The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-06-22
The Confederate Presidents Opinion Of
Beaureguard and Joe Johnston.
WHAT he THOUGHT OF A. II. STEPHENS
Why the Cotton Crop Was Not
Sent to Europe.
MATERIAL FOR MAKING OR REVISING HISTORY

BALTIMORE, June 20.-Jenerson DAVIS nau
one lifelong friend, whose friendship mover
failed him. whose love never grew cold. This
faithful friend was Lucus Beinger Northrop
the Commissary- General OF the Confederate
army Their friendship began ut West Point
when they wero cadets, continued during their
service in the Indian Territory. grew stronger
during the civil war. and ended only with the
death OF Mr.. Davis. A series OF letters from
Jefferson Davis to this devoted friend has re-
Gently come into my possession. and they
throw some light upon certain important mat
ters connected with the civil war.
The first letter Of the correspondence is
dated "Mississipri City 29th OF APRIL 1873"
and It refers to Gen. Northrop's management
of the Comm!ssary Department and to Gen.
Joseph L. Johnston's unnecessary retreat from
ThorouGhfare Gap
Our enemies in the Senate overreached themselves
and thers another spring TO the trapit had been
stated that you acknowledged your inability TO provide
for the army conceaIing the other part OF the adms
sion that while the General Commanding would not
exercise the power to impress and the Congress would
not confer that power upon YOU 1t was mpractcablo
TO buy with Confederate money, and 80 obtain the
necessary supplies SO the dead fall was intended for
us BOTH and orr had provided for II by perverttnR
complimentary remark made in regard to you as n
soldier into desire my part to put you In command
of tho army no doubted your sincerity than
did your existence and therefore could not have
touched that point mentioned in my previous letter
tho burning OF your packing establishment at Thor.
oughfare Gap by J. Johnston, when, like the wicked
he hod though man pursued The waste in every
department by the army under Johnston was ono OF
tho evils OF his Injurious career.
In his next letter Mr.. Davis pronounces Joe
Johnston an "ignoramus." and explains why
the cotton crop was not shipped to Europe to
provide funds for the Confederate Government:
BrAuvolR Miss. May 20 1879.
MY DEAR FRENp: have in vain sought for the paper
In regard to what the soldiers under Gen. Joseph L.
Johnston informed him they would like to cat Efforts
at the Archve Otice in Washington develop tho ex.
traordnary fact that OF his letters have cisap
pearel after being fled appears by their index
Johnston sought in various ways to eva!e or
ders and the reported preferences OF the
the repeated instructions to save stores grossly
disregarded on his needless retreat from Manassas
Careful to make record and gain popularity but
the public interest and seeking like denia
rogue to ingratiate himself by throwing Admin
istraton blame for every real or fancfn discomfort it
was n part of his remembered career to encourage
complaints against tho commissariat by canvasstnR
among the to what they would Ike - eat After
learning they preferred bacon to beef what is TO be
said OF the burning OF your packing establishment.
when that fight commenced in which no men pur-
suei'
Many silly people tax of the m:s,aSe in not sending
out the crop and having funds thus in Europe
Johnston the only ignoramus who docs not know
that the crop 1860 and 1861 had mostly forward
before the birth Of tho Confcderacy-that it all be-
,t,.
IonSeu 70 49, h,v :, Uor shins ~ ,r,n.nor
NOT ho"eS o''u"n " wv =. "'' ~ t,,ii u.
much OF it in the interior CLOSED by want OF land or
river SportatioH.
The number of troops at Manassa' was about l.oOo
ne" AF''"l' .''e'''s " 1., V''' ~ voc
ho'"'hH S"'" " W" ~ " ' o ' ~ i'
plies or transportation a. preventing pursuit Then It
was Notifications with Carrisons the south side OF
the Potomac. Good night Afectionately yours
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
The next letter OF this interesting seres is
Aotod Roouvoir Miss Fob 1s lSSn In II Mr.
-, ,o-., 49,, ,,roi,I hi, oninion ~
D'' 49,. 49, -. =,
De"uioE"'a ~. W ~ - go" t 80
the suplect o mo '"''uio VI tho io'tner ~ au
vance on Washington alter tho victory OF Bull
Run | quote the following passageS
There was no doub. in my mind as to the facts you
hox dscoyer.I hut tho dlncuty WAS 10 find authentic
nroof A,pony my LETTERS OF that perIod July and Au
.r.t IssI Ihaye fouud ono written to GEN j. E. John
ston at Manassas from Richmond Va dated Aux l.
lssI from which make the following extract: "A
S.w t,vs since received A telegram from Bcauregard
.,,,n, mar somo az The re0i,nruts vera without food
An add.ntum was amended from Col r. D. Lee com.
m,ssArv that the deficiency was OF hard bread and
bacon and that he was offered abund ance OF eff
-Four by the inhabitants OF the surrounding ooun'
Try returned tho teeEram 10 "eL Beau
''t~'n an e".ea '''1 . , Wv ,.a
.uI,r.d ,o ,1 ,h. ra,,oc, ~ The snbs.t,ncs nenart
mani dom,b ,pv.s,i,,,iop and tina nroner rorr-oon
notonIv n remedy tho cv,l lint 10 aforl an examps
yVhich wul d,or o,h.r, from Tim. attending" do nor
know WIN. Gcu R,nurovard,s eynlanntion was but I
nnd Iet,.r aaIrcs.cd to him nv ma any lss, call.
ing hi, attention 10 n, had written TO the Hon
A. Nu.s an the want. NJ nj. armv which Ind bean
van, N IN. ,orgr.ss ~ ,vhirh vroto m hn az ,oI.
lows. some excitement ma. h,en cr.at,d NV your
lst.r Tn, uuar.eru,,c or and Conmiss,rv.c.,.rais
feel that they have been unins,lv nrraynsd "A for
myself can univ say hayr srd.avorcd 20 or,oin,,.
wants and any failure which has occurred from inner
foot edge 1ht have bseu be,, ayo,.d he ,im.
ly reouisitiuns and .s.imates"
do not recoec whay Miess letter contaip., nr, ma
NV memory serves me It was abatement that tho wn,
of transportation and supplies had preyen,.d H.arr.
gard from pursuing tho enemy after tile bar. NJ Man
sssas For called his attention to tho fac, TIM, h.
moved troops from tho extreme left In the night sav
seven miea to provide against an anticipated attack