The National tribune., 1906-04-05

they said, part of each was enfiladed
by Federal artillery. The part of Gen,
Polks Corps referred to was that of
which l had conversed with Brig.-Gen.
Shoupe. On that account they urged
me to abandon the ground immediate
ly and cross the Etowah.'
1 have already stated that the corps
commanders, especially Polk and my
self, urged Johnston only the day pre-
vious to march back and attack Sher-
man at Adairsville; that his own Chief
OF Artillery reported the position Polk
and 1 occupied as unsuited for q de-
fense, before our retreat from the
ridge in front of the town; L have
proved that the enemy appeared on the
Canton road, according to my report
which report Gen. Johnston declared
to be 'manifestly untrue" Now, since
Polk and l most earnestly urged john
ston, only the day previous, 10 move
forward and attack Sherman, does 1t
not seem strange that we should be
insisting on retreat the following night
Admitting, however, for the sake of ar
gument, that Johnston intended to
fight when in position on the unten-
able ridge in rear of Cassyille, this in
tention could only have been based
upon the vain hope that Sherman
would march across the valley and
through the town to attack his in
trenchments. The Federals would new
er have made an assault from this di-
rection, as the country toward Canton
was open, and favorable to an attack
upon our right flank. Humanity itself
should have prompted this way of ap-
proach, in order to spare the women
and children of the town. Again, even
in the event Polk and / had consented
to subject our troops to a heavy en-
filading fire Of artillery, may l not
ask-especially as a part of Sherman's
army, 1 think Schofield's Corps, was
then reported to be moving across the
Etowah to threaten our communica-
tions south of this stream, and n SINH
lar movement had dislodged US already
from Dalton and Resaca, and. in fact,
dislodged US from every position be-
tween Dalton and Atlanta-how long
is it supposed We would have remained
at Cassville? 1 leave the answer 10
every fair-minded man.
Did Not Keep Johnston From Fighting.
This is the history of the much
talked-of affair at Cassville in connec-
ton with which it is affirmed that
Johnston wished to fight, but Polk and
l were not inclined to do so."
Gen. Johnston, as evidence that
without any proviso we advised him 20
retreat, quotes a statement to that ef-
feet of Gen. Hardee and his Chief of
Staff, neither of whom were present
during our long discussion. If 1 did
remark after the interview had closed,
and Johnston had decided to cross the
Etowah, that. If attacked, Polk would
not be able to hold his line three-quar-
ters of an hour, nor / mine two hours.
the remark could have had but a dis
tant bearing upon the question. A sin
gle observation could not have unfold
ed all which occurred during this pro-
longed meeting.
If Gen. Polk were to rise up from
his grave, he would be astounded at
the suppression of the most important
part of the testimony in relation to
these facts, by which, during a period
of 10 years, the impression has been
sustained that we are both to blame
for not permitting Gen. Johnston to
fight, when he was SO desirous to de-
liver battle. With the foregoing state
ment, / do at this day and hour, in
the name of truth, honor and Justice,
in the name of the departed soul of
the Christian and noble Polk, and in
the presence of my Creator, most SOL
emnly deny that Gen. Polk or i recon-
mended Gen. Johnston. at Cassville, t.
retreat when he intended to give bat
tie, and affirm that the recommended
ton made by us to change his position
was throughout the discussion coupled
with the proviso: If he did not intend
to force a pitched battle.
sThe following letter from DIR. A. NJ.
Polk, at that time Aid-de-Camp to his
father, sustains the truthfulness of this
representation of facts:
New York, June II. 1874.
Dear General: have just read your
correction of Gen. Johnston's state,
ments in regard to my fathers con-
nection with the 'Cassville affair
Pray accept our sincere thanks, not
only for the correction, but also for
the manner in which it is expressed.
He was killed so soon after, he left no
written statement of the matter; but
from conversations l held with him
know his position to have been just as
you state 1t: not willing to stand there
and wait for the enemy to attack us,
but more than willing to take the
initiative in bringing on a general en-
gagement.
with much respect, am most truly
yours, A. NJ. Polk"
When the preceding chapter was
written, setting forth my most positive
denial of Gen. Johnston's statements in
regard to that which he AYERS to have
been said by Gen. Polk and myself, at
Polk's headquarters, during this i'm
portant council, and when I charged
Gen. Johnston with the suppression of
the most important part of the rec
concentrations made to him by each of
us, / was under the impression that
only Johnston, Polk and 1 were pres
ent in the room during the discussion.
Fortunately, however, the complete
vindication of my assertion has arisen
from source / little expected. In ad-
dition to the strong evidence adduced
by the letters of Gen. Shcupe and DIR.
Polk, / am favored with the subjoined
full and explanatory letter from a gen.
tleman of no less position than that
Engineer a n A n
and who was present, in the room. dur
ing the council of war held by John
ston, Polk, and myself with map and
measurement of angles OF the position
in question:
Another Witness.
New York, June %, 1874.
"Dr. w. NJ. Polk. 2SS Fifth Ave, New
York.
Dear Sir: In reply to your note Of
the goth inst, asking me to give you
my recollection of the circumstances in
regard to the retreat OF the Confeder-
ate armies from Cassville, Ga, to the
south side of the Etowah River, I will
state the facts as connected with my
self, as follows:
"At the time when the Confederate
armies of Tennessee and Mississippi,
under the command of Gen. ]. T.. john
ston, and the Federal army under Gen.
Sherman, were maneuvering in the
neighborhood of Cassyille, 1 had near
ly completed my journey from Demo-
polls, Ala, to that town to join Lieut.
Gen. Polk, commanding the Army of
Mississippi, who was with Gen. John
ston in that vicinity. / had crossed the
country in company with part of that
command. i arrived at Cassville Rail-
way Station about $3.50 or o'clock in
the afternoon of the 18th of May, 1864,
and met Col. Gale nf Onr staff hn