of Bull Run to capture Washington,
as an army could not have been taken into
that city from the Virginia side. 10 the
charge that be disobeyed jeff Davis orders
in such way that Gen. Sherman was ena'
bled to make the successful march to the
sea, he says: I'm the spring of 1854, when
was at Dalton, Ga, Mr.. Davis ordered me,
after having collected an army OF 75,OO
men, Il then having 40000,) to invade East
Tennessee. Gen. Sherman was at that time
IN Chattanooga with his army. Now, in
order to invade Fast Tennessee with $4,000
men, I needed wagons provisions, horses,
and the necessary means OF Transporting
and providing for an army. could not
sary to bring them from beyond Atlanta.
The very moment that these provisions,
wagons, &C., we've started for ME, Gen. Sher.
man with his army could have prevented
their arrival. 1t was. in my Judgment, i'm.
possible to collect an army with the neces.
sary means for transportation and provls-
ioning to invade East Tennessee. Ny
Judgment was, and so informed the Con-
lederate officials, that the invasion of East
Tennessee was only possible after we had
been attacked by Sherman and had beaten
him. II we could have strengthened our
army and have defended Atlanta, which
was one of the best favored natural posi-
tions for defence. we might have repulsed
Sherman, beaten him, and then have made
the con ntemplated raid. II could not have
been done before. in my judgment, and to
have attempted il might have been the an
nihilation of our army. Therefore, moy-
ed with my troops down to Atlanta, and in
July afterward, while preparing for the ex-
pected attack. was notified by telegram that
had been superseded by Gen. Hoed.'
To the charge that he could have taken
his army in North Carolina and pressed
through after the evacuation OF Richmond
to the Southwest, Gen. Johnston replied
that at that time the war was ended, and 1t
was useless to go through the farce OF try
ing to prolong it. hud seen the end for a
long time. was satisfied that the Conted'
crate armies were beaten when Hood evac.
uated Atlanta, and was Afterwards defeated.
anpihilated. ut Nashville. The war was
GVCu ellQeu uclOAC 0Sts OAohS SSA''FSAAS>'
the surrender of Lees army, and there was
nothing to do but precisely what we did
do. The talk of fleeing through the coun.
try to Texas or elsewhere was mere folly"
JEFF Davis passed through Indianapolis,
Indiana, and to Sentinel reporter, who in.
'terviewed him rs to his views on General
Sherman's speech at Hartford, said that
history, had already decided that Sherman
burned Columbia to crafty spirit of re-
.venge, and deserves the glory of having re-
vived and given renewed force to that most
infamous Of maxilns, Ke victis. He said
that Sherman was vain man, who has
been nursed by SUCCESS and fiattery, and is
possessed Of chronic hallucinatiDn that ne
is great General. 'He is really" contin-
ued he, "a man OF very mediocre talents,
either civil or military, and owed his Sue
cess entirely to superior numbers and the
lack of enterprise ON the part Of his antag..
onist. Had StoneWall Jackson confronted
Sherman instead of Joe Johnston in 1854,
n different tale would have been told in my
book. That this band of 'bummers, which
was virtually an organized gang of plum
derers, was not destroyed or captured was
not due to any generalship of Sherman, but
the folly of the hot headed Hood, who, in
stead Of falling bach. before Sherman, went
reeling off into Tennessee like mad-cap,
On the widest of wild goose chases."