The weekly telegraph. (Macon, Ga.) 1885-1899, May 10, 1887, Image 1

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Newspaper Page TextlIsfAljLISHED Ib2ti. VIS’REPLY TO WOLSELEY fvgush UENERL’S akticle on YeB SHARPLY REVIEWED. (Ut Gratefully Accepted, but Ills ILristra end Superiors Defended froroV Just Criticism -A Ve*jr Able Document. Mav 7.—To-day’s Courier- ^Triata a reply i'om ei-Preeident •paria to the recent article by Gen- \y c l8eiey on General Lee, publish- ' re cent number of MacMillan's ne The reply is as follows: lie Editor of the Courier Journal: atwptmy ‘haoks for your paper loins s recently published article by r or d Wolseley on Gen. B. E. Lee. „ sonlii reasonably suppose that an Cut soldier, when writing of another dd.wide tame, and of military affaire, to no small extent, have become , 8 l i *onl.l confine himself to ascer- facts, instead of adopting the style isstional novelist and manufacturing niss »ith the freedom of a romancer ,.ot is the oharaoter of Gen. Wolse- Irticle I propose in a brief review to |o( the South gratefully aocept the eu- lihich ccnld not exceed the esteem Ite and honor in which we hold the Lj of L«; but we, who knew him |( M 1 that he needs no pedestal cou- doi the wrecks of his associates’ rep- l The true recital of his deeds is itnl>ey. and that which alone ac- lillbis moral worth, lathes had full confidence in the constancy of his troops, and they iilj confided lu him, and though his |at attacks on the enemy, notwith- jog the disparity cf numbers and the ity of his arms and equipments, _s daring and oombative femp.r, we llebttd to Gen. Wolsoley for the^state- Jthst when, in 1862, be visited Lee "at lad of ptoad and .victorious troops he 1 it the notion of defeat by any army [mil be sent against him.” It may L sell to recall remembrance to tbo Lit when Lee reported a victory bo h ucribed it to tbo'Caror of Provi- [not to the invincibility of big army, lutide under review Gen. WoUeley lied himself not only as a military ■but also os a political historian; thus ■its in his first paragraph as follows: | •older*, well vented ae all Americans ere liilory of their forefathers' struggle against s>us be third, and believing flriaty la the I their cause. sew the seme virtue la one tut ws* to he tound lu Uie other. This lit upon which, durlcg my stay in Vlr- '"‘l 1 round every HruUieruor letd the a*. e who thus spoke to him must havo d Uteir language to the hearer, for by ren the resolutions of 179S-’‘J9 more il) kttowo and accepted as a cardinal bin by Virginians. It was the assor- t continuance iu the Stats of aover- land independenoe which had been pj'he war of the rebellion against "l Subjeots may rebel, but in lia was a sovereign State, and it is to apeak of the rebellion of a In a subsequent portion of tbo tide Gen. Wolaeely shows that he ntd from Geo. Lee the Southern Shut there is on error in introduo- Lc ire old to qualify State. Gen. ftdnly knew, as did every edneated Ian, that the States were all equal as |U and obligations. ;itiug G n. Lee's ropugnanoe to . Gen. Woiaeley write*: nn with all Southerners ho llrmlj be- a *arh of the old mate* had au equal aud •htwlrighk by iu ludlrldual couatltuUon, • aunt union, to laava at will the gieat uaehltheach had aaparatoly amend u a PS** This was with him an article ol •rich he waa as sun ss ot any Divine aicuca lu the Bible, lhlt tact nut al- ■ leptla mind by tliOaa who would rightly “as hu character, or Uta tours* b« pursue-t •* Sued the Vulon for which bla tether 7 ui the previous century had {ought so acts so much. Hut ba loved bla own Sba waa aba aovanlgu to whom ' ‘J?" ?* ow *d alleglahce. aud whoaa or J«u*4 through her legally coaetttutad at be was, bs felt bound in law, to hou- bva to obey without doubt or hesitation. J »*s the mslnipnns that kepi tboHoulb- ’•recy nltig. as It was also tbs corner- acooihration. l.^Moed what was the corner- the Confederacy, t very little re- uughth.ve shown him that the hot hw narration as herein given h> conformity to it, and that tbe seen the States was especially dif- ik®.? uprising of the Colonies thru.British IOV. reign, teinlormstion ol bis readers Gen- i. i C , omma “lcat*d the feet that » thhi the seven cotton States C" their withdrawal from » and their establishment of an in- fepnblio, under the title of • fhe States of America.’ Thu .‘Udependence was in reality a ,f.V r ••one enoid ever sgsin «e State, together ” And a.aift ...W 1MI, at Port Hu inter, *h harbor, the first’shot waa fired 7 »*» only ended iu April j.* *!**»", that Virginia, io April, “7 *ithdrew from tbe Union, io i. If® 'bereopott resigned his ®i» the United We, army with Ij^^b'ihg to private life, and wife 1 ? »'?“">•«» him major gen* ~| - of hsr military eonrenUon bs foe- RssJ'SggjSi'aiasa o A f , ^ h f Rlo U w“ d c,* t °r.r- r0, ‘ C< L«aum'^'^“d of chronology and Xj***«ot he announees: 1 ‘ 1 ' ,, uah1>r“* l£,, * to4 » hug and bloody KumehS m Ul * hombottlo oratory if '« >he psoplsw*rw be s^kf* Jh®*? hurtasra would bo Ls io for only - *sr. ploadcil la tbo tana of the H-lTt rtTff' f 0 add to his military *» «rara??;_ T “ u *•• » rotstwhich, ■Moisd? “hetltution of hu army. ,Confederacy was h .a rtdsed and a ' b * fo,# Virginia «h. Omw Jllf e “'® do * n ‘»®‘ lhr*oI?A , ’.?° “** hi « R rt at Hghnid the term for which ■nu M «’,?? •h’f* WM no law for l «.ny da,!^ t - OB, *derato army of *» <,( |h» 7 *' l *G»e months, er tbe ' ivlc, «* r \ b * lr K the sborust cf the ^c™# 1 ^® pruvUionui Iter. _* ‘' Q0 'ederate Mateg, '-re homeUmt* acctpUtl MACON. GEORGIA, TUESDAY, MAY 10, 1887.--TWELVE PAGES. VOL. LXII. x>0 (i. H^'nripr er ni^in7 0 iv, t l. m ?i? r ? r ^ 8ervioe an< 3 a the nentenev. At Richmond the C vnfed-i HooWh army w»s in supporting distance law It Mr .;. n h i at 1 ®'» tlll ® a b J tho i h » a principal fonndry 'for the ' of llurn.ide on th- norm, ana as Lee’s the - mien™ if .if W . CU ln pasetng toovrrect ousting of heavy guns and the manufacture army was e inirontieg both to provtnt their BDDlied to?h. f «^° ^ ‘^oJuUon,” as of railroad supplies; then there, too. was adv.Ii ’ ' * Tbev had h fnnt^» ^ ® 3nl hero States, its principal armory, near y a'l of its tua ’ havinoenntr^^ ? ? ^ bll 'hod governments, chinery for the repair of small arms and lifoaml PMsoi frai »? att0r ai°. f p J jpetty ' lho preparation of ammunition for both and .nS ‘a Cr ? ° t0 th ,"* r “ v '- «‘>llery and infantry. There were, there- mained nnd^i.trJ a0 a e8 .o f . projedute re * fow - ▼»»7important material conalderations from the TT d nMn b mM by ‘ra r w ‘ tbdr ? wsl iavolved in m .interning its poas. s.i m. It t.,«l.i,k j 1118 oon I d not bave b ‘"n is utterly untrue that I urged Leo to pro. was th 1 had “sonrred for which wgr long the defense of tbe cappal , , ... "“ ,w “ it'ui; uio ueuiuau ui u was tne only remedy, and this he m^ht have wish and jadoment. learned from the efforts of tbo "Peace Cm- retreatirg order, no: grefi?*, as well ob from tho published pro- 1 lower Virginia, ai d . ■ ig-ii 1st his He* was not of tho W-— , nor willing to abandon .. — .— pnhliahed pro-I lower Virginia sud railroad connectons f ootnm-.ssion sent by the Con- with the further Sm»h; bat when conviuo- iJf° ra *u 8 .Ti e « r ° m ? D s^ 0 States ed that the maintenance of his position was oerore hoetiliti# B had commenced. a mere qneitiou of time, aud prosnmal ly a lne assertion that Leo most deplored tho short one, the only point to bo disent'sed election of officers by the men they were to wa*, when and by what route it i-honld be oominand must exclto sm— 1 1 * * * — who know Loo beat, and „„„ 4WttUB nuu wa# 104k w which onr army was raised. The citizens of his selection, which we hoped ho would tho several States volunteered to defend thfir have fall power io make, despite the in* homes and inherited rights. Under the o.easing pressnro of the aiego Tuo end raws of the Confenyruto government they I came sooner than either ot ns expected, aod were to be received into tho gsnoral service in a manner which prevented the execution by companies, battalions, or regiments as I of tho movement on which we hsd after organized under State authority, and to ba full consultation, agreed, formed by lho Gonftderato authorities into Tbe politicl consideration attaching to brigades, divisions and corps d’urnrie as oc- tho dotenso of thecapbal s«<med t> bo fully oaston required, tho general officers to be appreciated by Gen. Wolseley when be waa appointed by tho Confederate govern- I censuring the Confederacy for having lost, ment. It is to be borne in mind | as he supposed, an opportunity to capture that the troops were drawn from the the capital of tbo United States; Out bo aursuita of civil life. Who so caps- finds it quite reprehenaible for th, Confod- >le to judge of fitness to command orate government to oppose the continued a company, a battalion or a regiment as the efforts of its enemy to capture Richmond, men composing it? Tho higher officers That was the objeo.ive point of tbe vast might be wisely selsoUd from men of es- armies launched from the North, but the tablished military reputation, or from those oonquest of Virginia wsh the first step to- who in service should manifest extraordi- warns the capture of Riohmnnd. an 1 Loo’s nary ability, and tho appointments of the brilliant campaigns between tho Potomao S encrals to command tho troops tarnished and James rivers were for much more than y the btttes was conceded to tho Conted- the mere defen§» of a citf. When, by his orate government If the power to appoint I greot strategy m ivements acro-s the Po* the officers had been conterred upon tho tomao, he drew tbe enemy out of Virginia general commanding sn army, we might and broke up tho plans cf caupaignfor 1STO had a system preferable to Gen. Wolso- whioh it ha re quired muoh time and ley but wo should not havo had the treasure to pr rhf, there were higher hopes armies whose glory will grow brighter as and grander tup. ses than even the de- their history becomes better known. fence of onr c npital, «ith ail tbe political To one possessing less than Gen. Lsh’b [ consequences w .. ere involved in its foresight and knowledge of the Northern capture. people, "a long and bloody struggle” must I The advantage of drawing tho enemy into hove c ecn anticipated before they would the interior can hardly bo claimed by Gen. consent to lot tho South go, but of those Wolseley as an iaveuuoo; he may find it who, relyiDg on the constitutional right of stated in a proclamation leaned at Danville, a State to withdraw from a league it had Vo., after tno ovaoualion of Richmond, but voluntarily entered when it oeased to an-1 merely as a compensating oiroamstauoo, swer tbe end for wbioh it was established, the value of whioh it was supposed woul milder terms woold seem more justly to be realized by every one. describe their expectation of a spsedy set- A Field Marsh .1 of Prossia is said to have tlomont than such aa "bombastic oratory of I remarked, upon Being London, that It was self-elected politician and patriots.” a very tine place for "loot” If a hostile No more than justice is done to Gen Lee force should e ver threaten tbe oepital of in derforiblng him when commander in-1 Euglund, by all tbe tender memories which chief in tbe army of Virginia, and subse- bid mo to it, I hope the then commander of quently, in the early part of his service, the British foror-s will not avoid tbo "great when a gt nerel of the Confederacy, as I stra’egio error” of defending it to a finality, working assiduously and wisely to give effi- by retreating before it should be necessary, oienoy and cohesion to our improvised ar-1 and leaving the capital to tbo mercy of the mies. Bis sterling mrrit was unscathed invader. and his equanimity undisturbed by the fears Then, with the conceit which tbe wise and jibes of ignorance or malice, and his King of the Jews describes ns tbe most fame was too solid to require snob fictiou ss hopeless of mental conditions, Lord Wolso- the following to strengthen it: ley censoriously criticises ths conduct of The formation of an srar with the mean, alone b ° tb parU ” to ‘ h# w " h® 1 /, 8 ”," ,h ® at bis disposal «u % colossal task. Ever) thing bad aud opt cmlly tbs Aunmea failures of Geo ti be creeted bj this mreordlnary m»n. • * In Led to reap the fruits of victory, as folio *s about two mouths be bed created a little army of I fl.’ty thousand men, animated by a lofty patriotism Whst most strikes the regular soldier Id these ana couss/e that made them unconquerable by a I c.moslaue of Gea. Lee la tbe In.Ill lent manner lu atmUarly commuted army. In another month, which both fctaod bit o .pouentswersone,.served tbls army at Ball’s lion gained a complete eictory I hr tb.le suoordln.f c imm.ud.rs, aud how badly over the SioKhern inrad ore, who were driven back the eta* end outpost wort geoerUlr was per formed ecrose the Potomao like herds of frightened thesp.” 1 on both etdes. • • • over and over *g*tu ««. Gen. Wolseley bs. previously shown .hat be kDew Confederate troops bad boon as-1 wb»D. from w«nt of a thoroughly good »uff t-> semblod at CbarleHtoo, aud bsd reduced orgar Us uoraoir, tba occasion waa lost, and t’.o tho IT niti-d Htates fort at that ulace He *»°wad to esespa. Lm'i combinations to 1 , we w , e j, v Ji P - a a*: * I s«curs victory war* tba conceptions ot a truly great might bsvo learned, if he did not, that I B t t Atselst, and, when tbsy bad beso effected, his Coufederate batteries had preveuted the I tactics wsra almost always srsrythiog that could be enemy’s vessel from entering the harbor at dnired up to tho m« msnt or fictory. but there hu fMtorinAnn nn ,i *[...* w hi»n Vipoir.in wm> I actionssoomod o stopabraptlir. Woisvsrao army CharlcHtOD, BDd that, When Virginia vrns I jjopolossly at the morcy ot another a* that of klc< first threatened, Gen. iionh&m • fully*or-1 cuiun wheu ho beKau ht« rt-treat to lUrnson’s L’liuized brigade had been sent from 8-mlh Undlng aff* tho sov «n day’o flgbdng around Carolms to aid in tliedc-fenso of Virginia, bicbmood? What e mmaudo couldloub to havo lavT s VraVa,.* iraraYura snC \tAws.Vmr- svl 1 hU foo »n a "tlKhur pUo*" than Burtuld* w.siokfter and that in tue first bftltlo ol Munaisas, or | hu dUMirou* aitack upon Loo at F»odorick*burg? as bo aud the Noitberu people generally I Yet tn bctU iaaiau«)ro lho Nortuore c«iiuiu*ttii«>r gui cull it, Bull lluu, thero were troops whico aWy sua other simllsr lssunces cuuld bs hail been brought np ftom mo8t of the msotionsd. ConMerato States, This, therefore, wua I To this general allegation it may suffice to not an army “oreated" in two months, by I reply that Lee rarely found fault with his tho commander in Virginia. For a muoh I aubordi .ates, and, I belluve, was never sur- longer period, and before Virginia had I pri-ed, and very rarely Idled to anticipate jot .ed the Confederacy, troops had been in I the movements and purpose ot hisoppon- tbe processs of formation in the various e nt- Tbe duties of reconnoiasai.ee and Htatea of the Confederacy. I ontposn., it must therefore be eouoluded. Then follow bis remarks on the viotory wertJ fairly well performed. Gen. Wolseley, at Uanassav„wbich bo calls Bail's ltun: I having learned from wh*t be considered The Confedorstes did not follow np their eta-1 sufficiently good authority, both Federal tory at Bull’s Bun, A rapid and dutnt sdeanos I 4n j Confederate, the force, on various oe- I onions, deduced tho result that the usual mood wsroellowtd to outweigh tbo vo*y ovldont I num«rical diopsrity in bottle was "from minis y expediency of rsvpU), e solid edvsutws I about twi.-e to three timea mure Federate from their Brit «raet success. Ofieu afterward, I tbtn t fe eln were C infederatea eugsged.” 3«h w^n'.TSrsS1^2.1 tbt “ cireomstence. a "rentfi t . d, was the action of th.trpoUUcal ruler, lamented [ soldier might hove been expected to find a union if b7tbs Confederate commsiders. I r reoaun that defeeU of the ataff for When the baaeiees story that tbo Presi- allowing tbe larger force to escape. A vie- dent had prevented tbe pursuit of the enemy tory could only have beon woo by an army was first ventilated, Gen. J. E. Johnston, I one-hslf or one-third as large av its oppon- the senior officer on that field, November I ent bringing ite whole force into action, end 10,1861, by letter, replied to aqatry, that leaving nn fresh troop< in reserve; its men tbe reasons for not advancing w ere: "The worn out by farigue and its rank* ebettered apparent freshness of tbe Uuiud States | by tbe casual fee of battle, pnranit coni 1 troops at Centreviile, which checked our pot be practicable in the case of an enemy pgrauii; the strong forces occupying the I routed aud flying in a state ot disorganize works war Georgetown and AltxandrU; tion. tba certainty too, that General Patterson, aneh wav not the condition ri either of if needed would reaoh Washington, with the srm'ee s*leeied for illustration—that of his army of more than 30,6011, sooner than McCl-U n orBu nside. Neither bad been we oonld, and the condition and inadequate runted, both had retired sud taken sir mg means of the anu, in ammuLition, p-uvia- po-itiuns advantageously covered b, Mill ions and transportation, prevented tn te- l -ry, aud the f irmer supported b, gunboats Anna thonahU of advanotng agaiuea the I iu tbe Jamas river. SXr ^ General Bsmaregsrd. t ie Keond To th ;r famtlisr with tbe acts, tba in command, has folly stated, aa the ob blame cf L e tor allowing Burnside to es- stechsto pursuit, a want of supplies and espe from the "right ptaoein which be traosDorUtion. Neither of them has was after the bat* 1. of Frsderioksbnrg oan stated that which either of them might, only pmv« k<. a smir-; but for auoU sa may that in the night tfar the battle, I I tike Gen. W iU»l.y sa authori'y, whioh he it..mired wbst if any orders had been I colls a "tight plane will be dmc ibed. given for pursuit, and after learning none The town cfFrwJsrck burg Ison the had been giv.-n, and slier some forther io- winth side of tbo Rappahsnn. ck river, a M order for Gen Bonham wide plain ex’ends behind tbe to. n to a Iiuires! dictated an order for Oen Bonham I wide pldn IU move forward with bis brigade at first commanding ridge. Oo this ridg* Lee’s advancing soalbward, ho could not wisely have placed o> a wiog of his army beyond snppurtiog distance of tbe other, or en gaged in an enterprise eveu if feasible, which would oon- qurnt’.y txposo the coun try he waa defendit-g Lee was ..lwaya dining, but never reck- ees of the liv. a of bis men, and be fought, not tor telf-pl irlfication, but for the safety of his ooun ry and tbe euc-is. of its ctuse. A charge against him for nskiog tno muoh could be better eu.taiued than for over- motion and tlio neg'eot of opportunities. He seldom had au occasion where the odds were not sgainst him, and I recollect once being prevent t a omf* rs ee when a well- educated end bright suldi-r lug in to oslou- 1 .t,* the cbvno.» of a proposed movement, with pete.l in hand, bnt L~e, smliiDg, told him to put his pencil np, for "if we go to ciphering wo sh-11 be whipped be forehand ” I bud sl'Dost forgotten that the supposed failure to pursue and prevent the escape of heenoniv wga attributed to the want of a "thoroughly good staff,” but how the staff, without fresh troops, would pursue and prevent the oso.pe of a retreating enemy, baa not been explained. "Indent! di«cant.” Pci hups the process iv like that of tho Irishman who bioughtin four prisoners and accounted for the capture by sayiog he •surrounil-d them.” Iu th» same vein of disparagement of tho effloers of Lee's army, and in apparent ig norance of tbe fact that we bad other armies, that forces were embodied iu the several 8:»tes to be sent to tho different parts of the Confederacy, and that we had a general staff, with some officers of rare ability snd large experience, at tbe bead ot department* cf organization, as well as of snpply, General Wolseley writes: Those who know bow difflcuU it Is to supply cur own tullltia anil volunteer rurce. with efficient offl- cere can appro Ute wbst rtlfflcnliisa Osi-sral Lee had to uverromsln the foimslien of the army he so often led to victor . Be had about him able av als tints, who, like himself, bsd fe e v d an excel lent military , dueallon at West P lnr. To toe tu- cxperlt-nced soldier U te t-o n,alter of eurp.l e, hut to tbs general reader It will be or luler-e. t» know that on either eld. In thl. war almost ev.ir seoera' whoe. name will be remen h-red L> tbr future hail been educated at that military e.'h cl, •>.. bed 1-een usiuel lutbs old regular arm) ol Ut Bulled 8ta.ee, That. 1 mentary edneation in tbe soianoe ot war is a great advantage ton y neral is a proposition not to be denied, but native endowment is, I think, a more e.-non'i il re quisite, sud iu bis army, aa well a. in oth ers, we bad Generals not taught at “West Point,” or "trained in the old regular army of the United B’-atea'' whose nvmea sh til be reuiemt>ered aa long as tho tr idit-ons of onr war shall lost, or ite biitory be read. It is surprising tint one should have visited Lee's headquarters and id free conversa tion not have heard ul Gordon and it imp- ton and Breckinridge and Rh dev and Celt and raylnr aud U jpeaud Asbby aud Berks- dale, and many others who o.ine from civil lifr, and by di.'ioguished service won tbe oommi-sion of General. Obould the army of the Southwest and that of tbe tranv- Uiuixsippi be included, tbe list would be Very large. Toe most inattentive listener, or careless reader of tho annals of our war, might bo auppos d to have learned of the exlraordi nary effotlu in Misaouii and Kentucky to preserve their autonomy. Sin.ll Price and Bowen and Little, and Johnson and Mor. gau aud Hanson be forgotten? Shall not the deed, or Forrest aod MoUulloagb be rememberer? While thero shall bs renu ions of 0>'ofrderate solr-Urs these anil other train as wli be pivotal p'.iuls around wbicb the camp fire remiaracmcea will gather, and in the more distant futnre bs house hold words in the traditions of the put. General L -e, as known those who bad been his friulids from youth to age, wav not 1 quacioas or prone to volunteer bis opin ions upon general subjects, aud thus it ap- p era than Gen Wolseley mu.I have been id the part of mind reader, rather than lis tener, to some of bis citations. There is one instance which it seems well to notioe Lee is reported to have "declared that bad he owned every slave io the South, he would willingly give them all up if by so doughs could preserve tho Union.” By cbvngiog the last word from‘ Union” into 'Confederacy,” the sentenoe will correa pond with what G m. Lee said to others, and stated when before a committee of tbe S.-nate, to whom w nr forced a recommend- attain for tbe enrolim. nt of staves in tbe Confederate army, with the prospective emsnoiprtion < f those who should be hon orably discharged; or by a change of date from tbe "Autumn of 1862” to the begin ning of 1861, the deeloraiicQ w.-uld be sup- posable. But, after Virginia, biiaoverefg- Bad withdrawn from the Union, after she had been invaded for the parpote of o rero- ing her to abandon bar oum' national right; after, Jaa a Confederate general, be had fought battles to rep.1 this invasion, and bad witnessed the ruthless dealruction of tbe lives and homes of hiv people; it woul have been nnwortby to rff r sacrifice to se cure the failure of the cm-e for which bn bad drawn M« awurd. aud I lieu bores corn minion. Gen. Woiaeley, in his article, c-immils various b ographica! and blatorioai errora witch are not conat lered impotent and therefore are not noticed in tbismview. His nomenclature, aa well os bia detrac tioo from “Mr Davis,” indie ite the North era source of bis information, for it is not st all pr bible tbit be learned It either by eooversatlun with Lee, or assoaiari-n with the uffieeh) at hiv headqu.riers. With »v- snniption to know nut uoly the acts but motives of men, some of but brief ae- qn.intanoe, and others only heard of, be deci les not only ths oharaoter of the war between tbe States, but what should have been tba political c lurse of tbs Southern people. llsvmg turned loose bis imvginvti >n L freo tr im the restraint of historic ti f mu, he sweeps the whole field in the following paragraph: LU. all men. L-. bsd bit fault.; lUu all the policy ot the South was »U throughout tho war die- Ut«M by Mr. D*vU, a« Pro^i-lvut of tbo Confedejato HUte«. Leo had no pow«r to r*w,*rd soldiers or promote offle«rs. It wm Mr. Davis whoselocted to com mind dlTlstons and armies. dawn’of d!7“‘Gea.’ Esrly^whom 11. ft with [ force waa advanugevosly posted. On the on «h. extreme left, when th. north side ut the ri.er, ju d n-.r to... te a tedtlahad closed has reported that be waa bold rargv known ae tbe Ruff >rd heights, inatrue^td byme’to remlm in that podtiin Hen Burnside bad sraemhled bte formida- M brat sniUd for pursuit, and that he trie array. wb,U further np the tint was paMcd the night there expecting orders iu | Honker wi-h another arraju BurovUeafter the moruin'- \« these facts have all been i s*riona opposition, crossed lire river end , 0 s crisis la ibv ■» i.,trut 4 with tb. Ciraettoe £WStt3 ar.“.".7ajs'ss«-,r“ hcThoMd^M* preferred to revamp teen of “xr^ ol »>w alas tba fee las* ul ultra's. UU upon oe- e si n*b» left iumi iv uMfttoeaor rasp..aslbiittr Sa ahlcb Ibtlr alfiliUss «,r* nut *qutl. Ttbvlltsw ut taut usIiM-si thatq-iilltx nsjr b-. aewaats — — ‘ * - a with lb# Clr-ctloa i uraal. Lra'se.vo- tot ouetteuc »e.ta i sabsersteht t - thoa. tor reseat cf t:s ecustay. ftlllee mads bis sat—- kauwa Ilex te bs se lf it be a psychological rufirction, the nn- noaooemeat that no ui-in ia perfect is moro grave than novel; or, if it be regarded in a military sense, still it is not quite now, aa M trshal Saxe in the long, long ago is re ported to have t-niri that tbo general who h id made no mistake must havo mads fow otmpaigna. Iu wbst, it is asked, consisted tlio criml- noii'y imputed to Lee? If he was ia no wuy responsible for the selection and pro motion of the general officers, aud bad no power to seenrs the removal of incompe tent officers, what was bli crims? Did any omo ever occur where hi* recommendation for promotion whs disregarded, or bte re quest for the removal of a aubordinate waa refused? If none, and I believe there was none, then the oomplaint is csnvelesa and never oonld have bad ite origin is VOfdt epoken by Leo. The ideA that ours waa a .“overt revnln. tiontry war” must be attributed to the want of politioul infurmalior, mure excusa ble io a foreigner than in a native, and the conclusion that ws should have had a "mil itary dictator” teertn won*than the pte- mtso. Tlio moat onrnory observation might have taught an intelligent visitor that the States had old, well-ovtablished forms of government, nnd that tbe Southern p-oplo bad confederated to defend their communi ty independence and i hcrited rights of person snd property, Cuuld anything, to the average English n-iod, be moro absurd than the supposition that men i e- irnd with ths determination to stake their all in defense ot buck rights, would bsv9 erm- meno«d the struggle by throwing away their frosty law-shield and submitting en tirely to the will of a diotatoi?—would fly to dcspolLm au a refugo from possible con quest? If a propoeition may be oomridt red, after deciding it to be abvurd, [ will say in addi- ii m tbst no man among us who could hato been thought worthy ot such a trust, by ary largo number of our people, could havo buen so recreant to principle as to accept •.be tff-r to r. iga supreme over the pros trate liberty of his o mntrjmcn. The hypothetical i'lnitratlon of Gen. Wacbingtoa with it Mr Davis over him, together with the matter whioh immediately pteocd‘8 and follows, divtiuotly prooenta to the reader as facta tint the war between the States was a revolutionary war, quite liko that of tbe O-rinnh-s ugiiust Great Britain; that Gen. Washington had dictatorial rower, and that his army was tree from 'toy control by civil authorities; ouch rositlon is untrue, and tbo representation nexcuHqbio in ono appearing aa a writer on Confederate affair*. At a period of greatest dtpreiwion the C ingress ot the Confedera tion did invest General Washington with extraordinary powers; they were not, how ever, plenary, bnt distinctly enumerated, given only for e brief period. If Gen. Wolseley, by tbs latter part of tbe paragraph quoted above, means to statr that “a month or two only b.-foro tbo col- lapV Gen, Leo wua given oomuiaod over ail our armies, dictation of tbo mtlitary polioy of the Confederacy, tbe reward of soldiers and lho promotion of officer-, I am ooe ot tbe many to whom it wonld be news if it were a fuel. The general super vision aud direction ot oil our atmtea waa assigned to Gen. Lea by President Davis in the first year of tbo war. Hit offioe was io Richmmd, and he oontiautxl, under execu tive authority, long and tuufuhy to dia- •hem that doty. After tbe battle of Soven Pines Gen, Leo w.x ordi rad to the field and to the imme diate oommand of tbe Army of Virginia, then confronting the enemy on the Chicks- hominy. The successes of our arms ia tbe seven dnva' battles, fu filled my expecta tions of Leo, and secured for him tbe con fidence ot the people and tbe devoted love and admlrati-in ot bis army. Tbe habitual thoroughness with which Gen. Lea ditcbsrged every duty, and bi* exaot ksowledge of tbe fune’iona of every n-.in in hi- iirn-y, win lli-r -.1 th.. lini- i.r tin- staff, led him to give minuto attention to every detail. For example, be found tho teamsters were feeding their horses on the ground, and ho ordered boxes to be famish- ed in which the borst e should be fol. To such e commander the administration of the affairs o. an army are mvea-srily nb. aorblog. After a time Gen. Lee requ> nted that hn should either be relieved from tho linmeditte command of the army of Vtr gmia or of tbe gen'ral direction of onr urmifs. I was relueUnt to do et her, bnt yitidM to his reiterated nqneet by relieving him from the general direction of our nr- mbs. The public interest forbsde its substitu tion by another as commander of the army of Virginia. Then this same Mr. Davis, who, aooording to Gen. Wolseley, took upon himself the management of all military af fairs, called the tried and able aoldler Gen, Bragg to bte aid, and a-signed to him tho same general supervision whioh Gun. Lee had exercised before be took the field. In the teit-r pert uf • he wur a committee of the Legislators of Virginia presented to me an application to hive Gen. Lee ai- Htgmd to the general control of onr armies, to wbioh I replie 1 th it the only obstacle tu e implienoe with the request was Gan. Lee's uoslllii gnesa to undertake the task, snd recited the facts of his previous euignusnt to tbit duty snd why be had been relieved from iL Near the close of th* war, when many, as te uiosl in time of disaster, were bant- ibg forspeenlatise expedients, Ure Confed erate Congress initiated a measure which substantially gave to General Lee the pow ers and duties awigned* to him by the ex ecutive 1861. That »ra a general com rnund under tho au'.htrily of tbe President of the Conted crate States, tbe constitutiontl com mender-in-chief of tbe army. It was not in .he power of Congress, exoept by im peachment, to .bridge or tasumo tbe au thority with wbicb tbe President w vs in. vtsted by the eonititntioa. The official and and personal relations between General Lee end myself remsried unchanged; be oon- salted- me es bsfure, and the friendship which began when we were cultta was only made closer end firmer by our com mon hopes, anxieties and trials la defense of a earns to which both had ph.-rig .-1 per- eon end property and whatevur ambition polio? was embarrassed by this same Mr. D tvis. Where Gon. Wolseley got the ma terial for his structure i* unimportant. It matters not whether it was tbtained where be learned hU nomenclature or -> as evolved trom his internal oonsciousntsa; as it is not in tho senso and for the pnrtxt-e for which it is presented. Though the law ol our or ganization required the President to nom inate and "by and with the advicn and con sent of the Senate” to appoint officers, the nominations wero made usually on the offiri&l reports and the recommendation ot the general commanding the army in which tho officer woe to serve. In Gen Lee's army, I nm quito snro, no promotions woro mado without his special ramm- iin-nriati-in, ami no Hulumlin-iit- retained in hi* army whom ho reported to bo iuosp.hle. For tho foregoing reasons Gen. Wolseley oonld not havo got his ideas from Gen. Lee; bat all donbt, if any existed, must give way b> fore tho o nolusivo forco of Geo. Loo's testimony before the grand jury in Rich- . mood. Soon after tho close of tho war, a grand jury found bills of inuiotment uRiiinit Gen. Leo suit myself. Gen. Grant, with manly integrity and soldiorly pride, insisted that ho had accepted the pernio of G-n. Loo, nnd could not const lit to his mutt aod trial in violation of tho plarivo on w hioh tho psrolo was given. The United Htatei* government euspendtd tho prosecution of Loo, bat in order to iatprovo the indiotiuent against me, impaneled nnother grand jury, aud summoned Gea Lee as witness, by whom to establish overt acts done by me, which might sustain tho indictment for treason against the United Blates. If it was expected that Lee would seek safety by transferring to mo any responsi bility which wos his own, tho expectation belonged to a lower standard of honesty snd chivalry than tbs', by which Gen. Lee wa* governed. To the inquiries whether ho was not acting under my Instructions, enumerating several of his movements and battles, ho answered tbst ho bad always cousulted me when it was practicable lo do so, and that we bad always finally reached thu roue conclusion on nuy question we discussed. That bis aclions had therefore been in conformity to bis judgment nnd he oonld not say that he would havo acted dif ferently if there had been no conference with mo, and must therefore himself hear the responsibility attaching to his acts. Snbs’nnUallj thus spoko Lee when a less able man might have availed of tbo oppor tunity to avoid daDgcr by transferring the responsibility to odo on whom it would cer tainly gladly be placed. He mat mo imme diately after IcaviDg tho jury room, nnd ro- rortod what had occurred thero. Enough las beon given above to show that hn never felt embarrassed in bis military nffalniby my interference, or aggriuved by lho with holding from him of any power which be longed to him an a general, commanding one (.I ninny u-ri:i““. In tho comparison Instituted between tho sis of Centrals Washington end Lee, end til - hypirilii-i* of a Mr. Div-.h, the lir-t im pression rondo wax how very puerile, and then, unable to realize how a British officer of high grade could bo bo ignorant of the many important differenctsiiitheciu-c*. the queatiun occurred, why he should bp ho per verted and apitefnl against ono who does not remember over to have see him, > r to have felt any intetest in him, except when report created tho unrealiz'd hope that he would save Gjner J Charles O-rilon from impeniiingsacriflce. Jkfpkuson Davis, Beauvoir, Mi-s, May 6, 1887. AR.MY OFFICERS EXECUTED. • Colunel Avtsu nuil Ills Companions shot by Order of aCourt-klartlsl, Chicago, M«y 0.—A ipociul from Gnay- mas, Mexico, st)e: At NUnriso yesterday tho judgment of the court-martial in tho ense of Colonel Avion, Lieutenant Gniterez and Louis Reucon was executed, Tbo trio faced death bravely, all rofn-eng at first to have their eyts bandaged, but finally, on tbo appeal of Colonel Yardsti, tbo men al lowed themselves to be blindfolded. A vol ley was then fired on tbo condemned men, and tho examining surgeon a lew mlnutoe inter prononnoed all throe dead. These were the persona who created trouble on the American aide ot tho liu- some weeks ago. They brought a iquad uf aoldiera to tho American aide and httempied to release a man from local officers wbo was not un der arrest, bnt whom tho officers were tak ing chargo of to keep im out of trouble. The three c mdemned men were held iujail at Nr gal fur iomo time, hat a sufficient number of army officers could r.ot reach there to try the cats The meu w. re bronght hero end a aafficieut Dumber secured and the trial beguo, resulitug a* it s'el Culmel Avisu lntd been a prominent roan iu Mexi can military und political circles, bnt much ioclinrd to dissipation. Ho was a tine look ing men, tail snd erect, with a graceful fig ure and handsome fee ■. A lturclsr*s Terrible Mistake. Chioaoo, May A —Jack Barks snd Pari-ly Carroll, tbe pngiii-te, who ham been giv ing slurring exhibitions In Ml.-hiusn, re turned hntne Sunday night. While they were at the dinner table, a*. Burke’s k use Monday afternoon, they beard e noise in the Isuement Btrko went I'.o-vn »• >irs j ust in lime to eei ch a negro w bn I;... I f. i rued the rear door. Tbe tnliuder sbnwi d fight, t-ut only fra minute. The next found bun ti it on bte back from tho etti ct uf uue uf J-ck's blows under the jaw. In vigorous fashion the pngrlut then sent at th-- bur glar, and whin ha got through C. i-oil entered the rtug and slug {ed tbo r; gro about the cellar until it aouml -ri on though somebody was felling down st ire. After a few minotes of rare sport the prowler was permitted to make hi* escape, The Washington Monument. WasunroTos, May 7.-Tho \t ►• in. ton monument commission tkte dtaMMUl- a meeting to disc css the advisability of cas ing tbo monument to the public slier thu first et Jure, on account of sieliaiaf adf of vandalism which are perpetrated by vis itors. Tho marble i< chipped in m.ioy places and the bronz> letter* on ibe tytias tablet have many of them b>cn f rce.ri off and oanlcd away aa mmaaloi .The silver ointment of the Nevada sh nebs* slur lien mutilated, and the commission mined to put a atop to tl--- iii-gr acta, even if te do so It n nec visitors entrance to tbe aha tul ...wry to ileuy The hull’s Wisjr. New Task Sea. 1 lie only ri.1.1 w*y to ri >.po*e of tbe sur- plui untilCoogri►* i- - ...i the qniv-ttou is to pay off tba bond* on ei.y t.-rm* nut ex ceeding par hl’1 interest to mMunty. ever lads * i ■lira. ».,m, l/raiVn 0 I Mrau street, buffalo, misstatement

Georgia Historic Newspapers

The weekly telegraph. (Macon, Ga.) 1885-1899, May 10, 1887, Image 1