Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1881-06-25
Gen. Mahone's Criticism nm y,
Jefferson Davis's BooL

A correspondent of the New Yor, H.
aid visited Gen. Malone ut Petersb,'er-
Va. Saturday, and interviewed him In -
gard to the intimation in Mr.. JefI.,se
Dayis's history of the late war bolJ;sH
Gen. Lee responsible for the DEL y
abandoning Richmond, and also IN ys,.'' ~
terms limiting that that movement shnrn1
have been carried into effect at 4 much o."
lier date than it was ii the life of the C".,
federacy was TO be prolonged. Gen. NJ
hone is known to have been one ~ ,L'
most trusted division commanders in w,
army, and what he says may be rrg,nf.S
as accurate. The Herald's corresponJoe!
gives the following account of his into
view with Gen. Malone:
General, have you seen JEFF. Ia
yis's book!
Il have not. Ihavca curiosity to Ioor
it over. bat really have been indisposeJ
and now have not the time ~
What do you think will be the eiltc, a,
it,"
"Oh, none, except TO gets lot ofoll ros
sis to knocking their heads together l.
is doubtless the history Of the Way fr,a'
Mr.. Davis's peculiar standpoint, if vn''
may call it history"
WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE,
General, Mr.. Davis infcrentially st,,.,
that General Lee was responsible for LntJ
lug the army i'm front OF Rhmmeud IN lo,,.
ar the close of the war and lust prior =
the evacuation of Richmond and p,tcry
burg and the retreat 10 Appomattox. !"
Il think that is true
"Will you please give me your rc,Sor.
for thinking so, gcnerals'
"Wcll, il is well known that il had lon.
been the intention of Mr.. Davis moi nnS
To abandon Richmond and Peter>brr,:
but TO abandon Virginia altogether. Cen
Lee opposed such proposition on yeyv
substantial grounds mot the least of which
was the one that 10 leave Virginia Would
be TO lose the mainstay of the Confr,lera.
cy and perhaps half of the army. Whom
this notion OF Mr.. Davis became known
ii caused considerable feeling among Mr.
ginianS in the army, and 50 a maior-Seu.,.
al wrote To Gen. Lee aud cmuhati,,lIy
stated that if such Il movement WAS ~.
solved upon he Tor one would not carrya
man in his division out of the State. AMI
the army portion OF Virginia WIS nor ,n
that opposed this plan OF Mr.. Davis. II
became known To Gov. Letchcr, who ON.
tered an indignant protest against IL. and
declared that 10 abandon Virginia and
the capital of the CouIcdcracy would be- tn
sacrifice the cause, and lose all moral force
by which they were held together, As well
~ To destroy the little esprit du corn,
which remained in the troops. The Viz
ginia Legislature also opposed the move
ment with such yigor that the absurd idea
of the President WAS never broarhrd
again."
LEES ACTION.
"Then it Is your idea that General Lee
did keep the troops in front of Richmond
until finally compelled 10 rctreat!"
"leS, that Is my opinion. Neither Gen
cral Leenor any prominent Confederate
army officer had any sympathy with Mr..
Dayis's idea of abandoning the seat of
government by "a retreat 10 the mountains
and the prolougatiou of the war by sort
Of running fight. Every one felt that
the fall of Richmond would end the War.
Had the Confcdcratcs captured Washing
ton they might have been recognized by
foreign powers and their independence
finally established.
"lm his book, Mr.. Davis says:
"Lee has never contemplated surrrn-
der. He had long before, In Language
similar To that employed by Washington
during the Revolution, expressed Ia me
tho belief that in the mountains of Nir-
ginia he could carry on the war for TWEEN
~ years, and in directing his march to-
ward Iynchburg il may he we'll believed
that, us an alternative, lie hoped To reach
these mountains, and, with the advantage
which the topography would give, yet Ia
battle the hosts winch were following
him"
"What is your opinion of that state
mcnt?'
The statement that Gen. Lee never
contemplated surrender IL not true. !
had a conference with Gen. Lee IN hi-
own quarters ut AppOmattoX Immediately
after the surrender, when, In discussing
the latter days OF the Confcdcracy, h.
said TO me that some time before, during
the winter, he had urged upon Mr. Davis
the dcsirabllity of making terms with
Gen. Grant. lie detailed 10 me some Of
the conversation with Mr.. Davis, which
do not now recall. Davis, lac SAID, would
not listen 10 the proposition, and Insisted
that hc must fight to the last. Gen. LcC
told me that he explained to Mr. DaNi.
the situation of the two armies, the con-
ditiOn of his transportation and the in
fcriority Of his command in point Of num-
bers 10 that of Grant, and that when
Grant attacked him II would be next ~
impossible to got away. and therefore that
terms had better BE- made without fur Their
loss of life or property. Grants cavalry
his artillery horses and his transportation
were in excellent condition, aud only nine
miles from his base Of supplies. Lce''
were quite the reverse, aud lac hal no
supplies to b. spoken OF IN case Of retreat.
The talk between Gen. Lee AMI myself
upon this subject marked itself most In
delibIy upon my memory, for lac cyinccd
30 much feeling Ia reference tO Mr.. Da-
yis's refusal To make terms that saiG
~ wish You had called n conference u
your officers after Dayis's refusal
What would they have dOnc?' said
Lee.
"rhey would have taken the matter
into their own bands, said ! and author
lied YOU to deal with the matteT according
10 your own judgment
Gen. Lee thought moment and Then
said: 1T j. too late To remedy mistakes
now His officers would have done ust
that thing, tor Lee had the confidence,
not only OF the soldiers, but Of all the Con-
fcderacy thousand fold more than Davis
had. Indeed, Davis was seriously DIS
liked by our people. lie kept in posltl1n
and about him his peculiar pets, and The
oftcner they loot fight the more ire
quently were they promoted. History
will never cradit JET. Davis with BENG
either model executive officer or great
general. His book will doubtless convict
him If heinz neither -
Gen. Malone discussed the various
movements OF the two armies 10 man
ner that proved his intimacy with the
subject, but beyond the facts narLaui
above there was DO.hing further discloseh
of historic or remarkably interesting
nature.
If he is careful, Mr. WIN. II. Wander
bilt will never feel the pangs OF hunger