Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 14.djvu/280

 274 SoutJiem Historical Society Papers.

it was by his advice that the President (Lincoln) sent General E, V. Sumner to relieve Johnston of his command before the conspiracy was consummated." That statement of Sherman, the veteran Colo- nel J. D. Stevenson promptly and emphatically denied, saying : "The history of this matter was published fully and in detail in the San Francisco Evening Post in its issue of October 9, 1880. What reports General Keyes may have made to the authorities at Washington, I do not know; but that the removal of General Johnston was the means of preventing a Pacific republic, I do not for an instant be- lieve; for neither at the time of General Sumner's taking command and relieving General Johnston, nor at any time afterward, do I believe any uprising or conspiracy was contemplated." Colonel Stevenson adds that General Sumner held General Albert Sidney John- ston to be " a soldier, a gentleman and an honorable man; he is in- capable of betraying a trust." That slander against General Albert Sidney Johnston was as equally unnecessary and as uncalled for as the wholly gratuitous assault upon myself.

General Grant himself has not been exempt from Sherman's malice. To Colonel Scott, Sherman wrote, "if C. J. Smith had lived Grant would have disappeared to history." This remarkable statement was published by General Fry and pointedly and emphatically de- nied by General Sherman. Prompt to slander, he is equally quick to deny his language. The letter of Sherman, dated September 6, 1883, was written to Colonel Scott, now of the War Record office. The denial of Sherman has caused the publication of the letter and exposure of his hypocrisy in recent laudation of the dead chieftain.

The deliberate falsehood which Sherman inserted in his official re- port, that Columbia, South Carolina, had been burned by General Wade Hampton, was afterwards confessed in his " Memoirs" to have been ' ' distinctly charged on General Wade Hampton to shake the faith of his people in him." Even when confessing one falsehood he de- liberately coined another, and on the same page of his " Memoirs " said that the rire " was accidental," when he knew, from the letter of General Stone, who commanded the Provost Guard in Columbia, that the fire was not accidental. How much more he knew, he may in future " Memoirs " or " statements " reveal.

Can any man imagine less moral character, less conception of truth, less regard for what an official report should contain, than is shown by .Sherman deliberately concocting a falsehood for the dishonorable purpose of shaking the faith of the people of South Carolina in their fellow- citizen. General Wade Hampton? His election to be Gover-