Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1864-01-28
9ailg gpped,
EDITION.
GA.
THURSDAY MORNING. JANUARY ss.


4 late number Of the Lendon Iadez. says
the Richmond Dispatch, has 8 review OF a book
writlsn by an officer Of the British army, who,
not long ago, made tour through the COnfed-
eEsey, from Texas to Richmond, and who Is
described as gentleman Of remarkable intel
ligsnee, and writer Of no ordinary ability.
Though rather inelining to She Northern side
when be first visissd this country, on account
Of his prsjadices against slavery. personal ob-'
servati0n converted Aim into warm friend
and admirsF Of the Confederate people, and Of
their heroic struggles aud saeriaess in this war.
He speaks with ferYeF Of the unsurpassed
courage and devotion Of tho pfivsss soldiers,
and iH o1logistie Of the Spartan frmnsss Of the
women who havo given their sons and bEsth-
eEs, not only without muzmur, but with pride
and joy, to he defense of their countTy.
This eEesr visited ths camp Of Cen JOE
JOHNSTON At the tins GRAsF vas besissiBg
VickabarE, and be mentions one fact whiek We
de not reoolleet to have seen before, and which
explains satisfactorily the inaction Of that Of
eoT, for which be. received a. the time Sc much
dsnuzsistion from people who knew positively
nothing Of the situation. He says that, while
Sen GRANT was besieging Vicksburg with
ssVsRty-fvs thousand men, Ger. JOHNsTos
had under bis command not more than eleven
thousand msn ard sixteen pieces Of artillery.
To have astseked Grant under such eireuul-
stances would have been to sacrifice bis whole
fores without he possibility Of saving Vicks-
burg; whereas, T Yicksbarg had been evscus-
ted, ss We understand was Gen. J0HzsToE's
plan, aud tho army Of PEsIBERTON united with
that Of JsHSsToE, the Yankees would have
oHly had Fieksburg, ss they hsvs it now, and
ss4irs in he Southwest DO very different from
thsir present condition.
Suek disclosures as this should warn the peo-
PIE snd tho press to be more tolerant in their
Judgment Of matters Of which they know
nothing They should bear in mind that
o5f rulers and cur oficers have facts in their
possession Of which the public al large know
nothing, and which cannot be published with
out damage to the interests Of ths country. We
may be Eure that hey are quite as patriotic az
ourselves, and for their sWn sakss, as well IS
for the sake ef she cause, are going to do all
that circumstances permit
We obssrve that the intelligent Richmond
correspondent of the London RorziHg Herald
expresses the fear that Gen. JOHEsros may
be iBauenced in his preseD. position by popu-
Jar clsmOr Ha may dismiss ali such appre-
tensions. Gen JOHNSTON does not hold il
any degree Of respect unenIightsned public
opinion. He is going to Do Just what he
thinks best, and viii stand as frn az rock
upon tie basis Of his oEn Judgment. And
more solid judgment in the at Of war no mill
sAry man Of this day possesses. We regard
him as one Of The most eonsummato soldiers
whom this gteat struggle hiss produced, and
lock forward with high and hopeful spirit to
the future oi his great army. We have watched
him from ths beginning and our admiration OF
hfm is FreElsr ss this hour thsR when he fell
Ike a tllanderbolt upon the columns Of the
enemy a. Mtaassas Cor. JOE. JoHEsT0E ia
no ordiniry person, either as a soldier CT 8
man, and wo have an abiding faith that the
fact viii Be demonstrated next apring beyond
ibe esyils Of the most esptous. La the mean
time let the critics and eroaksrs cultivate The
virlue Of patience ard charity. Lst them ny
to form some faint conception Of their own
perfs incompeieney to sit il Judgment upon
military men. aud Withhold thsir esnsures til
hey have facts and results before them.