The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-06-30
GEN. JOE JOHAsToN.
40 Discusses nrr. Davis, Now hook.
staG' oSireglpqpdent ef raj1adelp1fa pyess.

81, = ! f-TN ls7F
WARRINGTON, June 16.
General joe Johnston eat this after
noon in his cozy house in this city, ON
Connecticut avenue, near l. street, seem-
ingly enjoying life in his quiet, dignified
way, and in good health and spirits. He
did not seem in the least disturbed al
JEFF: Davis attacks upon him in bis
book or in recent newspaper interviews.
From military standpoint General
Johnston sacriflced moro for the Confed-
eraey than any officer of the United
States Army who went into the rebellion.
he was 5rigadier.G General aud the
QuaEtermaster-G General Of the United
States Army, and the fact that he occu-
pied that position was, and is. the cause
ity to him. In 1860, wien the then
Quartermaater. General lied. General
Scott wrote Mr.. Buchanan q note, saving
that he might like to make use Of his
knowledge of the officers of the army in
the selection of a Quartermaster. General.
He submitted FIVE names to him, iaclud-
ing Colonel Albert Sydney Johnston.
Colonel Robert e. Lee, Colonel @. s.
Smith, Ia Philadelphian), Colonel 10
seph r. Johnston, and one other, whose
name = do not now recall. The Cabinet
selected Joseph e. Johnston. Mr. Davis.
who was then Chairman of the Senate
Committee on Military Affairs, had a
hallucinaticr that on account of his nosi.
tion at the nead of that committee he
should regulate the military appoint
ments in the army. He wanted the
Quartermaster- -Generalship for his favor
ite officer, Albert Sydney Johnston. and
when Mr.. Buchanan's administration
selected Joseph e. Johnston instead he
was greatly affronted, and never forgaye
General Johnston for having secured the
place. The animosity thus held by Mr..
Davis was noticeable in every act Of his
affecting General Johnston while the
'Confederacy lived.
GENERAL JoHNsTON AT HOME.
When / met General Johnston to-day
he was tastefully dressed in q suit OF
black, and looked every inch soldier.
None of his pictures have seen do him
juasice, for he has o strikingly kind yet
firm expression, and his face is fringed
with q gray beard, neatly trimmed, in
stead Of mustache and goatee, as repre-
sented in the portraits. He has pleas
ant way in conversation, yet talks with
care, and what he says is to the point.
1 recited to him the story in relation to
the Quartern,aster- Generalship, which
had heard from distinguished South.
erner sonr0 months ago. He corrobo-
rated the essential points have given.
l found in the course of conversation
that he had not yet read Mr.. Davis book,
but had seen extracts from it, which sat,
isfied him of its general tenor SO far as it
dealt with his acts.
"The trouble with Mr.. Davis" said
General Johnston, "is that since the war
he has lived in practical seclusion, sur
rounded by a few people, whose efforts
rave been directed solely to making him
think he is 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 utterauce set
ties any question of fact or conjecture
with which he deals. In his own estima-
tion, all men are made or destroyed as he
Wills 53E
IT see Mr. Davis labora in his book to
show that he took q conspicuous part in
the first battle of Bull Run"
$50 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 I was sitting on
my horse looking in the direction cf the
fetreating enemy, intent upon his move.
ments and gratified ut the result of the
days fight, when felt horses head
against my knee. Iturned, and as I did
80, Mr.. Davis face was pushed close I'd
my ear, and in almost whisper he said
sR.ow has the battle gone?' THE enemy
are beaten,' / replied, but it hardly need
ed my statement to show him that, be-
cause no enemy was in sight, and moi
only myself, but the hale dozen officers
about,me, gave no expression of anxiety
but rather one of pleasure. We fell
much in the condition of man whose
feet had been for six hours in steel trar
and were suddenly loosed."
"Mr. Davis conveys the impression II
his book that you should have gone into
Washington"
$50 have heard but many of, Mr.
David Rtatements find are tissue of in.
constituencies and contradictions. In the
first place, If .Mr. Davis took a tconspic.
uous part in the battle Of Bull Run, he
was the coramander-in.c chief of the army
as President Of the Confederacy, and
should have taken the responsibility O.
ordering the advance upon Washington
MIR. Davis knew, If he, knew anything
about the situation, that after that battle
ended in our success the army was in NJ
z condition for an advance movement
The men were naturally demoralized
they thought the war WAS ended aud thai
the permanent success of their cause wal
assured; With that spirit--and those
mon had borne the brnnt OF the fra
battle of, he.war-4tke talk Of capturing
Washington ,Yaa simply ridiculous. Be
sides, Mr.. Davis seems to forget the mile
of watereourse to havo been crossed tc
T55 aud .ls6 .i ssS1 &C e; ; DC
stroyed before even the Potomac T~si
reached. Ny judgment is that TIT
thought Of maaching upon Washington
sitter the victory &c {, Manassas, wasj or
afterthought. However, assume th,
responsibility, whatever there is, because
atfBnil Run was in command of th
army and exercised my best Judgment q
to whatyshould be done, and as Mr.
Davis, over his own signature, says tha
I was the ranking officer at that time, j
also dispozes of tho story that i hadyieid
edthe command to General BesuregRr,
and that he fought the battle.h
ibid you sver have any. personal con
troversy with Mr. Dayis which woult
account for the animosity which he ha
over evinced toward you 2"
COULD NOT KEEP A SECRET.
ssN ne ia the world. T-sonesimes ral
against .AST. Davis, ideas in my plans an
operations. For instance, while in th
camtaign at Manes@as, affer the battle q
Bull Run, h9 had a very peculiar al
rangcnent sor furnishing supplies to th