The National tribune., 1882-03-18

move was to read the following from the
indianapolis Times of March Is, entitled:
"RosECRANs's REMOVAL
"The discussion which has been brought
| on by the pNblication of the Garfield Rose
Grams letter, relative to the cause Of the
| latter's removal from the command of the
Army of the Cumberland, makes the fol-
lowing statement proper: Immediately after
the battle of Chickamauga, which was fought
September 10 and 30, 1868, Governor Morton
received dispatch from the then Secretary
of War, Stanton, stating that the latter
would pass through indianapolis on a
special train and asking Governor Morton
to meet him at the depot. The Governor
went to the depot at the appointed time,
and had an interview of some length with
| Stanton. The latter was then on his way
South, with the intention of relieving Gen.
Rosecrans from command. During the in
terview with Governor Morton he stated
this to be the object of his trip, and he fur
ther stated that the cause of Rosecrans's
removal was a telegram which the general
had sent to President Lincoln after the
battle, stating that his army was beaten and
demoralized, that it was useless to talk of
putting down the rebellion, and recommend
ing an armistice with view of agreeing on
| terms of peace. Governor Morton was
astounded by this statement of Stanton and
the more so because he had, previous to that
| time, great admiration for General Rose
GRAMS The interview with Stanton filed
him with apprehension for the success of the
Union cause, and with grief at the discovery
| that Rosecrans, whom he had trusted and
faltering in the faith. For some time after
the interview Governor Morton was very
despondent. 1t was during this time that
he informed his private secretary of his in
terview with Stanton and the character of
the dispatch which Rosecrans' had sent to
President Lincoln, and which Stanton said
was the cause of his removal There must
be some record of this dispatch in the Gov
eminent archives, and perhaps the dispatch
itself is in existence. If so, it would be a
most important addition to the literature of
the present discussion. Its contents, stated
above from memory, are substantially as
given by Governor Morton after his inter
view with Stanton"
General Rosecrans said: "I have no doubt
that Colonel Holloway states the interview
correctly. Stanton had been plotting my
overthrow for months, and it was like him
to give to Governor Morton n reason that
the latter would regard as sufficient cause
for my removal"
"Have you a copy of the telegram re-
ferred to?"
~ have no copy" said the General, "but I
defy any man to produce letter or telegram
or message of any character from me then or
at any other period of the war which in the
remotest degree expresses the sentiments at
tributed to me in the interview referred to
by Colonel Holloway.
"There were two dispatches sent to Presi-
dent Lincoln during the battle of Chicka,
mauga. These dispatches are yet in exist
ence, and the time is soon coming when they
will be produced. The first of these dis
patches was telegraphed about three p. IN.
At that hour there seemed to be a likelihood
into the Dry Valley road and cut our wires.
AS near as 1 can remember, the tenor of it
was to the effect that five brigades had
broken off from the right wing of my army.
This dispatch was sent at a period in the
progress of the battle when if everything
had been going right should probably have
so stated it. The Government had right
to know the progress of the battle. l had
rectifed an apparently worse disaster to my
lines at Stone River, and had no doubt of
my ultimate success in holding the objective
point of the campaign, which was Chatta
nooga, not Chickamauga battle ground"
General, we will, by your permission,
enter more fully upon that matter in an
elaborate article in our next issue, in which
we would be glad to give the Chicamauga
campaign as we'll as the battle"
"Bring on your stenographer," said the
General, "and I will tell you the story"
"What were the views of Major-General
Thomas concerning your removal from
command of the army?"
"a few days after the battle Gen. Garfield
told me that Gen. Thomas had requested
him to give me a message. He said: Tell
the General that say l would regard any
change in the command of the Army of the
Cumberland as great injustice to the
public interests and to the army, as well Us
to himself, and that 1 would be unwilling
to serve any longer in it if DONE"
General, there is another matter that I
would like to talk to you about 1t is said
that Mr. Watson-who was, as you know,
Assistant Secretary of War at the same time
that Charles A Dana was in 1S63-met Gen.
Garfield in Cleveland during the Presden-
tial campaign of 1880, when Garfield said:
'Rosecrans has gone back on Inc and / don't
understand it, Watson said: L am sur
prised that you do not, for it was your
influence that caused his removal from
command of the Army of the Cumberland
How is that?' said Garfield. Your letters
to Chase were read in Cabinet meeting and
/ was present. and heard them read,' said
Watson. eyes" said the General, 81 have
heard of that interview and that Garfield
said 1 must get those letters.'"
"The reason I referred to that" said THE
TRIBUNE man, is, that I wanted to get at
the exact language used by you in your
speech in California during the Presidential
canvass, that gave umbrage to General Gar