Show A cool complaint from longstreet and happy response of gen gem poster foster ono one of the coolest assumptions to rake rahe up a pretext for a fla flag t of tri truce 1 cc in older to gain information of oui our designs lately occurred in east tennessee the correspondence which follows explains itself HEAD confederate F FORCES east tenn jan 3 1864 J to 10 the commanding general U S forces east tenn SIR sin I 1 find the proclamation of president lincoln of tile the ath of december last in circulation in hand bills amon among 9 our soldiers the immediate object of this circulation circulate on appeared to be to induce our soldiers to quit our ranks and to take the oath of allegiance le legi 43 bance ance to the united states government I 1 pie presume sume however that the great object and end in view is to hasten the day of peace I 1 respectfully suggest for your consideration the propriety of communicating any views that your government may have upon this subject through me rather than by handbills hand bills circulated among our soldiers tho the few men who may desert under the promise held out in the proclamation cannot be men of character and standing in if they desert their cause they de derade degrade L rade themselves in the eyes of god and of men they can do your causo cause no n 0 good nor can call they injure ours As a great nation you can accept none but an honorable peace as a noble people you could have us accept capt nothing less I 1 submit therefore whether that the mode that I 1 suggest would not be more likely to lead to an honorable end than such a circulation of a partial promise of freedom 1 I ant am sir sir very respectfully your Y our most obedient servant J Lox longstreet cSTREET gen commanding REPLY OF MAJOR GENERAL JOHN C FOSTER commanding department OF THE OHIO HEAD DEPT OF THE OHIO KNOXVILLE E T jan 7 64 1 gen commanding forces in east Tenne essec SIR I 1 have the lionor honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated january 3 1861 you are correct in the he supposition that the great object in in view in the circulation of the presidents proclamation is to induce those now low in rebellion against tile the government to lay aside their arms and ra re c turn tum to their allegiance as citizens of the united states thus securing the reunion reunion of states now arrayed in hostility against one another and restoration of peace the immediate effect of t the I 1 birc circulation may bo be to cause many to leave your ranks to return home or conic come within our lines and in ill view of this latter course it has been thought proper to issue an order announce announcing in g the favorable terms ou on which deserters will be received I 1 accept however your suggestion that it would have been more courteous to have sent these documents to yu you for circulation and I 1 embrace with pleasure the opportunity thus afforded to enclose to you twenty 20 00 co as copies es of each of these documents and rely upon your generosity and desire for peace to give publicity to the same among your officers and men I 1 have the lionor honor to be general very respectfully jon JOHN G FOSTER bajor gea commanding g |