.MTY4.NDYy

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[1]
Gen. Jos. Wheeler
Wheeler, Alabama,
            June 18th 1874.
General Jos. E. Johnston
    Dear General:
It was with much
pleasure that I received this morning your letter
of the 13th inst.
     I really cannot understand Oladowski’s state-
=ment except in the light of one of his peculiar
extravagances, of which he was always fond &
in which he used frequently to indulge.
As his complaints & sarcasms were intended to [double struck-through]
by him to tend towards the correction of the
some what wasteful characteristic of our volunteer
soldiers we rather encouraged than refuted his
extravagant expressions.
     If there was one thing which more particularly than
another marked your movement from Dalton to
Atlanta it was the fact that nothing whatever
except the Artillery abandoned at Resacca [correct spelling "Resaca"] was
left to fall into the hands of the enemy.
In this the Cavalry took a pride & in order to
leave a clean road to the enemy they picked up
every thing which by accident had been left by
the Infantry.
This we could do as we passed over the ground
during the day while the Infantry almost in=
=variably commenced their movements during the night.

[2]
I do not think a single gun was left on
any of the roads & did not hear of any being
left in any of the abandoned camps.
I will write to some of my officers + learn
if they recall as I do & will forward you
their replies.
I feel very certain my troops did not lose arms.
On the contrary we were constantly capturing them.
While in New Orleans I received a letter from you
requesting a detailed statement of the Cavalry operation
while you commanded the army, I sent you the
package by Express addressed to you as President
of the Selma Rome & Dalton R.R.
     Did you receive it?
Mrs Wheeler & myself would be delighted to have
a visit from you & Mrs Johnston.
     We live on the Rail Road near the Depot.
     I have not seen Gen Hood for a long time.
Not since I was in New Orleans at the time of
your visit to that city.
     I staid there until Jan 1869 but was obliged to
leave as the climate did not agree with me.
     I have recently received three letters from Gen Hood.
     One asking me the strength of the Cavalry during
May June & July 1864.
     Another their losses & a third asking my recollec=
=tion of the movement on the night of May 28th to attack
the enemy left.

[3]
To the first I replied giving figures from
my reports.
To the second I gave such figures as I found
among my papers, and to the 3d I gave my
recollection of circumstances.
If I can assist you with information at any
time it will give me great pleasure.
        With regards to yourself &
Mrs Johnston
                Your friend &c.
J. Wheeler.