Gen. Tochnan and the Polish Brigade.
--A correspondent of the New Orleans Delta, referring to the action of the Government in regard to the Polish Brigade, says: ‘"The original proposition of Gen. Techman was to organize a brigade of Polish and German citizens from the Northern States, but being prevented by the occupation of Alexandria, he proceeded southward and raised his brigade at New Orleans. There was some hesitancy in the Administration to recognize this as the brigade contemplated, and Tochman resigned; but his resignation has not been accepted, and what will be the upshot of the affair it is now difficult to say."’ Gen. Tochman corrects this statement through the columns of the Delta as follows:‘ A short statement of facts will be sufficient to correct the error into which your correspondent has inadvertently fallen. Feeling a cordial sympathy with the South in their struggle for national independence, and the maintenance of constitutional liberty, in May last I repaired to Montgomery, and tendered my services to the President in any capacity he might choose to employ them. The result was that the Secretary of war handed me a written authority to raise two regiments, of which the following is a copy:
’
"Confederate States of America
You are authorized to raise ten companies of persons of foreign birth, and to enlist for the war, with the privilege, on the part of the privates, to withdraw at the end of the three years. Or, should you find it practicable, you are authorized to raise twenty companies, which would be organized into a brigade. Such officer of the army as may be necessary will be detailed at such points within the Confederacy as you may indicate to enlist the men. Or, you are authorized to raise two regiments for the war, to be received with the officers, as far as may be acceptable to the Confederate Government.
You will perceive that in recruiting my brigade in Louisiana, I acted strictly within the terms of my authority. It is true that, after this authority had been granted to me, I proposed to send agents into the Northern States to Induce foreigners living there to join my standard — provided the Department would furnish the requisite funds for that purpose; but to that proposition I received no response, and then the matter was dropped. The Secretary of War was well aware, from the beginning, of all the steps I took towards the formation of my brigade in the State of Louisiana. Previous to my leaving Montgomery, at my request, he ordered Lieut. Phifer, C. S. Army, as recruiting officer, to muster two companies into the Brigade in the city of New Orleans, and although the War Department was kept constantly advised of all the subsequent steps I took, by my official reports, no objection was made to any of my proceedings.
In making this correction, I have designedly confined myself to the narrowest possible limits. On some future and more opportune occasion I shall probably desire to lay before the people of New Orleans the causes which have led to my withdrawal from the public service. Although circumstances have compelled me to forego the earnest desire I felt to fight in the ranks of Southern patriots, I cannot be deprived of the gratification of knowing that I have been instrumental in putting into the service two fine regiments, whose actions in the field will, I am sure, reflect honor on the gallant State from which they come.
G. Tochman.
