Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1863-12-24
A Rebel Correspondents Sketches
of Rehkf Generals:

To-day l met, en- route TO Lookout
Mountain, Generals Longstrcet, Brcckin-
ridge, Hardee and Howell Cobb. The
Yirginian gives ono; at first glance, the
idea OF stout, honest, weather beaten old
sen captain in "rcgimcntalS :" but as you
look second time and possibly catch his
eye, there IS s5fnething in it, and the large
full face, the broad thoughtful brow and
fine mouth, which tells # diuntless rc>o-
luton, prompt action, giant energies, self
possession and " fires conccaId." The
time must have been, or physiognGmJ Is d
traitor, when Longstrcet was humorous
man, fond of n Joke and party of social
friends bat you can remark that the fun
loving wrinkles around his eyes are now
marked with care, ana That his home
nature has gone into mourning for the
war. l have seen him at hrs hcad-quar-
ters, on the march and in the field ; but
he always wears the same cool, utftufled
expression, which nothing disturbs: III
battle he is watchful, wary and energetic !
never taken by surprise; never ustoniShed
at anything, and wonderfully ready with
expedicnts to meet every crisis: In camp;
ncy corner is full of cobwcbs. If he ever
dies suddenly it will certainly be from It
corgestion of troops and topography In
conversation he is affable, pointed and
brief-sdys great deal in a feiS wGrd.'i
and leaves lis poor officers too often t6
ponder over his terscly uttered sentences,
until they run half crazy between the con-
clusions left for them to select. Such i;
"Uncle Peter" the idol Of his mch, and
the "bcst fighter" in the Confederacy.
Ifardee is another Of your plain, unas-
suming, domestic men, who takes things
coolfy until aroused, and then becomes Il
perfect hon:, There is not warmer or
more genial nature in the army. The
hurfblest private Nay approach him
without fear or trcmblifg,' md Be as
sred Of a ready car and prompt redress
for any wrong: He has frank, opon
face, fine blue eye, and is just gray
haired and bearded enough to make one.
voluntarily vcnerate his many years Of
usefulness and experience.
Breckenridge is model ofmanly beauty
knightly bearing and noble disnity-tall,
strongly knit in bone and sincw, with
graceful carriage, an open, unrcscrved ca
preston OF countcnanec, written all over
mind and courage; he rcihinds one, as he
rides along in his Kentucky hunting suit,
Of some beau cherdlicr belonging TO another
era-a hero who has accidentally stepped
out Of one of Sir Walter Scott's poems To
lend helping hand to the young Con-
fcdcracy:
As to Howell CObb-wcll, the General
is almost indcscribablc. But l venture
the assertion that there is n5t r man in the
service who combines mere mind and
matter in ORC Personal corporoSity than
does the great Georgian: Possessing one
of the first intellccts in the Sourh. as his
long career in her service demonstrates. he
unites with it physique well adapted to
sustain every mental and bodily test
which his present position, as Major Gen
eral Of the Georgia State troops, may re-
quire. Automatically speaking. com
pared with your obedient servant, he is
"wholc number to my "vulgar frac-
tion." One valuable popularity he pos
scsscs to excess, namely, strong, hard,
stubborn common sense, and this com
biucd with a mind we'll stocked with
Learned lore" retcntiyc memory and
ready expression, make him at once an
entertaining and instructive companion.
Promptncss, prudence, alcrtncsS and fine
administrative ability are his characters
tics as r.-CoWcpoadcHcc IT.
aRta appeal.