The National tribune., 1882-03-11

d January, 1850, which it will be seen diffe
;" widely in the views expressed from thos
@nbodiCd in a letter TO Governor Chase in 1856:
is 10 excite astonshment and regret. TIL
Herald says that it is informed that the orig
inal of this letter the one dated January. 1850
IN the handwriting of General Garfield. is no,
IN the pos 'ession of parties of the highest re
spectsbIiity," but that, mot having seen tn
original" 1t is mot prepared to pronounce i
genuine Our readers can make their ow,
comparison.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
WASHINGTON, ID. c., Jan. 10. 1880.
my DEAR GENERAL-Yours of the Goth De
cenDeT came Just as | was leaving for Ohio, o.
ii would have been answered sooner
nave tried fer some time to get hold of the
article IN the New York S,m, to which you
reIer, and have not yet been able to do SO.
nave been told its substance by two OF
three persons who have seen it. l can only
say, In absence of the article itself, that any
charge, whether it comes from Dana or any
other liar, to the effect that l was in any sense
untrue to You or unfaithful to our friendship
has no particle of truth in it.
On my way from your army to Washington
/ met Mr. Stanton at Louisville, and when he
denounced you in vigorous language I rebuked
him, and earnestly defended you against his
assaults. did the same, as you remember, in
The House of Representatives very soon after
entered that body
1t you will send me Dana's article or If can
ind copy of it will, if you think best, write
and publish reply.
1t is true that l was an occasional CORES
pondent of Secretary Chase. Several times
while was your chief of staff, he wrote me in
regard 10 the progress OF the war and asked my
opinions on various questions connected with
lt, but fearlessly challenge all the rascals in
the world to publish any such letters written
sy me- 1hey are welcome TO ali the capital
they can make out Of them. With kindest
regards am, as ever, your friend,
j. A. GARFIELD.
To General RosECRANs.
THE LETTER
Following is General Garfeld's letter referred
CONFIDENTIAL
HEADERS DEPT OF THE CUMBERLAND.
NASHVILLE July 81, 1863.
MY DEAR GOVERNOR: | have for a long
tlme wanted TO write 10 You, not only to ac-
knowledge your last kind letter but also to
say some things confdentially on the move
ments IN this department; but have refrained
hitherto lest do injustice to good man and
say TO you things which were better left un-
said. We have now, however reached a point
upon which l feel it proper, and also due to
That kind opinion which l believe you have
had OF me, to acquaint you with the condition
Of affairs here
cannot conceal from you the fact that
nave been greatly tried and dissatisfied with
the SLOW progress we have made in this depart |
ment since the battle of Stone River. / will !
say In the outset that it would be in the /
hlgheSt degree unjust to say that the l62 days !
Whlch ELAPSED between the battle of Stone |
hINer ana the next advance of this army were |
spent IN ldleness or trifing. During that |
period was performed the enormous and highly |
important labor which made the Army of the |
cumberland what 1t is-in many respects by |
lar the best the country has ever known But |
ior many weeks prior 10 our late movement | |
coe4o not but feel that there was not that live
and earnest determination to fling the great
weight Of this army into the scale and make
its power felt in crushing the shell of the re-
peIIioh. have no words 10 tell you with how
fcstive ana unsatisfed a spirit l waited and
plead Tor striking sturdy blow. / could not
lnstiy say we were in any condition to advance
III the early days of May. At that time the
s4ihks s.L began 10 draw sharply upon the rebels,
noth on the Mississippi and in the East They
oegan 10 fear Tor the safety of Vicksbure. and
before the middle Of May they began quietly
10 draw away forces to aid Pcmberton. I
plead Tor an advance but not till June did
General Rosecrans begin seriously to mediate |
al immediate movement The army had
grown anxious, with the execution of IFS lead !
'antaces OF the hour In the first week of the l..
month council OF war was called, and out Of
-iShteen generals whose opinion was asked
seventeen We're opposed TO an advance
was the only one who urged upen the Gen :
= .1@4 inc linpeLiuVe necessity OF striking a blow
- once, Whlie Bragg was weaker and we
stronger than ever before. ] wrote a careful
eyiew OF the opinions of the generals. and ex !.
lloltea tse iact, gathered from ample data that ;
We could threw $4,000 payonets and ssbres
saihst Braggs 4l,000 allowing the most lib
raj estimates of his force. This PAPER was
raWn up on the Sth of June After its nre :
ehtatioh and a full canvassing Of the situation !;
Il advance was agreed upon but it was de- :
ayea through days, which seemed like months =
me, Till the 24th, when it was begun and
Icso Win what results you know. The v1s. q
ON OF the movement was not only viudicated
Ut lhe seventeen dissenting generals were | =
onipe!Iea To confess that if the movement had :
cen hiade Ten days earlier, while the weather
as prDpitious, the army Of Bragg wonld in |
Il human probability, no longer exist. sbaIi :.
ever cease 10 regret the sad delay which lost ii
5 SO great in opportunity 10 infict a mortal ii
low upon the centre Of the rebellion The
ork OF e1pelling Bragg IrOn Middle Tennes. +
e occupied nine days, and ended July B. leav- '
lg his troops ia most disheartened and de-
oralized condition, while our arrny with a a
Sc gI less than one thousand men was in a -
W days tulier OF potential fight than ever be. -
re. u
On the 18th inst the bridges were rebuilt ?.
ID the cars were in full communication from | -
e Cumberland to the Tennessee. / have since ~
en- urged, with all the earnesmess | possess, -
rapid advance while Bragg's army was shat os ae
red and under cover, and before Johnston | "s
ID he could effect junction. Thus far the
5nefaI has been singularly Gisinclined to a.
asp the situation with a strong hand and "
aHe The advantage his own. / write this -
TN more sorrow than l can tell you for / -;
Ve every bone in his body, and, next 10 my n
sire 10 see the rebellion blasted, is my anx- =;
" 70 see him blessed. But even the breadth u -.
Ely ioYe Is not sufficient to cover this almost g, e.
l%l aelay' Ny personal relations with Gen ~ -,
al hGSecrans are all that ] could desire Off m 'n
'iy snare ms councils and responsibilities -
en- more than desire, but beg you to know W "
a. lib tiLS ueiay is against my judgment and @ q.
every miSh' FIeasant as are my relations tUo S
Ie ! wGuid rather command battalion that ~ ~
'uIn I9iIow ana follow and strike and strike tlt
an 10 hahg back while such golden moments or, or,
passing: But the General and myself be- rdl
We that can 40 more service in nv present | pr
ice than III command of division. tbouob ISL
IN aware that 1t is position that promises ou'
tier IN the way OF promotion or uopular mo
,dlt. But II TINS naction continues long I pr1
ere can be part of a working armv "lefe day
But do hope that yon will soon hear tba+
IS splendid army is at least trying to do its i
rt IN the great work. If the War Depart. por
mt has not always been just it has certainIv pro
IN very indulgent to this army. But / feel wa
II the time has now come when it sbou1d NC
lD l. =.