Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1863-04-29
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VICKsBuRa, ApriI 29. 1s63.

/ "a ~A1 A@t4 A1kHN 100000 III
their Places, has produced a change in the con
duct of some of the party referred to, which, if
persisted in, cannot fail to rebound to their
credit aud to the benefit Of their imperiled
country. Among these whom any discerning
eye can readily single out as belonging to the
class of " idle and incompetent officers" are
many whose faults were merely the result Of
thoughtlessness and leYity who never for o
moment dreamed that by their ignorance and
r%emissness they were endangering the very ex-
istence of their country but who, being once
awakened to s thorough comprehension Of that
fact, have resolved to shake off the shsckles Of
sloth snd dissipation, and by earnest study and
diligent attention to duty atone for the past, while
regaining the lost e~quipoise of an intelligent
selfrespect. While it is gratifying to notice
this much needed change, it must not be for
gotten that the class referred to is still altogether
too numerous, and continues to ehord abund.
ant room for improvement. There are some in,
corrigibles, whose faults can only be remedied
by the process of Topping Of, heretofore sug,
gested, and which always proves SO eficaciouG
in promoting healthful growth when obstructed
by dead weed.
It was to have been expected, my previous
letter provoked q vast deal of angry comment
among the parties whom It Immediately con.
cerned. Indeed, LIST Lieut.. Gauchy Booty, Of
the Neverhit battery, confidently assured me
that " Cato was an Internal old fool, OF the
same time ingenuously asking my opinion as to
who "Cato" was? On my mildly answering
that under the circumstances it appeared to me
he might be the writer, the Lieutenant Grim
soned like a peony over the implied high esti
mate of his abilities, and modestly sverTed that
he never was counted that smart before. Bat
he purchased e copy of the e" Msnual Of Heavy
Artillery" next day, and as he has not been seen
near so frequently at his usual loungiUg plaza
on Washington street, since, it is reasonable TO
hope that be has, in the interim, mastered the
"Msnual" For the honor Of the corps, which
has not hitherto prodtsd very lsrgely by the
instruction of the Lieutenant, it is further to be
hoped that when an old gentleman next asks
him for information, in regard to the Differences
| between round shot and schrspnell, be viii be
able to give it more accurately than by the state
msnt that the latter is fastened TO a wooden
block by tin straps, to give it more weight,
while the former, designed for use a. short
ranges, is rsmmed in loosely after the cartridge !
But the Lieutenant is by no means the worst
type Of his class; in his csse presumption at
least is rot united TO incspacity and Incidence.
So, success 10 his honest efforts 20 supply by
labor the Deficiencies resulting from lack Of edu-
cation and the niggardly endowment Of Dame
Nature.
But the indignation Of Colonel Blow and Ma
jor Boast, (both believed to be, for o M I'M
known reason, especial ~favorites at the head
quarters Of some ona Of oar commanding gene
rals,) was loud and deep at the bare suggestion
that their qualifications might, under any cir
eumstsnces, be called in question, on the mo
ton of en anonymous seribbler." Keep
your tempeTs, gentlemen; a good temper is in.
dispenssble in men occupying positions Of high
responsibility. Do not fail in this essential of q
good officer; remember that he who cannot
control himself, is bu. poorly fitted to command
that implicit, u3questiOning obediencs Of others,
without which his learning and genius will be
entirely wasted in the hour Of battle. You may
be possessed Of military 's'ents of s high order;
and it may be for that reason exclusively that
the keen perspicuity of the majOr-generei whose
" pets " you are said to be by i%ll.natured people,
has singled you out for favor and patron
sse. That fact alone, and not extraneoUs cir
cunstaaces, having no connection with mill
/ 81 4AaAAlC1hiDuoI AAAI a1FD AAO AiAA ~
overlook many of your pieeadillos, and to lend
his eountenanes to your p~rsiseworthy sspira-
tions-not 20 deserve, but TO secure your promo
ton. Judged in this war, which as yet can only
be said to have commenced, so far as the Beces-
ssry training and experience are concerned, l
cheerfaily admit your claims to consideration as
pupils of great promise, in the exceedingly COM
pick art of war. But as yet you are not sol
diers. You merely furnish in your persons the
-o4o-..1c o-A of -Isoh coI1serg ,,,r h r,oIa
In proportion to the magnitude of the struggle
in which we are engaged, and the strategic. i'm
poyteues of the place you now garrison, you
are altogether too far advanced slrsady, as well
as the weak msjor-general who psmpers your
vanity with the hope of eoncpsling his own in
capacity behind it when the day Of trial comes,
and demonstrates, as 1t must inevitably d., his
un6tness for the position he has so long held.
Disabuse yourselves at once of tho fantastic
notion that the writer hereof is an e%nvious, or
indeed any other kind of a rival, hungering
for your fell. You are his brothers be is proud
of your strength and gallsnlry he wishes you
success and glory but he knows, and knows
it sOrrowfully in your behalf, that true glory
ShuDs and sbeors the mere intriguant, that her
chaplets are woven only for the brOws of the
just and brave, that the light Of an upright con
science is as necessary IS the CLEAN of an IN
sullied sword to lead her to the couch of her
single-puTPosed devotees.
In conclusion, let me call yOur attention to
the wise words of a military writer-one Of
the best our country has so far produced
written over fifty years 0go, 10 view Of the
then impending war Of 1872:
"Self respect is one thing, ard presumption
another. Without the former no man ever be-
came a good officer; under the iDAuence of the
latter generals have committed great faults.
The former is the necessary result Of knowledge;
the latter, Of ignorance. A msn scqusinted
with bis duty can rarely be placed IN ercum-
stances new, surprising OF embarrassing a man
ignorant of his duty viii always find himself
constrained to gEess, and not knowing how to
be right by system, viii often be wrong by
chance"
These remarks are neither made or offered IS
applying exclusively to the science Of war.
They apply to all sciences; bat, in these, error
are comparatively harmless. A naturalist may
arnuse himself with false and fsuciful theories
Of the earth a philosopher may reason very
badly on the relations ard forms Of matter and
spirit, without any i'll effect but to make them
selves ridiculous Their blundeTB but make Us
merry they neither pick pockets, nor break
legs, nor destroy lives, while those of a general,
or other officer, bring after thsm evils tho most
compounded ard mischievous-tbe slaughter of
an ~srmy-the devastation Of q Sase-the ruin Of
sn empire!
In proportion as ignorance may be calamit-
Gus. the reasons for acquiring instruction arc
multiplied ard strengthened. Are You an bon
est mani You will spare neither labor nor
sacrifice to gain a competent knowledge Of your
duty. Are you a man of honor You will be
careful to avoid self Teprosch. Does your bo-
som glow with the holy fervor of patriotism 2
You viii so accomplish yourself as 70 avoid
bringing down upon your country either insult
or injury.
"Nor are the more selfish impulses without a
similar tendency. Has hunger made You a sol
dier7 Will you not take care of your bread z
Is vsnity your principle of action VIII you