Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-07-20
5]ailg Appeal.


FEDERATE STAT ES--GENs' PIE"
LOW AND POLK.
EDITORS APPEAL: Much interest has been
excited, not only in the ranks Of the PrOvis-
iOnal Army, but among the citizens Of Ten
nessee, by the impression which has gone
abroad that the organization Of this fine body
Of patriotic and chivalric men has been dsin-
tegratea and broken up, and tlat the elements
Of which it is composed have been transferred,
in reginental embodiemeut t. TIE Confederate
States, to be there reconstructed under The eX-
elusive direction and coatrol OF officers owing
responsibility alone to that Government.
This interest = intensified into positive discon-
tent, by the fact that it has taken the whole
Provisional Army by surprise, aud crested The
belief that there has been, someisAsTe, a breach
of the public faith. In some quarters this be-
lief attaches censUTe to Gov. Harris, as th
chief and potential instTumentality; while IN
otbsrs II fs attributed TO an OverUeening par
tiality, on the part Of those into whose hands
are conhded the dest;nies of the TevolUtloniZad
States, for that eXactnegs Of military training
! attained for the most ngrt in this country only
! through a cadetship at West Point.
One thing is certain, and that is, that as fine
J a bsdy Of citizen sol3iery as was ever called
, into the field, stands in ieaporoy # having its
| bigh impulse impaired, by the dissatisfaction
which this uncertainty as to its precise
military status creates. What are we-Cot-
! anteeT soldiers Of the "VOLUNTEER STATE"
4 rushing 20 battle in the cause Of southern
| independence, with the alacrity Of those who
repair eagerly to a high festivai-proud in
| the reflection that if we 60 down to death in
| the dread carnival, the sacrifice Wal but ad-
| vance still higher the renoyFn Of oar beloved
/ S-ste?-or, are we recruits in the Southern
| Confederate ferces, our distinctive character
/ as an army corps negativeG lh tEe mass of
/ material which comPOses it, Or leaders new
/ and unknown Eon, who have gapplaated u e
/ men known to and preferred by US? If The
| last, the transfer By regiments, battahoHs and
| companies viii be the proper course OF pro-
/ cedure If the first named, then the transfer
! will be Of "the Provisional Army Of Teunes-
| see, as an entfretu-ds a distiSct army corps,
with only such pruning Of its various branches,
as may be found eXPedient and proper in regard
! to wise economy.
lam very happy to be able, from recent in
] formation, TO acquit Gov. Harris Of partici-
! patton in the project of disintegraton and dis
| organization Of this army corps. with view
| TO its transfer in its simple regimental ele-
/ mentF am Informed that be construes, and
| very iustlV IS / conceive, the resolution OF tue
legislature to "plGcc at The disposal Of the Con-
I federate States the volunteer forces of the
| State,o direction simply to put the "Provis-
! ional Army Of Tennessee" which has beer
| raised, organized and equipped, at the disposal
| cf The Government Of the Confederate States,
| TO be EMPLOYED in whole or in pHrt, IS NAV he
/ best for the general cause. To be go employed,
| either in whole or in part, by 10 means re-
uuires that it shall be broken or djsintegraied,
! IFS existing organization set aside, and the
| elements Of which it is composed be again or
! ganzed .sto new shapes and combinations
| On the contrary, reason and common sense
| would seem to indicate that its greatest use
fulness would be found in the prompt, immedi-
| ate use Of it as an already oTganiZ-
| eds force. provided in all its ram
i6rations with the means and conveHiences of
an army corps /; and l an glad to learn that
Gov. Harris so views the matter, and so insists
that its transfer to the exclusive control OF the
/ Confederate Government shall be made. If
his excslleDcE has no worse political sins to
answer for than this, he will indeed be the
most fortunate Of public servants for I ven-
! turs to predict that when the matter shall come
TO be understood by the people Of Tennessee,
that fhis act Of his administTation-this firm
and loyal keeping of faith with the men who
make up the provisional army, viii be the act
which. Of all others, will command the popu-
lar plaudit-" well done, good and fcithfHi
seTVsniN'
And why? Because by it he assures to the
mothers, wives, and fathers Of Tennessee who
have sent their soDs and husbands 70 encoun-
Ter the hazards Of the tented field, al! the
guaranty that can be afforded for their welfare
by commanders under whose lead they VolUD-
farily rlaced themselves, Of staff OF supply
( and Of medical attention knoJCR to them, and
| in whose identity Of citizenship with them they
have bond for discharge Of the responsible
ties resting on them as strong as mans love
for the good opinion Of those in whose iudg-
ment BE must stand or fall in reputation.
Because, further, in SO insisting upon this
transfer Of the Provisional Army OF Tennes
see, as an organized army corps, be but doe
simple Justice to the patriotic, brave, able anC
energetic commander of If, bv whom ant
, through whom, with the assistance Of the sub
ordinate officers associated with hin, thi
+, army was brought into existence and put int
, its present state Of efficiency. ] sm not tn
1 Predetermined eulogist of Gen. Pillow-peT
haps I might say that there are in the pas
many long years Of my distinct, if not eaTnes
| opposition to him-5ut DO not hesitate to ga
| that whatever Of exemption We here in th
: Mississippi valley enjoy from an invasion b.
: the way Of the Mississippi river-whatever o
ability we now feel to Tepel any such attempt
ed future invasion, let il come when IL may
p now or hereafter, we owe mainly, chiefly, / be
, lieve entirely, to the far reaching miiitaT
= sagscity and indomitable mental and physica
energy Of General Pillow.
aBecsuse. further, Gov. Harris in thus trans
: fering the provisional army Of this State to th
= Confederate Government, as a iCtoIe, preserve
> intact and undimiDished that esprit Ga corp
= | which every sensible commander knows is, il
itself, an element Of unlimited military eff
| cheney. and which every sagacious govern
z ment seeks to foster and encourage in To
. | several arms Of its service. The pride il eI
genders and maintains, is not ar offensive ser
| f-r-,r st,r ..l, -.
e sentiment; but, on the contrary, in militsr
- life, awakens emulation, and prOmptsS {
| deeds Of high empriZe. What Tennesseean
q there who would envy the glorious achieve
"a meHts Of a Mississippi brigade, or who woul
= not exut in the glory woD by division of vi
! giniaEs or South CaroliHiGnS, as such III
- but few weeks since the honest "Oid Mort
- State" Ieaped into the front ranks Of the mil
- tarv States, through one single bound Of hr
u regiment under Hill at Great Bethel; and Ter
nessee greets this new competitor for her n
y nown. not with lealOusY, but with the heart
Ii aIacritv Of manly admiration. So would if /
toward our Provisional Army, if it should be'
3, itself worthily of those which have precede
J; il in tie long march of glory-from King
Mountain down to the valley Of Mexie
Grant that it is a weakness and a vanity
- Tennesseans to be regarded and recognized &
p" the volunteer fighting State ;-if it but incit
her legions 20 rush in the Jaws Of death in d
fense Of country as if going to a festival
= it add 10 the impulse that hurls destructi,
" upon the foe, what harm is done by it? VIII
harm may not be done by wounding and cTil
. pling the sentiment?
a. 81 have not one word Messrs. Editors, to 3;
c. against or ABOUT the appointment Of Mai. &c
= Polk, as the Confederate commander over Ii
- large division or department to which be b.
!. been assigned. If, in the wisdom of the Go
- ernment at Rchmsnd, it is deemed exp
"a | dent to have an officer Of bis high raj
in this important portion Of the Confed
- rscy as an intermediate means of coz
q muneation between 1t and the vario
= army corps necessary for its defens
= OF as a trusted Representatives Of it-so be it.
neither question its policy or impugn the N
tive which dictates it. But I do maintain T.
it will be neither sound policy, nor is it I
re uuired BY any oveTTuling necessity, to disint
70, crate the Provisional Army Of Tennessee, wi
view to thatch and fill up the interstices Of
hs different Confederate organization. Deta,
if necessary, but do not diSband. Comma
er it. use it, but do not disoTgaRize it.
C Neither have /, Messrs. Editors, anythil
OF to say, in a partisan spirit, about Messrs Ha
ot Tis and Polk, as rival candidates for goyernt
sc / know and esteem them beth, and trust th
Ks we have been lifted by the revolution into
o. atmosphere in which Justice may be done
u the one, without implying demerit in the 9TH
AN OLD SOLDIER.
oe ITO THE VOTERS OF FATETT
~ COUNTY.
- FELLOW CITIZENS: A few weeks ago a