Arkansas Patriot, Little Rock CS

Sir: In your issue 9th inst., you called attention to the publication of a letter of T.C. Hindman, to General N. Bart. Pierce, upon the subject of the transfer of State troops to the Confederate Government. It took occasion to ask Gen. Hindman, to state whether the publication of that letter, at the time-just on the eve of the Governor’s election-was authorized by him, and if he intended to cast his high official influence in the scales. General Hindman was in the city at the publication of your paper and for a few days after, and you assure me, he has made no reply.

You were fully authorized from the high, bold, manly and chivalric reputation of that gentlemen, to believe that he not only had not given his consent to any such act, but that he would have instantly disavowed all complicity with it, and have repudiated in unmistakable terms, the man who could have been so base as to have violated his confidence, by publishing near twelve months after it was written, a private letter from him, for the purpose of subserving his own ends.

Gen. Hindman has not done so, and you and I, and thousands of others, are again disappointed in the man. A Major-General of high standing in the Confederate service, permitting his name to be used in the civil elections of the State! The idea is too preposterous to be thought of. Yet it has been done, whether by his consent or not, we have no means of knowing, since he, himself, will not say.

Now, without ever having had any desire to open old wounds afresh, but willing to submit in silence, in these distressing times, to injuries and defamations that have been attempted to be heaped upon me-to suffer in name and reputation, if necessary, for the good of my country’s cause, I may yet be permitted, since the publication of the letter of T.C. Hindman, in the Fort Smith Bulletin, and its republication in the Gazette newspaper of this place, to say a few words in my own defence, to vindicate myself, somewhat from the odium that has been attempted before this to be cast upon me, on account of my action in affairs “PARS QUORUM FUI.”

I have read the letter carefully, and though reflections are insiduously cast upon several officers, I understand that the writer exonerates me from the charges made against me last year by the Gazette. The writer states that “the Adjutant General assured them, they were entitled to do this (that is retire from service) by the terms of the compact between Gen. Hardee and the Military Board.”

In other words, they could leave the service without loss of honor-the matter resting entirely within their own breasts.

I was the agent of the Military Board, and was in duty bound to execute the orders given me. So, if I acted as I was directed, no blame ought surely to attach to me. I simply told the truth. I might have gained something by falsifying my mission, and agree to have seen the men transferred like so many bullocks, to suit the purpose of others. I preferred retain my own honor at the sacrifice of favor and patronage. A simplicity of character, not appreciable in these degenerate days.

I believe there never was any misunderstanding between Gen. Hardee and myself. We were intimately together several days, and he well knew, that my whole heart was in the transfer, and that I desired to do everything for the benefit of the army and himself, and even asked and obtained his advice as to how I should proceed in the business.

The truth is, that the clause of the agreement that permitted the men to vote upon the subject of transfer, was made at Gen. Hardee’s own suggestion, and insisted upon by him. He had been engaged, previously, in the transfer of troops in other States, and had gained some experience.-He preferred, he said, that the men should decide upon the question before being transferred, otherwise their consent would have to be obtained before he could swear them into the Confederate service.

A CARTE BLANCHE was given Gen. Hardee by the Military Board, and he had the terms of the transfer all his own way. After all the hue and cry about the matter, the number of disbanded man, in proportion to the forces at Pocahontas and Pitman’s Ferry, was small-about 12 or 15 per cent, and half of those re-enlisted in other companies a few days after. As instances, a company of the 6th Infantry, disbanded on account of discontent towards the Captain. Another company of the same regiment, was saved by the resignation of the officer, with whom they were dissatisfied. Many of the former company re-enlisted and other companies and regiments.-One company of the 5th infantry, disbanded on account of certain objections to the Colonel, but went into artillery service for three years, a few days afterwards-the captain going into the ranks. Of the 8 or 900 man who embraced the opportunity of bettering their condition, there were a considerable number sick, who were not invited to remain, but were summarily dismissed. More than half the able bodied men re-enlisted immediately, or in a few weeks subsequently.-It is evident, then, with all the falsely asserted efforts of Yell and Burgevin to disband the troops, that Gen. Hardee received a splendid little army composed of the very elite of the country, and not encumbered hardly with a sick man.

It was my duty, as well as my pleasure, to take charge of the sick and disabled. I did for them the best I could: I provided shelter, doctor, nurses, medicine, &c,-visited them frequently-provided transportation for them to their homes as best I could-reserving always to the sick the best accommodations on the steamers. I furnished the sick with everything in my power for their comfort and recovery, and even purchased little articles of luxury for them from my own purse. In a word, I believe that I endeavoured to exhibit a manly and humane feeling, towards those poor fellows, who, stricken down with disease, had been abandoned by their officers, and in one instance, to my knowledge, driven and carted out from their camps.

How well was that in the north-west? Hindman had been sent over by Gen. Hardee to receive the troops under Pearce.

I shall say nothing of his conduct at the camp of the 14th Regiment, Col. Mitchell commanding, at or near Yellville. I have no object to mentioned any of the pleasant little incidents of his travel from Yellville to Pearce’s headquarters. Those little things are known, but no good could accrue to my cause by publishing charges against others. I ignore them. I only desire to call attention to the fact that Pearce’s entire army disbanded, and that in a position to the boasted strenuous efforts of Pearce and Hindman. Pearce’s name is placed first, because he was Brigadier General at that time-Hindman being only Col. Contrast the result of the transfer of the two armies.

One transferring, EN MASSE, except the sick and a few discontented spirits-the other disbanding, EN MASSE, and no reason assigned.

I may, should the inclination come over me, explain at some other time, that causes that led to the disbandment of the State troops in the North-west, and I believe the history of the event will not rebound much to the credit of the principal actors therein.
E. BURGEVIN.