The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1862-06-21
HOmance and Reality of Guerrilla
warfare.


portance the rebels attach to the move
ments of such marauders as STAREs, d
MORGAN and CHAMP FERdUsoE. They \
await intelligence as to their expeditions
with feversh anxiety. One would sup
pose that the hopes of the Southern Con-
federacy hung on these bandit leaders.
1t would be amusing to scan the fancy
sketch of these guerrilla chiefs which is
colored by romantic imaginations. Gal
liant and graceful horsemcn, with nodding |
plumes," prancing along on 'fery steeds,"
which anon dash off with distended |
nostrils" and streaming name" and
"foaming TANKS" knocking sparks from
the hinty rocks as they "sweep on like |
the whrlwind." We see in this fancy |
picture of a guerrilla chief "gilded |
spurs" and "glittering sabres," which |
jingle unsteady as the war horse prances
along. Anon the troop attack vast
force of Federal troops, slay hundreds,
wound the principal officers burn all the
baggage wagons, and finally, having cap
tured the commanding officer, escape un-
harmed amid shower of bullets that
whiz around their cars like hailstones
Why, RICHARD the Lion hearted, and
AMoDIs DE GAUL, and FRANCIS MARION
were fools to these turlmen, these "min-
ions Of the moon and forresters of Diana"
who ride black mares and in speed out
strip TAM O'SHAETER's mare, witches on
broomsticks, and the Devil and Tom
Walker. Silly and thoughtless young
bows, whose ardent imaginations are far
in advance of their judgments. and
who have never thought one moment
seriously upon the great duties and
responsibilities of life, fancy there is
something exceedingly fine in all this,
a. - 'hcir dreams behold tall, monu-
rental shaita, with rich entablatures and
granite Easements, inscribed to the me-
mory OF CHAMP FERGUsoN, SrARNEs, and
JOHN MORGAN, as the authors of Southern
independence Ladies, fresh from the
sentimental rawlings of the last novel, lool,
out of their chamber windows at mid
night and sigh for a serenade from one
OF these heroes, and weep tears after the
approved style Of lack-a- daisiacal Laura
Matthias, over the hardships of the idol
Of her SOUL who is perhaps at that hour
engaged in the laudable work of robbing
stable, or firing hoystacb, or burning
railroad bridge. Fellows who write
balderdash, with rhymes on the ends of
their lines, which they call poetry, go of
into very unintelligible rhapsodies over
the deeds of these second Achilles.
AJAxEs, PoMPEYs, JuLIUs CHsARs. and
Sciflos. Who shall limit that fame
which comes from the signs of pert
misses and the rawlings of crack Drained
poetasters The heroes of the past are
IN danger of passing under the everlast-
ing shadow of oblivion. Such is the ro-
nance OF guerrilla warfare, which we
shal now contrast with its reality.
FERGUSON and MoHaAN have in nino-
tenths of those exploits which have
ehei'ed the applause Of rebels, done lust
such deeds as a few desperate mon have
performed thousands of times in This
country, and for which they have been
sent TO the pcnitenliary, What bravery
Is required to tear up railroad tract, mr.
TO steal a horse? What skill is reouired
70 attack few unarmed sick soldiers
and teamsters?
Does THIS warfare e6ect anything cx-
cept the impovorishment of tho COMMIT.
IN which it is waged? Sunnoso - !,
Waged for twenty years, what will II u,
except to make the South dosor,
stained with the blood of lis own neonIo,
Iheso raids can never hurt our ar,,ios
These bands are organized TO plrrd.,
&c weak not TO attack the stropc
neVer had but one fight and Cha
him by a surprise q
-. who had a much in
~ got out of tina
HAS occu
thief by
is day