Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1866-11-08
THE SOLDIERS OF THE SOUTH.

We make the following extract from a
long and brilliant article on the Southern
armies, which appears III the last number
of the Crescent monthly, and is written by
j. Quitman Moore:
The Infantry service of the Confederate
army was the finest body Of light foot,
bearing the discipline, the world ever saw.
1t possessed all the tenacity iii line OF the
Austrislle all the confidence in column,
bodncss in attack and cool elf-possession
in defea of the British, and all the daring
intre}Iuty and arless dash Of the French
Corps d. Afrique while the deliberateness
and precision with which it delivered its
deadly rifle fire, inflicting. nearly a double
loss on. the enemy IN almost every en-
gayement, attested its vast super iority 4ov-
er that of the enemy. Tire Confederate
skrmishers were the terror OF the Federal
;rnly and in all combined movements in
the open field, and with numbers always
interior to the enemy, the Southern :nfan-
ny. has never failed to win the field. This
superiority proceeded not from the great
ei bravery uf the Confederate troops, but
from their greater com nbined skill and in-
telligence, flowing from that larger lati>
tude given to individual action. Without
3 their officers TO guide and direct them tho
Federal troops were little better than an
armed mob. Tie Confederate troops acr-
ed generally as we'll without as with Their
fficers.. whose superiority was oll y~sllfe
temporary distinction OF rank. j There
w re men in the anks of the Southern
army VINO COULD have supplied the places
of their general officers. Gen'l Roger. A.
Pryor, after gall;ntly serving his country
as commander OF a brigade, rendered his
resiynation aid fought to the end OF the
war in the capacity OF a gallant private il.
the Ninth Virginia cavalry. o,
The Enelish reter with just pride and
enthusiastic praise to the 3s,,.id 'terlacity
and stubborn courage Of the British infan-
try at the battle Of Inkerrr1ar, Where 5000
British ligh.oot held III check and finally
repulsed $4,000 Russian ihtaiitrv, Dut 1t
cannot compare With tlie brilliant and
spirited infanty charges Of Ewelfs' aud
Longstreet'stcro Us upon the fortified posi-.
ton OF Gettysburg, on. the evening OF the
second days battle, where the Southern
infantry moved to the assault under a with
.erng artillery fire, aud. swept before it
three heavy lines, of battle. And nothing
i. is so forcibly illustrative OF that high in7
], telligence that was the Distinguishing 3
Characteristic of the Southern. army. than
+ the fact that it saw and felt, before the at
tack was made, that the assault Of the, 3D.
must prove a failure. {.f,e .Yf;aazes s<ll.
lae The cavalry branch of the Confederate
Il army was, strictly. speaking, only "a part
III ofits infantry arm, clothed with equestrian
19p powers and Officers. 1t WAS only, a. supe
y riof4 body ofmounted infantry that, as ad-
II .Hvanced videttesgand daring, scouts, formed
4. the ears and eyes, Of that; army that was.
lnever but once taken by surprise. The
:, mounted force of the Confederate army re-
: semhled the, Russian CcssackJ whose Of
4 .fce is to harrass and threaten, not attack;
and as, Z guerrillas, they became reno oHned