The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1866-11-23


And 10 Ben Adcm's numo led oil the rest
-
Tho Genius, Chnrnctcr nnd Organization OF
tho Confederate Army.
From m interesting and spirited article in
the September Crescent Monthly, by j. OUR
MAN MOORE, of Mississippi, we make the fol
lowing extracts, treating of tho genius, char
actor and general organization of the late
Confederate army:
The army of the lato "Confederate States
of America" tho glorious name of that
bright meteor power, now quenched, that
shook it's radiant splendors on the flaming
crest Of Mars WAS an electric or excerpted
system from the high military models of Aus
tria, Prussin, France and the United States.
1t was n beautiful and complete model of
thorough scientific organization, full of inter-
est nnd INSTRUCTION TO those who wish to learn
how TO mike war terrible and destructive,
and, above all things else, that sprang from
the masierhnnd that dire citing and oil inform
ing mind that stood at the head of the South
ern revolution, attested its commanding ge-
MUS. From Austria, was taken tho admira-
BILE organization Of the grand field st, q; from
Prussia, the firm and compact general mill.
tary anatomy; from France, the model of lila
field ordinance and scientific artillery theory
and prsciice and from tho United States. its
tactioal ecUnrmy, it's infantry equipment and
drill, its army regulations and its theory of
military maIoeuvre and strategic practice
West Point confronted Vest Point, and ac-
counts in great measure for that phenomenon
80 inexplicablo to the criticism of the forei OH
lockers on-great battles fought, with no
marked or decisive results attained. General
Lee and his adversaries made the same moves
on tho hostile field that they learned to make
on the chessboard Of the common parent
academy. Jackson, alone, repudiuted West
Point, studied Frederick and Napoleon, and,
ms a consequence, achieved more brilliant re-
suits, ip brief career of twenty months, than
tho whole array Of eminent commanders,
Federal and Confederate, combined, accom-
plished in four years of war.
The organization of tho Confederate army
was ti"'shed piece Of military mechanism,
methodtchl, harmonious, composite in ull per-
tanning to its exterior, practical Arrangement:
but there wa' fatal defect in it's interior.
vital econ' my-a morbid, organic deranee-
ment-thnt defeated every hope of healthy
bodily action, preyod upon the seat of life,
and caused its ultimate dissolution Thnt
disease was the absence of discipline. lfit
had posses sed this one important quality, the
battle OF Sh rpsburg would have declared
the independence of the South. General Lee
crossed over iuto Maryland, fortnight he
fore the happening OF that battle, with 10000
troops but on that field, he could only put
his hand on 35 900 of TINT number Not that
this more than moity OF his army had wilfuI-
ly deserted their eoIors !; but, allured from
their commands by tho pr6Suse hospitality of
the people Of Maryland, they fingered behind
the advancing army, thinking to rejoin it in
time to share its laurels.
Such conduct the systems Of Frederick and
Napoleon pronounced desertion, and infiexi-
bly punished with death. The great body Of
the rank md file of the Southern army was
composed of q social element that, in the ar
mics OF other countries, is seen only in posi-
ions of command and authority and the off
GERS elected from among themselves and often
their social and intellectual interiors, left
matters OF authority and subordination to take
care of themselves, while their only care Was
to make the reports correspond from day to
day and grave delinquences were conni 7ed
at In the shme way that college students deem
it badge of dishonor to act the part of In
former against their associates. Under such
gener ii relaxation Of authority, disc pline
was impossible and the Southern army was
nothing more th'n an association of patriotic
gentlemen, animated by the enthusiasm of q
common cause, and regarding army regula-
tions and discipline as designed only for
race OF slaves. When once in battle, thoy
fought with dash, spirit, resolution and
desperation Of Valor such as has never been
excelled by any soldiery in the world, an-
cient or modern. In the European sense of
the word. there was no such thing. known to
the Confederate army as discipline. Tho
punishment Of desertion by death was tho
exception, rather than the rule and tho hand
of the oommandor.i in chief was weakened
Just in proportion ns the severity OF the disci-
pline was relaxed. Jaokson was tho only
general officer in the Confederate service who
applied the rigid discipline Of the Enropenn
armies to that under his own command and
in proportion to its numbers. and in view of
the brief period within which its splendid
operations were performed, no army In tho
world ever accomplished such brilliant re-
suits. HIS severe discipline held his troops
firm, CLOSE, compact, in hand, and when he
struck, it was with full strength of his arm,
and victory was the result. Bragg made
some Intellectual attempts to discipline the or.
my of the West hut the Southern blood was
too high to bend to what it'conceived to be o
degradation, and could not then realize that