The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1915-12-30

UlGHlS III 1ldllClo COIlDGCJCu Will lAS
war, and, mailing the lie by simply
turning to the Official Records
(Which some people have forgotten
or do not know they exist, he deter
mined to pursue the same course in
this case and to assist him to make
the statement of his case more forci-
BILE he called upon the Hon. Richard
W. Austin, M. c., from the second
district of Tennessee, who has ever
been ready to help him in his jour
nalistic work by furnishing official
copies of documents etc. The follow
ing communication will elucidate
what is to be said on this subject
further comment will not be neces'
sary. 1--WE rest our case"
Washington, May Is, 1918.
Hon. Richard w. Austin, M. c.. Wash
ington, D. c.:
My Dear Sir: referring to
your communication of the 18th in
slant transmitting to this Office a let
ter from Mr.. James Sample of the
National Military Home, Tennessee,
in which he requests to be furnished
with certain information regarding
the pay of General Robert E. Lee,
and also the names of all other Off
GERS who resigned from the United
States army to enter the Confederate
army and the dates of their last pay
ments upon resignation, l have the
honor to inform you that it would
be contrary to the rules of the de-
partment to furnish Mr.. Sample with
the information which he desires in
sofar as it pertains to the dates of
last payments, may properly state,
however, that General Robert e. Lee
resigned from the United States army
on April 25, 1861, and that he was
not paid as an officer of the army
beyond that date, so far as disclosed
by the official records.
2-"The Historical Register and
Dictionary of the United States Ar
my" published by authority of the
act of congress approved March Sd,
1908, (92 Stat, 928), shows that 249
officers resigned from the regular ar
my of the United States and joined
the Confederate army, and there is
inclosed herewith an extract copy
llOIl llIlo SuOWIuR JH6
names of these officers.
Very truly yours,
HENRY G.. SHARPE,
Brig.-Gen. Quartermaster Corps, u, S.
Army, Acting Chief, Quartermaster
Corps"
(The above valuable letter with
other documents are now deposited
in the Confederate Museum at Rich
mond, Va
Extract from a letter of the Rev.
Mr.. Giles B. Cooke, after the publ
cation of the refutations of the
charge of dishonesty against General
Lee:
Matthews, Va,
May 81, 1913.
Mr.. James Sample:
My Dear Sir-I thank you heartily,
not only for the information you are
pleased to give me regarding the
charge of dishonesty made by Sena-
tor Hepburn against Gen. Lee, but
for the exalted opinion you entertain
of General R. e. Lee, so beautifully
expressed in your letter of the 25th
inst, and in the Journal and Trib-
une Knoxville, TENN
If the report published in the pa
pers some months ago to the effect
that Senator Hepburn was dead be
correct the copy Journal and Trib-
une) you desire me personally to send
him, | will keep for my own use and,
| also request, send me several more
copies for distribution among some
of my friends.
Although you and | fought in diff
ferent armies during the great war,
we are now, thank God, as comrades,
fighting in the same army against the
enemies Of humanity, and of the Cap
tain of our salvation.
Therefore, with kindest regards and
best wishes, | subscribe myself,
Your brother in the Lord
GILES B. COOKE.