The daily gazette., 1882-03-15
SECRET WAR HISTORY.

.
RosRcRANH AND THE yIcK-PREsI-
DENcx IN 1904 STORY on aTAN-
TON.
The New York Worlds Washington
special correspondent says:
a story has been put out in connec :
tlon with the Garfield Rosecrans con-
troVersy as throwing light upon the
apparent relations OF the two men
long after the date of the recently
published Garfield letter. General
Garfield was elected O delegate from
Ohio to the Baltimore Convention of
1854, which re-nominated President
Lincoln. After that had been effected
General Garfield, remembering his old
General telegraphsd to Rosecrans.
who was then ut St. Louis, as follows:
"vice-Presldency going begging;
will you acceptp Answer" General
h0secrans handed the telegram to q
well-known Msjor-G General who was
In his Office at that time, and said -
what would you advise f'' His
friend advised him to wire his accept
ance, which was done. The answer
was never received by General Garfield,
and 1t was afterward ascertained that
It had been suppressed by Stanton,
then Secretary Of War, who revised
every telegram at that time. AS q
consequence Andrew johnson received
the nomination which General Rose-
Grams would possibly have received,
had his answer reached Garfield, and
the following event of Lincoln's death
would have placed him in the Presi-
dental chair. tT rs4Hfuo
ApropOs of the suppressed Rosecrans
telegram to General Garfield at the
Baltimore Convention In 1864, the
following war story, vouched for As
authentic, is told upon Secretary STAN
ton -
just prior to the frat battle of Fred
ericksburg, while General Burnside
was in command, General Rufus A,
Ingalls,, who was then Quartermaster
of the Army Of the Potomac, and
another distinguished General, desired
TO Telegraph to Senator Nesmith, of
Oregon, then In Washington, a prI-
vate matter. They were well aware
of the espionage of the War Depart~
ment, and how tG convey the desired
information to their friend puzzled
him for awhile. A brilliant idea
seized them, however, TO send 1t in tke
Chenook tongue, which they, being
old Pacific coast officers, were conver-
SAINT with. They were ais aware that
Nesmih b unders ood It..
The despatch vas accordingly sent in
that tonRus, directed To the Senator, and
signed "Ingalls.". II FIJI into Stanton's
hands. All the exp r. and lingu SIS In
all the departments were handed the
my SERIOUS telegram; none could read it.
Stanton became u picu rus, worried aud
desperate, and finally sont to New York
for experts; none could translate it. AT er
four days had elapsed Stanton addressed
q note to the Senator to call at the War
Department., aud on bis arrival handed
him the telegram aud demanded to know
It's purport. Nesmitb, who, as is well
known, was q thorough War Democrat,
and friend of Lincoln's, looked at the
date of the despatch and After reading
its contents assumed his Senatorial dig
hity, and went for Stanton In severe
tongue lashlng, aud refused to tell him
the contents.
Nesmith Immediately went over to the
White House and protested against
StaDton's action. Nc. Lincoln asked
what was the nature of the despa tch
from "Rufe.n Nesmitb, transIating 1t,
read as follows
awe are going to have q battle In a
few days; are all out Of whisky; come
down and bring some and we will have
a Lice little game OF poker."
Lincoln laughed heartily and said:
"Go down; will give you a pass for
you IF aid friends.r
Ntsmith, with party, went down,
taking sufficient &c ,mmissary" along.
and Tor several days enjoyed himself.
While they were allislltlng in the tent
one night engaged In the seductive game
The orderly brought in telegram for
General legalls, which read as fol-
lows:-
"GeneFal Ingalls,: If you ever send a
deepatch in such language again you
will be cashiered for the service.
K. M. STANTON"
Ingalls, tossed. the message over to
Nesmith, who. on reading It replied:
stanton amt Presiden. OF the United
- att ha hlanEna .gul,A 81