Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1864-04-21


NOBLE, April l5th 1864.
Mississippi River advices from different points report
gre battle between Kirby Smith Banks near Shreve
port, in VIII ch Banks defeated with of IL
Baton Rouge aud other hospitals full of Yankee wound
ed.
SOUTHERN GENERALS DESCRIBED BY AN
ENGLEsHMAN. -
One of the latest works the war is entitled "hret
Months in the Southern States. By Lieutenant Col
onel Freemantle, Coldstream Guards" The New
York News m .kGs the following extracts from the
book:
GEN MAGRUDER,
Whom he met in Texas, sis fine eolder-like man, OF
about S. with broad shoulders ford complexion, and
bright eyes He his whskers and moustaches in
the ndish fashion, and dressed in the Confederate
gray uniform. He is Virginian, and great talker
The General spoke of the Purtans with intense els
gust, but vas by against individual
Yankees. He spoke faVorabIy of Mcclellan, whom he
knew to be gentleman clever aid personally brave,
though he might laCA courage to face responsi
bty Hooker had been in his regiment, and was 'es
sentally mean and liar" The writer repre-
seDts General Magruder possessing fine social quail
ties, and great gallant among the ladies.
GEN KIRBY SMITH
is described to be about 80 years old and he owes
his rapid rise to the place of Lieutenant General to the
fortunate fact Of bis having fallen, just at the nick OF
tina, upon tie Yankee flank, at the first battle Of Ma
nassas. He is remarkably active man, ard of very
agreeable manners he wears big spectaces and black
beard. He said Mcclellan might probably have de-
stroyed the Southern army with the greatest dur
ing the first winter, aud without running much risk to
himself, as the SoutherDers 50 much eated by
their easy triumph at Manassas that their army had
dwindled away"
GENERAL. HEBERT
is good locking Creole. lie a West Pointer and
served in the cid army, but afterwards became veal.
thy sugar planter. He used to hold Magruders place
COMMANDMENT Chief of Texas, but he has now been
sheved at Monroe La, where he expects to be taken
prisoner at any day. He is extremely down Eng
land for not recognizing the South Gen. Hebert is
the only man of education | met in the whole of my
travels who spoke dsagreeaby about England in this
respect. Nest people say quite right to keep
out of it as long as we CAM but others think are
missing splendid opportunity of smashing the Fan
kees" with whom we must have row, sooner or
later.
GEN. JOSEPH E. JOHNSTON,
10 appearance, is rather below the medium height
spare solderlke, and we'll set up his features are
good and he has lately taken to wear gra1ish beard
He is Virginan by birth, and 81 years old. He
talks in CAIN, deliberate, and confident manner to
be extremely afable but he certainly possesses
the power of keeping people at distance when he
chooses, and his officers evidently stand in great awe OF
him. He has undoubtedly acquired the entire conf
dence of all the officers ind soldiers under him. Many
of the officers told they did not consider him inferior
to~Lee any else. General Johnston is a very
we'll read man, and agreeable to converse with He
told that he considered Marlborough greater Gen.
eral than WELLINGTON All Americans have an intense
admiration for Napoleon, and they seldom scrupe to
express their regret that he beaten at Waterloo
Remaining upon the extreme prevalence of military
titles, Gen. Johnston said, You must be astonshed to
find how fond all Americans are of titles though they
Republicans and as they can't get any other sort
they all take military ones" While seated around the
camp fire officer remarked to me, II can assure you
Colonel that nine out OF ten in the South would
become sub Jets of Queen Victoria than return
to the Union" mine out of ten !" said General
Johnston, "ninety-nne out of hundred l consider
that few people in the world can be fortunate in
their government than the British Colonies of North
America" General Johns on tod me that the princ
pal evils Confederate General had to contend against
consisted in the difficulty of making combinations ow-
irg to the uncertainty about the time which the troops
woud.take to mare a certain distance on account of
their straggiug propensties He told he had been
wounded ten times. Spe king OF Stonewatl Jackson
he said that although be did possess any great quail
fcaions a strategst, and perhaps unfit for the
independent command OF a large army, yet he was
gifted with wonderful courage and determination and
perfect faith in Providence that he was destined to
destroy the enemy. lie was much indebted to Gen.
Ewel in the campaigns in the Virginia Valley, and
was fortunate IN commanding the flower Of the Vir-
gina troops and being opposed to the most incapable
Federal commanders, such as Fremont and Banks"
AB2UT sToNEwALL JACKSON.
In Mobile, General Slaughter, who W Is comrade
of S;ouewal jackson IN the old ARMY, related many
anecdotes about him. 1t appears that previous to the
war he was almost mOnOmaniac about his health
When be left the United States army he was under the
impr that one of bis legs was getting shorter than
the other and afterwards bis idea that he only
perspred sde and that it only necessary to
keep the arm and leg of the other side in constant mo-
ton order to preserve the circulation but
that after the broke out be never made any allu
sion to his health. General Slaughter declared that on
the night after the terrible repulse of Barnsides army
at Fredericksburg, Stonewall jackson made the follow
ing suggestion | am OF the opinion that we ought
to attack the enemy at and in order to avoid the
recommend that should strip ourselves perfectly
naked ~
LIEUT.. GEN. W. J. HARDEE
received me with kindness and hospitality. He is
looking broad shouldered and tall. He looks
rather like French officer and is Georgian by BIRTH
He bears the reputation of being thorough soldier
and distinguished himself at Shiloh and Murfreesboro
He is wdower and has the character of being great
admirer OF the fair sex.
LIEUT.. GEN. LEoNIDAs POLK.
is good looking, gentlemanlke man, with all the
manners and afability of "grand seignor." He is
fifty years od-tal upright, and looks like SOL
am told 700 negroes. He is much beloved by the SOL
diers on account of his great personal courage and
agreeable manners. He told me he was educated at
West Point, and at that institution with Presi-
dent Davis, the two Johnstons Lee, Magruder, &C.,
and that after serving short time in the artillery he
had entered the church.
GEN BRAXroN BRAGG.
I called on Gen. Bragg, the Commanders -Cnlel.-
This officer H. in appearance the least preposSessing
the Confederate Generals. lie very thin he stOOps
and has sckly, cadaverous haggard look, rather
plain features bushy, black eyebrows, which unite in
inf on the top Of bis nose and stubby, iron gray
L..,5 Init hrioht and nlpasin0 ETp hoo |