The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-01-12

to a gentleman IN Baltimore, makes a
very Interesting cq cont l the polt-
ERECT that General Mcclellan n in 1862
sought an Interview with General Lee
with the supposed purpose of making
peace over the heads of the governments
at Washington and Richmond:
Bishops House,
222 East Harris Street.
My dear Friead,MYour letter. Of the lst
instant to hand. My recollection of the
conversation to which you refer is clear.
once that Immediately after the battle at
General Lees tent. the general handed
him letter whsh he nag Just
Of the Federal armies. General Lee gave
General Longstreot a copy, OF the letter
and asked him to EEyes Ms serious
advise him General Lee), what he ought
to do in the matter. Tho letter from Cen
eral Mcclellan proposed an interview DO,
Longstreet said TO me: II told General
Lee that In my Judgment there was no
other t. PC Pneea qn snye
General Lee said .That idea occurs to
me also. but President Davis. and not
General Lee. Is the one TO whom such q
General Longstreet took the letter to his
own quarters where h e toun a Genera
". H., II.
to General Cobb pedging him to- observe
secrecy with regard to It. but not saying
a word as to the construction he placed
on It,
ernl Cobb said there was no doubt IN his
mind that General Mcclellan wanted Gen
eral Lee TO help in the restoration OF the
the combined forces. General Longstreet
toid mo of tho circumstances more than
once, and always added that 1 ne thorough en-.
that General Lee, for the reason stated
declined to meet General Mcclellan.
me copy which General lee gave vo Geno
EEarsa va 1 trea Is set 0 It from
Colonel Marshall who told me he had
misIaid 1t and could never. find it. do
not know, of course, what became OF the
o. / forgot to say that General Longstreet
strongly advised General Lee TO meet ,et
nS n MScl senoy S Sfass M fst
Il have this moment heard I'd q sr, Long, Is
streets death SATURDAY at GainessG ved rio ~
Atlanta Allan and We often talked OF the war
recall ysSy s @ssn sop'yW b m Es
erl. you and ,Iare both glad to-day mat
We have united county, and perhaps
in Gods It y as So eha were
Clearly Clear uH ii tho right. =,
III do not believe IN placing the blame
on the Lord" said Longstreet, I'VE
ought to- have whipped the Yankees, re-
stored the Union and settled the negro
question ourselves, butfWe are pig i0ao
10 carry In some of our own leaders,
Very sincerely, your friend,
Bishop Of Savannah, Ga.
rrho conjecture to which the receipt OF
>, letter by General Lee from General
Mcclellan gave rise--that IT was desired
by the latter to end the war ny torcipie,
means oIsting the politicians IN control
at Westinghouse q very slsgestlye one.
ddiistrusted tho patriotism and good faith dl,
Supported with improvements ct The
critical moment In the operations n front
of Richmond, and the failure OF his Pe-
Mn MA eampingn Was que II be ms se opllTm
politicians q washington 70 see Demo 70,
Graz gain tho prestige and POLITICAL innu,
ence that q decisive victory at RICHMOND
would have given him. AIS army hhd
'Schange of base to James River and
given to Pope Yish the result thai Y was
Badly beaten IN the second bat q
| Mania ssas. Only when General w Lee
crossed the Potomac into AarYl&nd ntld