Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-01-25
LAST BATTLE OF THE WAR.
General slaughter's Reasons for Fighting
Against the Union.

General Slaughter's Reasons for Fighting
Against the Union.
From the Washington Post.
Major General James E. Slaughter, of
Alabama, and Confederate veteran, is IN
the city. In the history of the Confed-
eracy, written by the late Jefferson Davis,
General Slaughter is credited with having
fought the last battle of the war of the
rebellion.
Dyes said General Slaughter, speaking
to Post reporter of this statement, what
Jefferson Davis mentioned in his book in
this regard is true. The Confederates won
the first and the last battles of the war,
Bull Run and Bonos San Iago, Texas. l
commanded at the last battle and captured
as many Federals as | had Confederate
soldiers. I had heard of General Lees
surrender, and did not want to fight, but
as the enemy advanced upon my forces |
attacked and routed them.
"After the battle / told the prisoners
they were at liberty to return to Bonas
San Iago, or go with me to Brownsville
Texas, and they elected to accompany me.
had regular rolls made of my prisoners
and sent them back on a steamer. re-
ally did not consider them as captiyes, and
we all passed very pleasant time to-
gether. Some of the officers and men
went over to the Mexican town of Mata-
moras. A few days afterward published
the following order:
Soldiers: The war is over! Go home
and try to make as good citizens as you
have soldiersl And do more I hope
that the result will prove that our enemies
were right, and we were wrong"
s'Was not this last sentenfe somewhat
peculiar on your part% queried the Post
reporter.
perhaps some will so regard it, but the
fact is, as was well understood, was al
ways op 1osed to secession and favored the
union of the States, one and inseparable.
| am native Virginian, and near blood
relation TO both Presidents Harrison and
Monroe. Twas Lieutenant of artillery
in the army of the United States when the
war broke out. / was Union man, but |
resigned from the army after the tall OF
| Fort Sumter, joined the Confederate forces,
and fought against what | believed then
and now to have been legitimate authority;
nevertheless, was unwilling that the
Southern people should be conquered,
whether right or wrong.
When the war was over my Union SEN
timents naturally caused me to affiliate
with the Republican party. was an &C
tive member of that party for at least five
years before my political disabilities were
removed by Congress / was appointed
Postmaster at Mobile by President Grant,
but could not accept that position for the
reason that l had not petitioned for the
removal OF my disabilities. Subsequently
| did so petition, and Senator Edmunds
had my disabilities removed.
! Il may mention in this connection that
was one of the few officers of the army
on duty in Texas at the outbreak of the
rebellion who advocated resistance to Gen
eral Twiggs' order to surrender to the
Confederate State of Texas, and my COM
pany (French's Battery marched from
Eagle Pass to Brownsville, and embarked
there with full equipment for Key West
/ know of many distinguished officers Of
the Confederate army who shared my SEN
timents concerning the Union, but they
like myself, went into the rebellion and
fought to their death or the end of the
war, simply because they were unwilling
that the South should be coerced."