New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-08-04
General slckles.
4 TEMPEST M 4 TEAPOT.
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GoLLKcz CAMPUS, CoLuatsIA, 5. c. July 10. 1866
z. G. DeFontaine Editor South CaroniRn:
S5r-Major General Sickles, commanding this
department, has been Informed that a number of
Confederate flags were displayed in this city on
the Sd inst, on an occasion set apart to perform
certain ceremonies in honor of those who engaged
in rebellion against the United States, and fell in
battle during the war; and / am here under his
order to investigate the matter and report upon
the truth or falsity of such report.
To that end, | win thank you to aoquaint me
VITA the source of the information upon which
was based your article in your issue of the 9th
inst. in which you speak of the Temple of Mourn
ing" and of the g Confederate flags being placed
theren.if f
lam, sir, very respectfully your obedieut SER
Brevet Colonel and Assistant Inspector General
The above communication came to hand last
week, in the absence of the editor from the city
and as 1t refers to a public matter we use our
columns TO give publicity to the comments itnat
urally calls forth.
Answering the colonel sent here from headquar
tiers at Charleston to investigate the grave ofense
we would state that the information upon which
was based the article in our issue Of the 5th inst
in which we speak of the Temple of Mourning,
and Of Confederate flags being placed therein, ~.
was our own personal eyesight. And that there
may be no misunderstanding as to the language
uttered on the occasion, we reproduce the objeo-
tionable paragraphs. Referring to the Temple Of
Mourning, we said:
Twined around its pillars hanging from its
arches, and interviewer into every beautiful shape
the wreaths, crosses and festoons already de-
sorbed, while dotting the whole structure were
cards bearing the names of the dead, peeping out
among the leaves. Notices, small Confederate
flags drapedin black Grape twisted around swords,
which recalled the memory Of DeSaussure, Glad.
den, Johnson, Gregg and Jenkins, and hundred
other details Of beauty were there to remind one
not more of the gallantry of the dead than the
affections of the living.
And again, referring to the silent encampment
of the dead we observed " AS if BY magic the
tad iadt dphild aud
one hundred mounds Of earth bloomed imfowers
and wreaths Of green. Numerous little Con
federate flags, too, peeped out Of the new cover
ing, to tell that if in life the soldiers were re-
membered, in death their cause was not for
gotten.H
10 these simple exhibitions of wpman,s love-
these little tributes offered by children to the
memory Of the dead-Gen. Sickles lends so much
Importance as to send Columbia a brevet colonel
of the United States to investigate the circum-
stances and learn whether treasonn be really
again rampant in our midst. We trust that officer
has been satisfied. He need have gone no fur
Their than the courteous officer commanding this
post, or his sub0rdinates, to have learned that
there is no locality in the South where better or
der, better obedience tolaw, and better manifesto
tons to the general government are observable
than in the city Of Columbia. On the other hand
he need only 10 have accosted the first woman or
child he met on our streets to be informed that it
i is q crime 70 wear, IN memory Of our dead, a
Confederate flag over their hearts, then is every
drop OF blood that courses through them dyed
with the so-caled iniquity.
Tie occasion was one to call forth the saddest
"reminiscences, and as Grape was used as an en-
blem Of sorrow for departed friends, diminutiYe
Confederate Tags we're employed to typify sorrow
for alost cause.
Much as some Federal officers may desire to dis
cover evidences Of disloyalty in the South that
shall keepup standing armies and continue liberal
salaries we think that in the present instance
General Sickles bias shot far below his mark in
taking the impulses Of women and children as his
text for report to Secretary Stanton on the re-
constructed condition Of South Carolina. From a
Beast Butler we might have anticipated it--from a
man of the world, like Daniel Z. Sickles, who
knows something Of life and its sympathies, and
who expects, young man as he is. one day to dotfl
his uniform and hold high civil offices, we had no
thought chat SO small matter would command his
attention or excite his fears.
WIN such acute eyes upon us, one scarcely
knows where disloyalty ends and patriotism be-
gins. We may be indicted for not celebrating the
Fourth OF July; or called upon to answer for the
colors OK our Yties ribbons or held to account
LOT dissipation that leaves too much red at the
tip of one's nose The day of small things APP
pears 70 have come. We can only say, in-conclu-
sion, that i the commander Of the department
wal leave the care of Columbia to Colonel Green
MS officers and regulars, now stationed at this
pest, IMAM whom NE have not had more quiet and
courteous soldiers since the close Of the war he
Will he promptly admonished of any disturbance
OF the public peace sufficient to provoke the send
lng OF q paragraph to Washington and wa shall
be spared the trouble Of writing editorials 10 ex
plain why the ladies and children Of Columbia, on
mourning occasion, indulge in the innocent dis.
play 81 mat which will be remembered and re-
spected Tor generations to come.