HEADQUARTERS, I5TH ARMY
CORPS,
CAMP BEFORE VICKSBURG,
Feb. , 1863.2
Dear Brother:
I now know the secret of this last tirade against me
personally.
Of course newspaper correspondents regard me as the enemy of
their class. I announced that all such accompanying the expedition were and
should be treated as spies. They are spies because their publications reach the
enemy, give them direct and minute information of the composition of our
forces, and while invariably they puff up their patrons, they pull down all
others. Thus this man Knox, dating his paper upon the Steamer Continental, the
headquarters of Generals Steele and Blair, gives to these general officers and
their division undue praise, and libels and abuses all others. This not only
plays into the hands of our enemies by sowing dissensions among us, but it
encourages discontent among the officers who find themselves abused by men
seemingly under the influence of officers high in command. I caused Knox’s
communication to be read to him, paragraph by paragraph, and then showed him my
instructions, by my orders made at the time, and the official reports of
others, and how wide he was of the truth. And now I have asked his arrest and
trial by General Grant, on charges as a spy and informer. The 57th Article of
war, which is a Law of Congress, is as follows: “Who shall be convicted of
holding correspondence with, or giving intelligence to the enemy, either
directly or indirectly, shall suffer death, &c.” I will endeavor to bring in all the facts, by
means of the evidence of officers who took part in all these events. My purpose
is not to bring Knox to death or other severe punishment, but I do want to
establish the principle that citizens shall not, against the orders of the
competent military superior, attend a military expedition, report its proceedings,
and comment on its officers. . . .
Affectionately your
Brother,
W. T. SHERMAN.
In the above letter to John Sherman, General Sherman
enclosed the following copy of General
Orders No. 67, in regard to the giving of intelligence to the enemy,
together with his own comments upon them.
. . . Now, to every army and almost every general a
newspaper reporter goes along, filling up our transports, swelling our trains,
reporting our progress, guessing at places, picking up dropped expressions,
inciting jealousy and discontent, and doing infinite mischief. We are commanded
absolutely to proceed against them under the 57th article of war. Shall the
laws of Congress be obeyed? Shall the orders of the War Department be
respected? Or shall the press go on sweeping everything before it. ...
The press has now killed McClellan, Buell, Fitz-John Porter,
Sumner, Franklin, and Burnside. Add my name and I am not ashamed of the
association. If the press can govern the country, let them fight the battles.
__________
2 Date uncertain.
SOURCE: Rachel Sherman Thorndike, Editor, The
Sherman letters: correspondence between General and Senator Sherman from 1837
to 1891, p. 187-9
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