Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1892-09-29
GEN. wEANER'S DEFENSE
lie Replies to His Pulaski. Tenn Sian
drrrrS


DALLAS. Ten. Sept. >. lo92.
Hon. II. !. Bentley. manager Peoples party
campaign. Fort Worth. Ten:
DEAR SIR My attention has been
called to the publication in various
Democratic papers concerning my adj
ministratiOn rs commander of the post
at Pulaski, Tenn, in the winter 1851.
The charge that | ever imprisoned any
one and then released him for mOuicd
consideration or that | ever oppressed
any one. male or female, or ever charr-
ed the people of that locality for pass
eS through the lines of the federal ar
my, or that ! ever in any manner cX-
torted money from the people of that
locality and appropriated the same to
my own use. is an unmitigatcd lie.
| was assigned to the post at PulaS-
Xxi 10y order of Gen. G. NJ. Dodge, com
mandcr of the left wing ofthc sixteenth
army corps. Upon entering that part
of Tennessee Gen. Dodge ISSUED an or
der and made il public in which he
stated that his army was in need of
supplies of every kind and stated that
if the people would bring in supplies
vouchers would be rendered for the
same without making any inquiries as
to the loyalty or diSloyalty of the par
ties. People brought in their supplies
and vouchers were given them and
they were all paid by assistant com
miSSary general, Cyrus {. Carpenter.
During my administration aS com
mandcr of the post a large number of
refugees came within our lines. They
came from the Confederate army in
Alabama and elsewhere. They were
totally without supplies and destitute
and at that time they could not be al
lowed to depart without restraint.
Gen. Dodge issued an order command
ing me to make a levy of 5000 as
now remember, from wealthy citizens
living III the vicinity for the purpose
of paying for supplies necessary for
the SuStCnanCC of these refugees. I'm
obedience to that order issued AN or
der rcciting the authority under which
| was acting. and served it upon sever
al parties. doubtless the parties named
in the statement sent out from PulaS-
XII. The money collected was paid di-
rect to Col. Cryus {. Carpenter, assist
ant cOmmissaly general of the left
wing of the sixteenth army corps and
did not pass through my hands, as |
now remember. and the wants of the
refugees were supplied.
Gen. Dodge is we'll known to the peo-
pie of Texas. being in charge of an eN-
! tcnSivc railway system within your
State. and Col. Carpenter has since
served as an officer in the treasury de
partment, as a member of Congress
and as governor of the state of Iowa.
To these officers, and to all others who
knew me in the army. refer all queS-
tlOnS concerning my rectltudc and
is not a human being man. woman or
ch lid living or dead that ever OPP
pressed or mistreated while | was in
the service of my country. The con
tiscation of property is cruel. the
taking of life is cruel. every phase of
war is cruel. but unfortunately our I'M
happy country had a surfcit of it. For
my standing in the community. and
during the time | commanded said
post. | refer to MIR. Harris the Ballcn-
tyne family. Rev Robert Caldwell and
others who lived i'll Pulaski at the time
of my sojourn there. My association
with these people was as pcaceablC and
fratelnal as possible during the cNis-
tence of hostilities. and remarkably 50
in all that region OF tutcodHjTy. tneI,.
was but little difficulty in that county
during the iime that Gen. Dodge was
in camp there with his army corps.
You are at liberty to make such use
of this letter as you may deem proper.
l'raternally yours.
J. b. WEAVER.