The new South. [volume] (Port Royal, S.C.) 1862-1867, 1864-03-26
Hasty Condemnation Of Officers.

General Seymour, the commander OF our
troops in tho late disastrous affair in Flor
ida, has been placed under arrest by Or
aer of Major General Gilmore. The re-
port has been telegraphed all over the
country, and the result is q very general
and verv severe condemnation of the Of
ficer in question. We could have wish
ed that the newspaper critics had learn
ed wisdom by experience, and awaited o
confirmation of the story, and, perhaps,
the developments of a court of inquiry,
before venturing to pass such severe
Judgment on General Seymour. 1t Is
both ungenerous and Inmanly to use
such rude haste in casting vituperation
upon one whose position precludes him
from making defence Of his conduct
except before an authorized court Of in
quiry. 1t may be that General Seymour
is guilty of misconduct alleged. Ifit be
so, the swift judgments of military JUS
tice will soon overtake him and he has
been long enough soldier to understand
this fully, and to submit to the conse-
quences of any dereliction of duty.
But in Justice to an officer, whose ser
vices commenced with the first outbreak
of hostilities, when, with his comrades in
Fort Sumter, he earned title to the
honor of the Nation by loyal and heroic
defence of his flag against traitors, and
whose whole thought and best energies
have been devoted to his duty as SOL
der, fighting in defence of his country,
we would that the voice of vituperation
had for moment been stayed.
Gen Seymour entered the Army from
the Academy in 1876; in 1S47 ne was bre-
veted for meritorious services; In 1860 he
was promoted to the rank Of captain in
the Fifth Artillery as we have before in
timated, he was one of the defenders of
Fort Sumpter subsequently Battery c,
of the Fifth Artillery, under his COM
mand. was assigned to General McCall's
division in April, 1862, he was appoint
ed a Brigadier General Of Volunteers,
serving with his brigade with much dis
tinction on the Peninsula and at Antle-
tam after this he was sent to the Depart
ment of the South, where he was well
coined as IN accomplished soldier, and a
high minded and thoroughly loyal gen.
tleman. In the attack under General
Gilmore, on Fort Wagner, though unsuc-
cessful, as has been the case with nearly
every officer in nearly every assault upon
regular works, he won additional renown
among military men, and continued to
gain the confidence of his commanding
general and of all his fellow-ofiicers IN
the Department.
This is brief review of General Sey-
mour's record. 1t has everywhere been
honorable, and one to which he can point
with Just pride. w. view OF it, let us stop
a moment before " venture to condemn.
One of the charges brought against
him by daily newspaper of this city
a journal of such high standing that we
are at a loss to understand how it could SO
readily, and with such violence, join in
assailing General Seymour-is, that he is
not an advocate of the employment Of
negro troops, and has always regarded
them with suspicion. The same paper
attacks General Gilmore on the same
ground. We believe the charges to be
wholly without foundation. The fact Of
the employment of negro troops has been
accepted by every true soldier, whatever
! his prejudiees, as part of the declared
policy of the Government under whose
authority he serves, and to whose COM
mands he owes strict obedience. Pro-
fes.ional soldiers like Generals Gilmore
and Seymour are the last to combat posi-
tive orders, and the true history Of the