of time—over fifteen years—since the events transpired, by the death of many of the chief actors in those events, and by the loss of most of General Hardee's official records and papers, which, during active operations, were, from time to time, sent to places in the rear, which proved insecure; but, as a member of General Hardee's staff, on duty with him during all that period, and honored, then and afterwards, with his friendship and confidence, I deem it my privilege and duty to contribute what I can towards the right and the truth in these matters.
In the early part of 1865, General Hood made an official report to the War Department, covering the operations at and about Atlanta, which was afterwards published in the public press of the day, and which I take to be the same as contained in the appendix to this book. This elicited from General Hardee a communication to the Department, bearing date 5th of April, 1865. This paper does not purport to be a report, in the ordinary sense of the term; and having been prepared amid the duties and activities of a campaign, and without access to sources of information afterwards open, it may be inaccurate in some matters of mere detail; but it was mainly addressed to certain specific statements contained in General Hood's report, and it is as to these statements only that I quote it. It is as follows:
Camp near Smithfield, North Carolina.
April 5th, 1865.
To General S. Cooper,
Adjutant and Inspector-General, Richmond, Virginia:
General—The want of subordinate reports has hitherto prevented me from making an official report of the operations of my corps of the Army of Tennessee, from the opening of the campaign at Dalton to the time of my transfer from that army on the 28th September, 1864. Many of the general officers of that corps were killed, wounded or captured in the recent Tennessee campaign without having made up their reports, and this obstacle, therefore, still exists; but the publication of General Hood's official report makes it a duty to place at once upon record a correction of the misrepresentations which he has made in that report with respect to myself and the corps which I commanded.
It is well known that I felt unwilling to serve under General Hood upon his succession to the command of the Army of Tennessee, because I believed him, though a tried and gallant officer, to be unequal, in both experience and natural ability, to so important a command, and soon afterward, with the knowledge and approval of General Hood, I applied to His Excellency the Presi-
