Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1865-12-27
GEN. WILSON'S REPORT-GEN. TYLER

WEDNESDAY. : : DECEMBER rs ASo"'
GEN. REPORT-GEN. TfLEk-
We give to-day on our outside page the
Report in fun Of Maj.-Gen. WILSON'S
great raid through Alabama and Geor-
gia II viii be read with great interest
bv thousands OF our readers, who have
been curious 20 see the narrative, from
the other side, Of events, whereby the
bottom was absolutely and positively
punched out from the Southern Confed-
eracy. We scarcely think Gen. Wilson
has ever received the full need of glorif-
cation 10 which he is justly entitled /;
for it is indubitabIe that the effect
Of his enterprise would have been
fatal TO the C~onfederacy, even though
Richmond had not then been captured
Practically, it was a more fatal blow
than SHERMAS's famous promenade
through Georgia to the sea-" Organ
lied as an auxiliary force to Gen CAN
BY's movement against Mobile, through
the genius and dash Of is commander
this expedition very soon filled the Fore
ground of the military drama then being
enacted. leaving the principal rae
Of tbeS programme quite out Of view.
While WILSON and his bold riders Of
nine thousand were dashing into Selma,
and thence through Montgomery 10 Co
49, - .. aEn chief afHU of N-nnT-
gia. CANBY and his hosts, besieging Span
ISL Fort, We're quite lest sight Of. He is,
we learn, very a young man, bat We
predict for him abTilliant career as a SOL
der. should he follow the profession Of
arms, and the opportunity be afforded
him for the exercise of his genius. His
report affords traces Of his having care
fully studied the career of his great pro-
rotype, Gen. FORREST, whom he much
resembles in the brilliancy and dash of
his operations.
II can scarcely be out Of place, here, 10
pay a passing tribute TO the memory Of
one well known in this city, who bore no
mean part in one of the details of these
operations. We refer TO Brighten. r.
c. TYLER, who defended West Point,
with an obstinate heroism which has been
seldom surpassed during the war. We
doubt not Col. LAGRANGE's sub-report
renders a just tribute to his %gallantry.
Wewellrememberan interview withhim,
but a brief twenty-four hours before
-. ,-Ar.b r.sH hin, with the daaR
Of this unhappy war. He believed the
maintenance Of his post and the delay Of
the opposing forces from crossing the
Charlottesville at that point, an essential
aid TO the defense Of Columbus; and
although his garrison was a feeble one,
improvised, for the most part, from the
employees and citizens there, he did not
hesitate a moment in what he regarded
the duty Of a soldier, to hold it at
whatever sacrifice, to the last extremity.
He was q noble specimen Of humanity.
Honest, frank, modest, his was as true a
heart as ever beat in human bosom. He
was opposed to secession, and to the war;
but when Mr.. LINCOLN scall for seventy
five thousand men dispelled the hopes
of the conservative middle State men,
and precipitated Tennessee into revo-
luton, Gen. TYLER went out a
a private in CARROLL's regiment,
Of which he was for awhile the acting
quartermaster. At the battle Of Bel
mont, his ~gallantry Wa 50 conspieous as
10 lead TO his being made, on the reor-
ganization, a Lieutenant Colonel, from
which grade he was promoted to the
rank Of Brigadier-GeneraL At Chica-
manga he was severely wounded in the
leg, losing a part of the lower bone, and
so Gripping him as 10 be compelled
10 use a crutch ever afterwards. Not
w-ithstanding this, whenhis Brigade went
on to South Carolina, with the remnant
Of HOOPS army, 10 be again under the
command Of Gen. 10. JOHNSTON, he ac-
companied il, until peremptorily sent
back by suggestion Of the surgeons, when
he resumed command Of the post Of West
Point. A less devoted man might have
felt himself justified in captivating with
out resistance, 5ut, as before stated, he
offered himself 9 sacrifice to indirectly
aid the defence Of Columbus.
Those Of our citizens who knew him,
will remember him as a quiet, unobtru-
sive man, known intimately to but few.
He was true as steel in his attachments
10 friends, but was so imbued with the
milk Of human kindness as to have few,
if any enemies. He was in every re-
spect, a manly man, with nothing little
about him, and a. gallant a soldier as
ever drew a blade. He sleeps on the
field Of his Observation-Disclosures there, if
we mistake not, with Masonic honOrs,
by the mingled throng Of friends and
foes, who gave interment to the dead.
Peace to his ashes. His memory will
long be green in the hearts Of those who
knew him.