Year: 1866

Richmond correspondent n. Y. Times.


Thus much Of time present. and 60 back
to the closing days of the rebellion to mar
rate bit of the romance Of the war. The
country will remember that during the win
ter our Government obtained assurance of
the hopelessness of the rebel cause by COM
ing into possession of the testimony of Gen.
LEE before a committee of rebel Congress,
which was never reported to the Houses,
except in select session, if at all. A full
history Of the manner in which the Govern
ment obtained that information would be
more interesting than any romance, but it is
too soon yet to do more than outline it. The
evidence Of Gen. LEE was taken late in the
winter by this committee, and long before
the committee had determined what course
they should pursue-almQst before the ink
was dry upon their notes.-the entire state
ment of therebel General, word for word,
was in the possession Of President LINCOLN
at Washington. In the room where the
committee met was a closet and from that
closet, Immediately after their adjournment,
came the priceless information. Outside
the house it at once changed hands, and
second party walked leisurely through the
streets of Richmond with it, until upon the
envirOns he encountered one Of the common
country carts of this section proceeding with
the half of a newly killed beef towards the
rebel lines in BUTLER's front.


No communication that the most lynx
eyed could perceive passed between the man
and the cart but the former gradually
changed his direction and was soon walking
back in the direction whence he had come
The cart went on, reached and passed
through the rebel camps without molesta-
ton and reached the pickets, where it halted
~ a matter Of course The beef was des
tined for the house Of planter just beyond
the rebel lines and in plain sight of their
outposts, and about equidistant between them
and our own outpOsts. These explanations
made and a careless search of the cart made
= by the rebel sentry, that is look into it, the
/ cart proceeded on its way. just as it neared
! the house a small party of our cavalry made
| n dash at il, and to the ntter surprise Of the
/ rebel pickets, who saw the whole affair,
our men only hovered a moment around the
| cart then galloped back with one more man
! than they came with, leaving cart and beet,
and driver and mule behind them. They
! did not knew it then, but under the beef was
a man, and the man had package, and the
| package contained the statements of General
| LEE before the Committee of Congress a few
! hours before.


In outline, this was how the thing was
| done. 1t may seem strange, but LINCOLN
and GRANT knew long before many Of the
| highest officials Of the insurgent Govern


ment the sworn statement of their cOmman-
der as to the hopelessness Of further resist
ance. Knowing that the Government and
| GRANT had this information explains many
! things in connection with the arrival within
our lines of HUNTER, STEPHENS and CAMP


II D. Il
conference, which at the time were inexpli-
cable. The feat Of obtaining this informa-


ton is unrivaled in the annals of war, and
| gradually, as the facts come TO light, It will


be found that GRANT had every day such
particular information from the rebel capital


that he know what JEFF. DAVIS was talking


about each day in the most private of his


conversations with his Cabinet and members
| of lis Congress. l.. {.