Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-01-17
GENERAL JOHNsTON's CHARGE
Atd-de-Camp of the Ex-Presfdent
and Son OF Albert sydney John.
stOn Has to Say JOhnstOD's
Charge once More Exploded.

LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY AND AGRI-
CULTURAL COLLEGE, BATON ROUGE, LA,
January 6, 1882 Gen. JOS R DaviS Nelo
Orleans, La: MY DEAR SIR-Your letter Of
December 29th in relation to an alleged In
terview of General Joseph Z. Johnston. re-
fectipg upon President Davis, has been re-
ceived. In reply, l must say that l was
greatly surprised when l first saw the re-
port OF the interview; but | confess l was
still more so when l found that General
Johnston did not contradict 1t with sn en-
phatic denial. If l had supposed that its
insinusttons required disprOof, or that they
would not be met by witnesses
more fully informed than myself, l GER
tainly should have promptly published
such knowledge as l had. But l rested
so secure in the universal confidence of
friend and foe in President Davis integrity
and patriotic self abnegation that felt he
might, in the future as in the past, oppose
his unsullied record against q world of
calumny. This unworthy charge has, as l
anticipated, called forth detailed state
ments from multitude Of persons cogni-
Zant OF the facts, whose concurrent testi-
mOny present an irrefragable record. 1t
has, furthermore, elected even from parti-
sans OF General Johnston response which
evinces that President Davis honor is as
dear to each Southern heart as its own.
Hence, so far from this assault proving a
misfortune to our honored chief, a COM
plete exposure Of facts only establishes
more fully his noble and disinterested
character upon the solid foundation upon
which it will stand for all time. The hand
which strikes this granite pedestal wounds
only itself.
You ask for facts within my knowledge
as to the money Transactions at the close of
the war. have learned a good deal since
events 70,
one who is more ignorant at the time, or
who troubled himself less about the general
finances or particular funds. Ny line of
duty was In different direction and occu-
pied all my thoughts. l shall, therefore,
conflne myself to matters within my own
knowledge, and leave to others what came
under their observation.
l accompanied President Davis, as you
correctly state, from Richmond till his cap
ture. At Greensboro, N. C, l accepted
loan OF 500 in gold, pressed upon me by a
friend, as l had only Confederate money !
used this to pay the expense of our military
family, as | was almost always immediately
with President Davis. The sum was not
quite exhausted when we were captured, as
our incidental expenses were small. Having
been an inmate of President Davis house as
well as member of his military family,
know that during the four years of the wGr
his pecuniary interests and personal fortune
were entirely neglected by him, and that he
came out of the war poor msn.
Very full statements have been made nv
others about Whist occurred at Abbeyille. the
Savannah river and Washington, Ga. I did
not attend She council of officers at Abbe-
vile. l knew that there was military
chest with considerable sum In coin and
bullion. ! also knew that $50 or $50 were
distributed to each soldier. | was tolS, bv
some one at Washington to Draw that
amount, but was too much eppaged to do 60
After leaving Washington, when Presi-
Gent Davis determined to part company
WIN Tue lyon train, Major Van Benthuy-
sen, who had charge of 1t, handed me
81, 200 to transport and took my receipt for
it. | regarded it as trust to be employed,
if necessary, in getting our party to the
trans-Mississippi Department. l am of the
opinion that our party received from Major
Van BenthuYsen some S., 900 or 1000, but
am not fully advised. The full sum of
81 200 was taken from my holsters by men
of the Second Michigan Regiment when l
was captured. | am quite sure that
President Davis could not have car
ried much money about him, as he
handed me his derringer to carry, being too
feeble to endure its weight.
But there is no reality, no ground for ar
HuDthL VIII any HAL VINO lmpugDs the per-
sonal integrity of Jefferson Davis. The
charge recoils upon the author. For twenty
years President Davis has breasted storm
of obloquy and ealumny from every quar-
ter. Yet, to-day, he stands unscathed, the
representative man of the most glorious
epoch Of Southern history, 80 that in all our
part Of the Union 1t is hard to find man
who has done his duty by his country who
would not prefer a word of approval from
his lips to a crown of gold from the hand of
she best of his detractors.
OF course n word from me can sdd anv-
thing to the lustre of President Davis repu-
tatiOn in the eyes of those whose good
opinion we chiefly value. But, as | am
putting myself on record, must permit nv
self to say that having stood so near him
for four years that no veil to his character
was possible, even If he had wished It, he
has left upon my mind an ineffacea BILE image
of knightly purity, of public reetitude, OF
undertaking patriotism, and Of moral
grandeur which l shall forever cherish as a
consolation in adversely and defeat, and as
a standard and ideal for myself and my
cOuntrymen.
l am, my dear sir, very sincerely yours,
VIM. PRESTON JOHNSTON.