Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-10-16

tial. The public safety requires strict en-
forcement of this article. 1t Is, therefore,
ordered that all correspondence and COM
munications, verbally, or by writing, print
ing or telegraphing, respecting the opera
lions of the army, or military movements
on land or water, or respecting the troops,
camps, arsenals, intrenchments or military
arairs, within the several military dis
tricts. by which intelligence shall be direct
ly or indirectly given to the enemy without
the sanction and authority OF the general
in command, be, and the same are abso-
luteiy prohibited, and from the date of this
order persons violating the same will be
proceeded against under the fifty-seventh
article of war;.
BY order. L. THOMAS
Adjutant General.
secretary Stanton's censorship grew more
and more severe and senseless to the end
of the year. In the campaign of 1864 cor
respondents were not allowed to telegraph
Union losses at one-half what they really
were.
Finley Anderson (afterward lieutenant
colonel on Hancock's stafD, one of the most
accurate and painStaking mcn in the field,
was with the Second Corps in its first at
tack on Petersburg. His natural conserva-
tism and his attachment to Hancock insured
a moderate statement of losses. After his
account was written he rode 10 me for con-
sultation. We agreed that Stanton would
not permit him to place the loss at any
such figures. They were cut down consid-
to 1000.
When Gen. Butler was removed from
command by Grant, after the Fort Fisher
fasco, Mr.. Stanton suppressed all tele-
graphic announcement of the fact until the
Herald containing my Dispatch sent to
New York by messengers, arrived by mail
in Washington city.
Petty Tyranny to Correspondents.
The truth concerning prominent general
officers may as well be stated here as else
where. Gems. Burnside, Hooker, Sherman,
Thomas, Schenck, Milroy. Hurlburt, Blount
and others exercised an arbitrary and Sc
we're censorship over all dispatches from
their commands: and some OF them pro-
hibited the circulation of all newspapers
containing military criticisms.
Burnside sentenced VIM. Swinton TO be
shot. He seized and closed the Chicago
Times office.
Hurlburt suppressed the same paper (and
all kilograms to it, in the district of Mem
phis. Co.'s. True and Sullivan did the same
at Trenton and Jackson, Tenn.
At my request Gen. Grant counterma nded
these orders Immediately, and sent a spe-
cial dispatch boat from Lake Providence to
Memphis for that purpose.
Hooker made the 1esh.a WEAKNESS and
the grasshopper a burden to all CORE
spondents excepting his friend and faSorite.
George Wilkes. To him he gave valuable
franchises. He treated Mr.. Denyse of the
Hooker afterward "buIlded wiser than he
knew" by requiring correspondents to afhx
their full names to all their dispatches. 1t
held them to a proper responsibility, and
tation.
Gen.. Thomas Cby his staff censor, Major
Morton McMichael of Philadelphia) refused
me permission to telegraph my account of
Lookout Mountain.
Gen. Grant took the same dispatch from
MY hand within thirty minutes afterward,
and, without reading 1t, Endorsed on the
back: 'Send this" U. 8. Grant, etc.
Gen. Sherman treated me superciliously
until. performing staff duty, carried to him
his last written order from Gen. Grant in
regard to crossing the Tennessee river and
bringing on the battle of Missionary Ridge.
After that he was always courteous and
polite.
He ran De Benville Randolph Keim out
Of the Department Of the Tennessee. over
the head of Gen. Mcpherson, and would
have punished him numerically had he
been caught.
Grant and the Correspondents.
Gen. Grant stood on higher plane con-
corning news from the outset.
All correspondents within his commands
could say what they pleased about accom-
plished operations provided they were
truthfuD. but must not indulge in predic-
lions affecting the future. He never de-
allowed his staff to do SO.
He took the sensible ground that news
papers must send men Of Judgment and
discretion to represent them, or suffer the
consequences OF having them expelled from
the army. He allowed all papers to circu-
late among his troops which the govern
ent allowed to be published. His treat
n,ent of correspondents was impartial, with
the single exception that / was the only
ore he ever permitted to remain at his
headquarters.
This privilege was accorded me unexpect-
eddy. without solicitation, when 1 was cor
respondent for a paper he detested.
When Mr.. Stantcn's censorship became
insufferable, l procured from Gen. Grant
all necessary passes, and established line
Of messengers between myself and the New
we're sent from City Point at 10 o'clock
every day and were delivered at the Herald
Office early in the evening of the next day,
over the heads Of Mr.. Stanton and Post
master General Montgomery Blair. The lat
ter had a habit of Withholding mails just
when our news was most important.
This method Of transmission was a great
success. l inaugIrated it with much appre-
hension OF excessive cost.
Expensiveness of War News.
Mr. Bennett, the elder. had given me a
blank card on which to write expenses: had
cautioned me against undue parsimony and
advised larger expenditures than 1 had
been making, and said he would notify me
whenever he thought them too great.
To our mutual surprise, the messengers
cost less than the then Geographic rates
between Washington and New York for the
same matter.
When the other New York papers learned
the Herald plan an agent came to head
quarters to obtain, IL possible, permission
to start a similar line for the JOINT use of
the Tribune, Times, World and Philadel-
phia Inquirer He was promised the same
which had been given me.
1 had an interview with General Rufus
Ingalls,. chief quartermaster. He issued
an order requiring all civilians travelling
City Point. Fortress Monroe, Washington
and Baltimore TO pay IS cents per mile for
alton, 81 per day for a state room,
81 each for meals. and forbidding their
being furnished meals or state rooms until
all officers ami privates on board had first
been accommodated. This greatly in
creased expenses. and caused these papers
to abandon their plan. The Herald paid
the exorbitant charges several weeks with
cut complaint. General Ingalls, then re-,
voked the order.
I have IL my possession today some
Of General Grants passes for my personal 1
use. which are probably not eQuaied by
any in existence.
They order "All guards and az Ticket
guards in all the armies Of the United |
States to pass rue at any hour Of the day
Or night. with horses and vehicles" and 4