The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-10-02
WAR MEMORIES REVIVED.
Gen. Sherman Talks in Characteristic Style
in Reference to Halstead's Letter.
st. Louis S pecial.

st. Louis Special.
The letter from Murat Halstead to Governor
Chase, which has been republished here and
elsewhere during the past few days, has created
genuine sensation here. Old soldiers appear
amazed and Disguised at the intense bitterness
of the letter and the almost insane fury of the
writer. In the document, which is dated Feb
10, 1863. Halstead accepts as true statement
made by somebody who was with the army in
front of Vicksburg to the effect that 'there
never was a more thoroughly disguised, dis
heartened, demoralized army than this is, and
all because it is under such men as Grant and
Sherman" The correspondent called on Gen.
Sherman tonight and asked him what he
thought Of the letter and of its references to
him.
In reply he said: 81 don't care to say much
about the matter. The letter ought to have
been forgotten long ago. It's an unfortunate
affair, and I guess Halstead is sorry enough that
he ever wrote it. Why it's an awful thing; its
publication at this time is a work of malice,
suspect but, anyway. it reviyes some very bit
ter memories. But there's nothing new in this
We knew of the existence of such letters from
the very first"
''Of this particular letter."
mo, not of this letter. But we knew that
letters of this kind We're being written, and
suppose there must be hundreds of them of just
the same nature. Hastead wasn't the only man
that wrote and felt like that McCuliagh
was just as bad, if not worse. The fact is, these
parties rem aimed at home ard wrote about events
at long range / will wager that Halstead is
heartily ashamed of this letter. That ought to
| serve as warning to you young newspaper men
in discussing public men and their acts"
What induced Halstead to write this letter."
"Oh, suppose he was drunk at the time-he
must have been-or else he would never have
written it, Now, here he was in Cincinnati
abusing men who were thousand miles away
On what did he base his assertions2 Simply on
the word of some ignorant ten dollar week
newspaper correspondents, who hung around our
camp and acted as spies. These fellows were
more particular about writing good English than
about telling the truth, and, relying on their
Information, Halstead wrote that terrible letter.
His editorials breathed the same spirit al
though in a modified degree. He naturally
expressed himself more freely in a private
| letter than he did in the columns of his
| paper. But he believed all he said at the time.
We tried to get of these spies, but could not
| We had new York Herald man up for trial on
| the charge of being spy, and il he had been
executed it would have saved 1000 lives. They
| fully posted the enemy to our plans. and thus
| cost us many, many lives. But we couldn't
! prove intent to injure The newspaper
| men, in their greed for news, sent home the
worst kind of lies to create sensations, and the
| editors at home believed them. The good news
/ paper men were all enlisted in the army, and
the papers had to take the riff-raff that was left
| men who were disabled or unable to enter the
| army"
What effect did such articles have on the
| officers who were commanding at Vicksburgp
''They were very disheartening. There we
| were doing our very best, and doing all that a
| human being could, and then to think of being
talked about in that way. Mcpherson used to