Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1882-03-18

critical letter. and one which no brave
man would have written. Those who
speak of the letter in the most positive
terms are stalwart republicans, who
shrug their shoulders and say: "Oh!
yes, there are a heap worse things thar
this behind If you could only find them
Out.'' u 't-tft7 .s1-a-, ~ ---. -s!s,-i'
Gen. Rosecrans has. been approached
by y number of reporters and asked
what he had TO say about the letter.
His answer has been about the same to
all of hem: 81 @ -Hi pEE sid
= s'M Gen. Garfield did write this letter.
he was both sneak and liar. I shall
first know positively whether it is gen ;
uine letter or not, and if it is genuine.
shall vindicate the truth OF history, even
though 1t il necessary to enter the grave
and strip the lid from acotlin. l do moi
see how it is possible that he should
have written it. 1t is so different from
what he said to me and all the balance
OF the generals during the time the army
was reorganizing alter The terrible bat
tie OF Chicamauga."
There isa quiet. bitter, unrelentine
war now being waged upon Garfield's
name and record all along the stalwart
line. Look out Tor many just such u
disclosure within the next twelve
months.
Toa New York Herald reporter
Gen. Rosscrans said: -.
II regret that il was evor written
that anybody could read it,. 1t does
"A ta N vp1,a 0f
man, for it is a mixture of untruths
and Misrepresentation. Il am not.
prepared, to say that Gen. Garfield
did not write it. Possibly, and prob.
ably, he did. l shall write aud find
out whether it is genuine or not.
But what do you think Of "a man W no
held such a position as that filled by
General Garfield who, could write
blackest trcactery to one who had
always given the writer The fullest
proof of his confidence. 1t ls the
frat time l had ever heard. of the.
existence of such letter; but, after
the campaign life of General Garfield,
iu which. such. gross smisrepresenta-
tions OF fact.occurred,, and very much
III the same strain as this letter, ] am
not surprised at 1t.
"At no time during the period that
Gen. Garfield was with me at the
Army of the Cumberland did he .ex-
press to nae any such sentiments Of
impatience or dissafisfaction as those
given in the letter. He understood
all my plans and objects, and anxiety
to move as soon as q move could be
made with proper regard to ELECTIVE
ness. About the conference OF the
generals, or q coHncil.of war, there
was none -suck. Gen. Garfield sug-
gested that The opinions Of the gen.
erals be taken. aud, by the way, there
were but fifteen. though Ggl. GAR
field, putting himself shead of all
them, raises himself two sgeneraIs
higher by saying there were seyen-
teen OF them. told Gen. Garfield to
take their opinions ii he wanted TO,
aud set OF questions was sent out
aud responses cameslu He knew that
1 had made up my, mind as. 10 the
conduct Of the. campaign. and that it
did not matter TO me what the geh-
erals under me Thought or said. He
got the answers, aud told him 10
forward copies to. Gen, HalIeck
which l suppose he. did. did not
| read them, nor knew what opinions
were given, - i's5s' - ss:it 4s
"General> Garfield wrote to Gener.
vi lIalleck1 embodying my views of q
vigorous, pushing. movement when
the proper time came. I never had
any idea Of u movement before the
one that was made, and. never before
that l was being governed by my
chief of staff, as this letter would
make it appear. We were busy all
the time making preparations to have
the army promptly and properly pro-
visionetl when the advance did be-
giu. We had 10 deceive the enemy
as to the place where our. supplies
| we're stored, anf alsO az TO the point
! where the advance would begin. We
had also to wait until corn was fit 10
furnish. forage for our horses and
| mules. General Garfield knew what
| preparations were making, and gave
his entire ascent to them, and did
not at any time express to me any
fears. that We were wasting time., 10
"All this. you observe, is supposed
| to nave taken place prior to the dam
| paign of Tuilahoma, which was over
by July 4, 1868; aadi yet this, letter
was written ON July -27, when We
were working with vigor to follow
up our advantage. l had 'ii,0 idea At
the time that Twas harboring a per-
son capable of .sneh afalseness aud
Misunderstanding, or there would have
been a court-martial at once. 1 did
not look for such All exhibition of
General Garfieid's character as this.
ard am sorry that the letter ever saw
| the light. But it should never have
been written, for. rs have said, it is
a compound Of untruths and cxag-
1eratiOus.n ~ s~a.s.-t r 5s