Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1864-04-07

Gen. JOhnsson nzd Ihe Army Of TeHnessee.
"Bayonet," correspondents from Dalton to
the Mobile hdvsYtissr and Register, thus writes
ana happy to be able to say that the condi-
ton Of our army is splendid, in every respect
/! is well fed well clad, in eXeallent health and
in high and hopeful spirits For the first time
in its history, if has no barefoot soldier. Would
you believe that at Chesmauga Gen. Bragg lost
the service of 1000 otherwise efficient men, be-
cause they were barefoot. Credit it or not, the
statement is true. And yet shoes were within
reach of ordinary qGartermRsterial energy. The
same happened again al Missionary ridge, where
men were so soreIy needed, and where the bare
footed men, had they been shod and present,
might have turned ths fortune of that ssd day.
But now every soldier has shoes.
But seriously doubt whether there is any
general in the Confederate army who fully Ap-
preciates the military value Of shoes. Certainly
the quaTtermksteIs do not. A soldier TO be
eficlent, must not only have shoes, but good
shoes well fitting, broad b9ttomed aud plisnt
Upen this depends his capacity for marching,
and to move with eonstancy and celerity ia bat
tle There is a quaint and wise old military
maxim: "Horssmen, look to thy horse; foot
man, look to thy feet"
Gen. Johnston is unquestonably a great
captain in the science of war. In ninety days
be has so transformed this army that can find
no word to express the extent of the transfor-
nation, but the word Tegenerstisn. Il is re-
generated army. He iouadSs ninety DAYS Aco
disheaTtensd, despsjring, and On the verge Of
dissolution. By judicious measures be has re-
stored confidence, Te-estsblished discipline and
exalted the hearts Of his army. The army Of
Tennessee, the most illstATTed and suceessless
of all our armies, has seen its worst days.
Let US hope that it will have no more re-
treats and no more defeats" l have q 6fm
faith, now, in the future of the army of Tennes-
see and its great captain. Let him but be un-
fsttered, and furnished with adequate means,
and all will be well. He is very fortunate in
having such thorough soldiers as Hood, and
Hsrdee, and Stewart, and Cleburne, to direct
his columns and txecute bis orders. With such
leaders, it seems to me that defeat is impossible
The intrepid dash and the young, burning en-
thusiasn of Hood are directed by military ge-
MUS, and controlled by rare and high intelli-
genee. Hsrdee is always prompt, ready, per-
feet and successful. The calm, stole Stewart,
siloRt, stern poised, imper!urbabls, never fails,
never erTs and never dAlliss. He is ever at the
right place, Just ct the oppoTtuue moment
Cleburne is not merely, though be is altogether,
q lion IN battle, but be has the genius to " ride
upon the whiIl Wind and direct the storm of
the mighty conflict. With these generals, there
will be no dallying, no blundeTs, no "lost op-
portunities," no diSobsdience of orders.
Gen. Johnston has two modes of stoppino de-
serieTs. One is by liberal fuIloughs, allowing
all to 90 home by turns, and the other il by the
inexorsble doom of death to deserters. He has
sanounced, in general orders, that he will grant
no psrdons, and that the doomed must die. Phe
courts martial have at last come to discover the
necessity of Furnishing deserters with death,
aud few now escape. There aIe upwards of q
dozen soldiers now awaiting execution of the
death penalty for dessrtion. Some are to hang,
some to be shot Day before yesterday, Ssrgt
A. L. Smith, of company B, 5Sth Alabama reg
iment, was shot for deserliOa. He was an intsl-
hgent young man, and had been good soldier
He deserted the infantry to Join the cavalry.
He died very Penisent and met his fate with tol-
ersble frmness.
The death scene was sBfully solemn and i'm
pressiVe. l shsll never forget it, or cease to re-
member it with horror. 1t WAS my painful duty
to conduct the execu,ion-to give the fatal com
msnd, rsady-aim-fre." The poor victim
fell back over bis coffin and bis yswning grave,
dead. Eight bullets (sll Of them) entered his
breast, and three pierced his heart. The hEr-
rowing scene-the features and expression Of
the doomed man-Tevisit my mind ike an ap-
partition, and thrill me with horror Should this
letter fall under the eye of any desertsT, let me
warn him 20 surrender himself and return with
out delsy, if he wsuld avoid the inexorable
doom Of death. We have, at last, discipline in
the army Of Tennessee.
What Gen. Johnston viii do, or not do, is q
secret which he locks up in bis own breast. He
gives nobody so much as 3 wink or q nod, upon
which to hang conjecture. We are now very
close neighbors TO the Yankees. They run cars
to Ringgold, we run CARS to Tunnel Hill. The
two points are seven miles apart. The Yankees
are in force ct Riuggold. Half days march
BIZ eithar Mould inmn m the other.