Omaha daily bee., 1902-06-29
TO CLEAR A SOLDIERS NAME
Captain winder Rscites an Unwrittsn
Chapter Of War History.
REBEL LEADER NOT A coNsPIsAToR
Albert sidney Johnston, who Fell at
Shiloh, Did Not seek to Garry
California Into southern
COnfederacy.

Captain William A. wlnder. a brother-in-
law Of Admiral Dewey and a distinguished
veteran Of the union army during the civil
war, lies seriously III at an Omaha hotel.
His condition is precarious because Of the
innrmity Of his advanced age. He is now
In his 18th year.
81 want to tell to the world a story be-
fore leave It to vindicate the name and
memory OF an honorable man who suffered
from a cruel Islander during the last few
years OF his life and whose memory has
been DETAINED by a ruthless, baseless ut
terance."
This statement was made by the stricken
veteran TO a reporter for The Bee one day
during the week. The man he wanted TO
exonerate Of false charges had been his
enemy and the enemy Of the United States,
had been a leader OF the southern con-
federacy and therefore an assailant Of the
federal government. Prominent in the
councils Of his self proclaimed government
and active on its fields of battle, this man
became a tower Of strength, q tremendous
factor in promoting the cause of secession
and widening the breach which separated
the sisterhood Of states and imperlled the
union.
Justice the Soldiers Aim.
Yet this man had been m~aligned and It
lay in the power Of the large-hearted hero
Of the union to give the world the truth
and thus remove a stigma from an innocent
and honored soldiers memory. No bitter
hatred recurring in his mind over the fra
ternal strife of forty years ago stood be-
tween this emaciated veteran and the per-
Torrance Of a duty which to him was SOL
emn and imperative. In his estimation the
rebel had been the victim of unscrupu-
. .lous and malicious prejudice and not only
was compelled himself to suffer anguish,
but was powerless to efface the false i'm
preston that his posterity might at least
enjoy freedom from unfair pollution. Cap
tain Winder is the only survivor who is
familiar with the details Of this conspiracy,
as he terms 1t, and therefore he feels that
he must record the truth before he dies.
that the world may know at last, after
a long period of years. that 1t has been
mallciously deceived.
General Albert Sidney Johnston, whom
history has recorded as one Of the soutb's
greatest soldiers. was in command of the
Department OF the Pacific, with headquar-
ters at San Francisco, just before the out
break Of the civil war At the same time
Captain Winder was in charge OF the Island
of A~lcatraz. the most important fortifca-
tion to the harbor OF San Francisco, though
a decidedly barren and uninviting terri
lOIg duu SluCt converted INTO u military
prison. -
Ante-BcIIum Humors.
To repeat the words Of Captain Winder,
Just prior to the actual hostilities between
the north and south, rumors Of all sorts
regarding plans and maneuvers of the
south and southern men were afoat. Espe-
cially did these reports gain circulation
and in most cases substantial credence
NnnnaFnln0 ~ FROM sha lad ~R ntxto
who were then in the service. military and
civil, Of the United States. Minds were
infamed, sober judgment was at a dis
count, and 1t is not surprising at this late
day to be told that prejudice and passion
were ruling motives. Under such condi-
tions 1t was not difficult to secure a firm
Judgement in the minds Of people OF a story
which under ordinary circumstance would
have been dismissed after casual thought
as a mere canard.
Naturally enough, however, not all the
schemes and plots unearthed and attrib-
uted to the sympathizers OF the south were
untrue; many OF them were founded upon
fact and were discovered In time to thwart
an evil purpose and avert disastrous con-
sequences. In this connection IL may be
recalled that, as Captain Winder relates,
there was general talk Of a movement to
form an independent government to be
known as the Republic of the Pacific. COM
prislng those states bordering on and near
the western boundary line of the United
States. This was not a conspiracy on the
part Of southern sympathizers, nor did IL
have for its purpose the promotion Of the
cause OF the south. The originators OF the
idea were not notably southern men, in
fact, they may all have been northern men.
But at any rate, there was no sinister
motive in IL. II was believed by the people
In that part of the country that. owing to
their isolated location and the poor fscili-
ties for travel. u being necessary to &c
from the east to the Pacific coast by way
of Cape Horn, a separate government, tenn
porarily, would be a mutual benefit and
that when developments had reached thai
stage where a reunion Of states and theii
administration were wisest. the states Of
the west would be in a better condition t.
advance the common interests than II gov
erned under the old regime.
Supporter Were Sincere.
People chung to this theory out on tn,
coast with great psrtinacity. says Captain
winder. and were perfectly sincere II
their plans. But they finally were con
WINGED that their scheme was futile anG
impractlcable and consequently it wal
abandoned.
This Wild idea Of an independent govern
ment furnished the basis for the reproacl
brought upon Albert Sidney Johnston an,
ultimately led TO his resigning his post
leaving the service of the union and join
ing the southern confederacy.
On receipt Of news OF the firing upol
Fort Sumter General Johnston immediatel,
ordered all the munitions OF war s~tationer
at Benecia arsenal, down the bay, remove
to Aleatraz island. In this he had a two
fold purpose; primarily he sought to es
tablish the most formidable fortihcation
possible on the island where the entranc
20 San Francisco bay could be safel
guarded. and, secondly. It was his plan t
get the arms and ammunition away froT
the arsenal to a place where they coul
be properly protected, But this maneuve
was misinterpreted by Johnston's critics
observers and used to give FEASIBILITY I
the story Of the conspiracy afterward cir
eulated.
Captain Winder. In referring to this &C
upon Johnston's part. declares II the mos
judicious that could nave been performs
and says that the general had no intentio
other than that Of protecting his country