Headquarters Second Brigade, Second Division,
Fifteenth A. C, Young's Point, La.,
Opposite Vicksburg, Feb. 22, 1863.
My Dear Mother:
I send other papers, to show the condition and feeling of
our army here towards General Sherman. The public have been systematically,
basely, infamously imposed upon by the journals or their paid hirelings. God
knows we have enough to endure from the apathy and indifference of friends at
home to say nothing of traitors and open treason. You say “it may have been wise,
but not well in General Sherman to muzzle the press.” You do not, cannot know
all. General Sherman has had neither the power nor the will, to muzzle the
press, but he has endeavored, and I am sorry to say, most unsuccessfully, to
drive from among the camp followers of the army, the scoundrels, who by
tergiversation, misrepresentations, and actual falsehood impose alike upon the
credulity of the people and those who are honest among the conductors of the
press. General Sherman has been actuated by the purest patriotism, and would
not lend himself to the contemptible chicane and meanness by which certain
individuals have been puffed up or written down. Therefore these villains have
conspired and confederated together to slander him and villify his command. One, . . . the correspondent of the New York .
. . who wrote one of the most shamefully false articles of all that appeared
(and all were false), describing the affair at Chickasas Bluffs, admitted to
General Sherman, in my presence and in answer to my questions, that because
General S. was known to be opposed to the presence of professional newspaper
correspondents in the army, therefore he had determined to league with others
of the fraternity who were here and revenge themselves by writing him down. That
neither he nor they knew anything about him, but they had determined among
themselves to renew the old slander of his insanity, because they supposed that
would be most injurious to him. He also admitted that his letters were false,
and based upon false information. This he did in writing, and was subsequently
tried by court martial, his confreres, meanwhile, making their escape. His
letter to the . . . was copied into the Vicksburg papers, and the enemy
actually had the reading of it before we did, and became possessed of most
valuable information to them. They had never regarded our falling back from the
bluffs as a retreat, but supposed the withdrawal was stratagem on the part of
Sherman, and cautioned their generals against the result. Immense plans were disarranged,
and in consequence of their publications much public treasure has been wasted
and many lives lost. We know that very many of these newspaper correspondents
are paid spies. We know that many of them are in certain interests, some in
that of cotton speculators, some in that of gold brokers, some paid by
combinations of bankers, who all use the intelligence they give the people for
the furtherance of specific views. Hence you perceive the mischievous tendency
of the productions of these canaille against the public weal, as well as the
government, but aside from this a far more terrible effect is produced in the
demoralization of the army and the shaking of the confidence of the soldiers in
their leaders. The withdrawal of the army from Chickasas was regarded as one of
the most brilliant military achievements of the war, by the army. Officers were
enthusiastic and it was regarded as equal to a victory in its effects upon the
minds of the men. That the army was . . . in splendid condition for battle was
evidenced by their conduct at Post Arkansas, immediately thereafter. Yet no
sooner were the newspapers received than their spirits were dampened and their
ardor cooled by the first intelligence they had received, that they had been
defeated and that their favorite general was in disgrace (for they may say what
they please in Ohio, General Sherman is the favorite of this army and to-day is
the hero of the West in fact, whether he has the reputation or not). Very well!
from whom does the information come to depress the feelings and outrage the
sensibilities of the army? — not from the public at home, but through the
public journals, who, to use the mildest terms, have been imposed upon by at
most five or six individuals, each one of whom is infamous in character, and
because of his infamy, is fit for his nefarious trade. They find themselves
cramped, and with a fiendish malignity, gratify their private revenge at the
expense of a nation. To pull down Sherman they would sacrifice his army, to
sacrifice that, they would betray the commonwealth. . . . Some of the
journalists have a character to sustain, these have none, and it is these that
should be scourged like hounds from every corps, division, and regiment of our
army, whenever or whatever its service. We endorse General Sherman fully in
this matter, and I refer you to the enclosed document marked “A,” a copy of the
original which was signed by all the officers of the “Old Division” with
enthusiastic alacrity. The public are entitled to and should have early
information of the movements of our armies, when such information may be
transmitted without notice to the enemy, but all such information should be
under supervision and censorship, for the most obvious reason, and no personal
allusion to the character or behavior of any officer or soldier should be
permitted; what that leads to the most obtuse can see. . . . For my record I
point with what I believe is an honest pride to the official reports of my
commanding generals, now part of the archives of the nation, and I would not
exchange the autograph letters of General Sherman which I now enclose to you,
for all or any of the newspaper fame that I have seen bestowed on any man.
If I succeed in securing my promotion through legislative channels,
it is well; I think I deserve it. I think it not only due to me from my
country, but that it will enable me to render her more effectual service. I do
not ask it as a favor — I demand it as a right; and I am admonished that
without the demand the right will not be accorded. Therefore, and properly, the
action of my personal and political friends to bring me properly to the
attention of the appointing power, to urge upon the Senate the propriety of
remembering those who are placing their lives in peril to save the Republic, to
remind the President of the propriety of selecting for his generals those who
are most competent to lead his armies in the field. Whether I receive my
promotion or not you and my friends will have been made to know that my
immediate commanding generals think I deserve it, and that I have the
confidence of my brother officers with whom I have served so long and so
arduous a campaign.
SOURCE: Walter George Smith, Life and letters of
Thomas Kilby Smith, p. 271-4
