Davis, Jefferson (1808-1889) to Marcus Wright

Oct. 14th 1880
Beauvoir
Harrison Co.
Missi.

Genl. Marcus Wright
Dear Sir
Accept my thanks for your kind letters of the 23rd ult. and the 5th inst. with their valuable enclosures.
My letter of the 28 of Feb. in answer to the letters of Genl Johnston on the 22 and 23 and 25th shows that my "plan" was after he announced that he could not maintain his present position, that his Army should be mobilized, so as to return the heavy guns, no longer useful to him, in order that they might be replaced on the defenses of the Capital, from which they had been removed to [2] answer his requisitions.
In my letter of March 6th, '62, if you have it, you will see that instead of pressing him to an early movement, I argued from his own data, that there could be no need for haste because if the roads & streams were in the condition described by him they must prevent an early advance of the enemy, and renewed the argument for the removal of his ordinance & public stores. One of his complaints had been that his men wanted more frequent issue, of bacon, they being then supplied with fresh beef, I think five times a week, so I called his special attention to the bacon which had been cured at Thoroughfare Gap. The bacon was not removed [3] the establishment was burned, and our troops subsequently felt the serious loss thus inflicted.
I did not know then what we both know now, that his apprehension of an early advance by the enemy was unfounded, for McClellan had then decided to discend the Potomac & was completing his preparations to carry out that programme. The illtimed, and destructive movement may require some apology, but is certainly not to be found in my correspondence with Genl Johnston. Whether to retreat or to advance, it was equally necessary that the Army should be mobilized & that the plan for retreeting as the only remedy was generated by other brain than mine, is conclusively shown by my telegram of March 10, [4] which I infer from your memorandum is in your possession that held forth the prospect of standing still until he could advance, which you will perceive was only three days before he announced himself in retreat.
I am much obliged to you for the copy of the tripartite letter you enclosed to me and of which I should otherwise have been informed. A gentlemen of high instincts may well be surprised that Generals who had asked their Executive to confer with them should secretly prepare a [report] of their conversation with him & give him no opportunity to say whether he was correctly represented or not in the remarks attributed to him, as well as those used by themselves. I can scarcely regret that judging others by myself, I didn't think it necessary to have witnesses for my protection. I have not the letters of Gnl Johnston named on your slip Feb. 22-23 & 25 and March 1 - 3- 5, but suppose their contents were all correctly noticed [5] in the answers of Feb. 28th and March 6th.
I have not the letter you describe as written by Johnston, Beauregard & Smith jointly on 29 of Sep. 1861 on the organization of the Army and replied to by Mr. Benjamin unless they are to be found on the files of the War Office I have no idea how they are to be obtained. I remember that some very ill considered arguments were made to the Secty of War, Mr. Benjamin against his demand that they should comply in organization with the terms of the law, and complaints were made to me of Mr. Benjamin because he promptly put aside their pretension to be above the law, which I had occasion, kindly to expose.
To you as a faithful & honored associate in our struggle, I may say that my heart & mind were concentrated on the main[6]tenance of our cause. Therefore I left to others who had less singleness of purpose to make up records for their future reputation. Except official papers, I never had any, and of those I have been mainly robbed. I grieve to say much of the robbery has been since the war, and by pseudo friends. So much in explanation of my little ability to supply you with relating to transactions of that period. I am deeply obliged to you for the courteous kindness you have shown to me, and while I am reluctant to tax you, you must excuse me for reminding you of my wish to get a true statement of the forces at Manessas on both sides. There is a deceptive dodging process of stating the number "engaged" or "whole number of effectives", both terms serving to conceal the number of reserves, extra duty & detached [7] men, all of whom were present & could have been made available in battle. The statement which would truly show the relative strength of contestants, would be the total present for duty, including extra duty men. The men who bear litters, drive subsistence or ammunition wagons, are quite as much as part of the active force as the drivers of the guns & caipons.
With great regard I am
Very truly yours,
Jefferson Davis

[docket]
Beauvoir.
Harrison County, [illegible]
Oct 14, 1880
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Hon. Jefferson Davis.