Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-06-07

c.n Very ~, plain pl.!i! talk is This! But we
e e'l an ~ criticism upon the Union side
ION, ION hlsh quarters, that will almost
NO statesman was more prominent
upon that side than Salmon p. Chase
secretary OF the Treasury, and after
ward Chef Justice. No official stood
nearerto Mr.. Chase than the late M p
fleid, his First Assistant in the Treas.
my. Mr.. Field has put in print lin
ms ~ published "NLemoirs") that Mr.
Chase started in under the Lincoln
administration with the resolution to
keep diary of daily important
occurrences, more particularly as to
what was said and done at
the Cabinet meetings; and he allowed
I nus assistant to copy long extracts from
INA, alary:: But, as the war progressed.
ne discontinued it entirely, and frankly
stated to Mr.. Field his reason for doing
So. 1t was, that the discussions at the
Cabinet board over proposed war-meas
ures grew so bitter as to degenerate
INTO quarrels, on account of which some
OF these high officers would not recog-
nlze each other for long time; and
Mr: Chase expressed the opinion that
II the true story of some of those con-
troversles We're to be put in print. it
would be a lasting dishonor to the
American Government.
This will read queerly enough to
those who have been in the habit of
thinking that nothing but lofty patriot
ism controlled the immediate advisers
OF President Lincoln. But it is the
truth that is here stated; and as 1 have
often remarked in these columns. we
are dreadfully in need of the truth
about the war.
Can the diligent and thoughtful stu
dent OF our war history give any good
reason why certain General officers
! We're court martialed on the Union side,
some of them disgraced although not
near as many as ought to have been),
and other and far worse offenders never
brought to trial at all? Can he give
any explanation why u General officer
was summarily imprisoned after the
slaughter at Balls Bluff, denied both
inquiry and court-martial, though ear
nestly demanding both, and was finally
released after almost a years confne-
ment, without charges or explanation
Can he say why the General in COM
mand of the right at Charlottesville,
by whose criminal negligence and
wrong headedness thousands of men
We're killed and wounded, and the
Army of the Potomac was almost sacri-
feed, was never brought to trial?
He cannot tell. He can only say
that gross favoritism was at work in
high quarters, and that the secrets of
the conduct Of the war, when brought
to light, will explain these things.
Such strange instances as these We're
of continual occurrence during the
war. They were the rule rather than
the exception.
But what would the men, in and out
of the army, who lived in 1863, say if
they were told that during that sum-
mer, while the sieges of Vicksburg and
Port Hudson were going on, General
Banks was peremptorily ordered from
Washington to relieve General Grant,
in command of the forces before Vicks-
burg? And so ordered not only once
but twice? And that the order was
not in either case complied with, solely
on account of Banks unwillingness,
| ana MS assistance tnaJ GRANT should
not be interfered with? And that
there is an officer now living who per-
sonally knows of these facts?*
These are mere glimpses at the
truth-just the raising of the corners
of the great curtain. They are indica-
tions OF the surprises that are in store
for the people and the veterans, when
we begin to get the secret history of
the war.
| LocKPoRT, N. Y.
| hold myself ready to state his name to
| any inquirer. Perhaps the time has not come yet
| when the authority for such astonishing items
| j. +. L.
How Longstrcet Got Through Thorough
L f.aa.x, l..ana