The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-06-30

.sls GEN. J0I, JOHNSTON.
He Discusses Mr.. Davis, New Book.
Saf oDrepopden. Of Philadelphia Press.
WAsH1NGToN, June 16.
General Joe Jobnston sat this after
noon in His cozy house in this city, on
Connecticut avenue, neal. l. street, seem.
ingly enjoying life in his quiet, digni6ed
way, and in good health and spirits. he
did not seem in the least disturbed at
JEFF. Davis attacks upon him in his
book or in recent newspaper. interviews.
From military standpoint General
Johnston sacrificed more for the Confed-
eraty than any officer Of the United
States Army who went into the rebellion.
He was q Brigadier. General and the
Quartermaster.G General of the United
States Army, and the fact that he occu-
pied that position was, and is, the cause
of much of Mr.. Davis malignant hostil-
rity to him. In 1850, when the then
Quartermaster.G General died, General
Scott wrote Mr., Buchanan a note, saying
that he might like to make use of his
knowledge Of the officers of the army in
the selection of a Quartermaster-G General.
He submitted Eve names to him, includ-
ing Colonel Albert SydL ~ Johnston,
Colonel Robert E. Lee, Colonel @. s..
Smith, Ia Philadelphian), Colonel Jo-
seph Esd ohnston q, ,sind one other, whose
name LIDO not NOW recall The Cabinet
iseiected Joseph E. Johnston. MI. Davis,
who was then Chairman of the Senate
Committee on Military Affairs, had a
hallucination that on account of his posi-
ton at the head of that committee he
should regulate the military appoint
ments in the army. He wanted the
Quartermaster- Generalship, for his favor
lite officer, Albert Sydney Johnston, and
when. Mr.. Ruchanan's administration
selected Joseph E. Johnston instead he
was greatly affronted, and never forgave
General Johnston for having secured the
place. The animosity thus held by MIR.
Davis was noticeable in every act of his
affecting General Johnston while the
Confederaey lived.
GENERAL JOHNSTON At HOME.
WhensImet General Johnston to-day
he, was tastefully dressed in a suit of
black, and looked every inch soldier.
None of his pictures Z have seen do him
Justice, for 6e has q strikingly kind yet
firm expression, and his face is fringed
with gray beard, neatly trimmed, in
stead of. q mustache and goatee, as repre-.
sented in the portraits. He has a pleas.
ant way in conversation, yet talks with
care, and what he says is to the point.
I recited to him the story in relation to-
the Quartermaster.G .Generalship, which I
had heard from a distinguished South
erner some months ago. He corrobo-
rated the essential points / have given.
II found in the course of conversation
/ that he had not yet read Mr.. Davis book,
but had seen extracts from it, which sat-
isfed him Of its general tenor 80 far as it
dealt with his acts.
nThe trouble with Mr.. Davis" said
General Johnston, s'is that since the war
he has lived in practical seclusion, sur
rounded by q few people, whose efforts
have been directed solely to making him
think he is q great man. They have
succeeded, and he imagines that he
shapes public opinion on any subject he
chooses to declare himself upon. In his
own mind his decision and utterance set
ties any aaestion of fact or conjecture
with which he deals. In his own estima-'
zion, all men are made or destroyed as he
wills" -
81 see Mr. Davis labors in his book to
show that he took conspicuous part in
the first battle of Bull Bun"
$50 I have understood, ,"replied the
great soldier; "the facts are that Mr..
Davis did not arrive. upon the field of
battle during that engagement. [ re-
member distinctly that 1 was sitting OF
my horse looking in the direction Of the
retreating enemy, intent upon his move
ments and gratifed at the result of the
days fight, when | felt g horses head
against my knee. I:turned, and as l did
so, Mr.. Davis face was pushed close to
my ear, and in almost whisper he said,
eHow has the battle gomez The enemy
are beaten 7 replied, but it hardly need
ed my statement to show him that, be-
cause no enemy was in sight, and not
only myself, but the half dozen officers
about:me, gave no expression of anxiety,
but rather one of pleasure. We felt
much in the condition of man whose
feet had been for six hours in steel trap
and were suddenly loosed."
ssMr. Davis conveys the impression in
his book that you should have gone into
Washington"
$50 have heard; but many of, Mr..
Davis statements find are tissue ofin-
consistencies and contradictions. In the
first place, if Mr.. Davis took 'conspic-
uous part in the battle of Bull Run, he
was the commander-in, chief of the army
as President Of the Confederacy, and
should have taken the responsibility Of
ordering the advance upon Washington.
Mr.. Davis knew, if he, knew anything
about the situation, that after that battle
ended in our success the army was in no
condition for an advance movement.
The men were naturally demoralized /;
they thought the war was ended andthat
the permanent success of their cause was
assured: With that, spirit-and those
men had borne the brunt of the first
battle of the war-Ehe talk of capturing
Washington Was simply ridiculous. Be-
sides, Mr.. Davis seems to forget the mile
of waterceurse to have been crossed to
reach the capital ard the force to be de-
stroyed before even the Potomac was
reached. My judgment is that the
thought of marching upon Washington,
after the victory at Manassas, was an
afterthought. However, I assume the
responsibility, whatever there is, because
atrBull Run I was in command of the
army and exercised my best judgment as
to wharshould be done, and as Mr..
Davis, over his own signature, says that
I was the ranking officer at that time, it
also disposes of the story thai I had yield /.
ed the command to General Beauregard
and that he fought the battle"