The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1862-05-07
The Morals of Shiloh

Perusing the accounts that have poured in upon US
within the last fortnight of the incidents OF the battles
Of the 9th and Tth inst, the banks OF the Iennes
see is like reading some of those almost incredible mar
ratives Of fighting which the pages of history record
Such for example, those in the long wars between
the people of the Netherlands and the armies of Philip
and the second Of Spain and the bloody contests with
all Europe under the lead of Napoleon Bonaparte
question if there was ever parallel indeed, with some
of the incidents of the battles at Shiloh church LOOK
at the lists of the killed and wounded, with which we
have had OCCASION within few days past, to fill so many
Of our columns Can the annals OF warfare show III
that class OF evidence anything more demonstratVe OF
devoted gaantry of personal collective selfdevoon OF
unyieding and unmxed patriotic endeavor and determl-
nation?
We arein the habit when reading such narratives from
the pen of the historian of imagining that there must
be some exaggeraton cooring at least OF the re-
Al facts Such those of the Dutch war; as related by
file writer's on this side and that and 50 admirably
collected by Motley in his works. the SegeS and de-
fences Of Antwerp and Flushing andLeyden and Brus-
sells. in which men, and children alike the
contestants Indeed, the entire history 572, which
was distinguished by series Of brilliant triumphs for
the Datrotic party The oppressed and invaded people
Of those provinces were fighting, as we are doing now,
against a most powerful and weappointed army, their
s1Derors in numbers, i'll commssaIiat in armament II
Mi the appliances of war They were lighting, too, on
tha own soil and in defence of their own homes, their
own rights their own independence, as we are now
And thus invaded thus melted, we see them in the
morning of history State standing side by side with State,
and province by province and city by city, and man by
man with one sudden bound of enthusiasm, repelilng
the common foe and driving him into the dyke the river
and the sea- and the tale reads like fiction of romance
or the device of the historian to lumne his page with
the artificial glare of high unligh and exciting interest
And so with much OF the brilliant and dazzling story
If NanoIcons campaigns; that of Lodi which of
lie lectures those Of Egypt of Italy, Of Russia OF the
npniDsula of Waterloo and all that bloody career which
was also the history, in effect of Europe, for twenty
three wears But for the concurrent testimony OF so
many narraors the record would seem to be almost IN
credible of such succession of instances of individual
and united daring Of much of seemingly impossible
achievement.
The coaduet of our hastily levied army the @Tel-
nessee in the recent battles the banks of that river
will compare avorably with that of any whose exploits
history records The plan Of them conceived by
one of the best and bravest, we'll as most accom-
pishcd generals of his age and they were carried out
hv others worthy to be his eompeers and coadutors.
In making them effective and successful the best enei.
picS of people aroused to OF high and pat
Totir duty and made soldiers by the exigeney of the
occasion. bore themselves with all the intcrpidty Of
veteran troops disFlyiuga once that aacrty in going
into the contest and that pcrtnacy i'll continuing IL It
to the utmost poin, OF complete success, winch Was tC
have been expected Of soldiers Injured to the camp the
field and their harlships. Those young men were re
emitted or rather offered themselves from the private
/
home, and vet we find them standing unfinchngly II
tie presence Of ruthless enemy not only undismaycc
but rpsouc. and doing their duty in of the boodi
est battles of which history has any record.
There is one notable feature of this admirable con
diet Of our men which has come to our knowledge
through the medium Of private and authentic nforma
i tom We have been told that among those Of then
WHO stood rmest fought bravest, and suffered most
were the exemplary in personal private character
\ There is said to have been most marked seriousness
in the conduct and department of those Young volun
tecrs on entering into the contest and throughout its
continuance We can readily conceive of this for the
cause in which they were engaged and to which witt
impusve ardor they had devoted themselves was one
of high principle, Of religious significance. It's ele
mens were tile modest and hottest that constitute
motive Of action and it is not to be wondered at tina
thev Should have had tleir influence upon the mind
and upon the conduct of such those who Tough
and won at Shiloh.
1t is the faith we may well have in the existence 0
such motives and principles these, actuating ant
sustaining the defenders Of young Confederacy
that strengthens in tie conviction and the belle
that cause 50 cousccraed, 50 subseryed, can neyc
/ be lost.