Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-02-16
LIES.

We take the following article, on
History and Novel writing " from the
Cincinnati Enquirer. We have seen in
books got up in the North for the use of
schools, as well as in articles in preten-
tious periodicals, the most shameless lies
in respect to engagements between the
Confederate and Federal forces, and
other matters that are part Of the history
of the war and the quantity Of false
hoods published by correspondents OF
Northern journals, in respect to Southern
men, their lives and private affairs and
conversations, is absolutely incredible.
To instance but a single example, there
is an account in some school-history of
the action at Elkhorn, between the Fed
eral forces under CURTIS, and the Con-
federates under VAN DORM, in which the
fierce pursuit of the ~retreating Confede-
rates by the Federals flushed with vie
tory is related with much JUNCTION, and
it is told how the woods caught fire and
blszed around the Confederates as they
fled.
There was no pursuit at all, of the
main body Of Van Dorn's troops. He
led them, entirely unmolested, to Hunts
vile, some twenty miles distant, and
the men had been marching an hour be-
fore they knew that they were retreat
ing. The whole account of the fire is a
fiction. As to the Federal accounts of
the engagement at Pea Ridge, the action.
as described by them IS about as much
like the real one, as it is like that Of Flu
entes d'OhOre or Inkermann.
HISTORY AND NOVEL WIRING.
To he Editors Of ne Cincinnati Enquirer.
Tn truth OF history IS a very small part ofita
TIE late war has furnished Us much proof or
the assertion, for there Is scarcely an Incident
connected wiihit OF which the correct account
has been ElvCn
Ignorance, the desire does ones self in print,
and PASSION and parti5u-y that leads mOst 10
praise all the acts Of their own side; or TO pass
over an fl-rant acts that would lend TO bring
dishonOr upon it, aud 20 di>parage ali the acts
ofIh- enemy o. n they performed any mer-
torous acts 20 conceal tueu.
There is no class # writer's who are doing
more to make llse impressions upon the minds
OF the people tlant the sensation novel writers
There is scarcely one that writes for the period
icals which flood the country, LuJ depict AL 1.-the
scenes OF Tie War 50 tnvorabiy that those VINO
N.NE aA hNANa aANENAN Aa Ia oALlaNA0u hkALA
conclude that al VINO were engaged on this
side were perfect thevaIirr BavHrds Tor bravery
and morality, and all who were engaged upon
the southern side were mcarnate GendS, inca
pable OF any good deeds whatever. And, by
their writings. they inspire "a haired against a
people whom any one may be- proud 90 cali
COuutymen. For what people yet were over
run by 6n enemy who had been taught that
the ncbois rad no rights which they were
bound 70 70 pect; that it was right 70 shoot
them down wherever they T. und mem, armed
or unsrhtet and who to- strict y ioi owed out
tho teoc7ings OF the loyal press, and hung hun
drsds uuulife was nearly eNtincr 70 force them
10 tell where they had buried their money or
other valuable articles; snd WIN shot down
men for no Othcr cause tnan because they woe
butteruutcolOred G othe-; whO robbed without
rcstraint CT rebuEe Vino usei for 10 corrupt
aud debauch thousands Ofthe southern women.
What people ever before snoE ed more Iorbear-
ance than they2 The whole northern srmy
unents were, and but rev regiment, Were en-
9 rely fee OtSuch mru-thOSc that ruliy Cd yed
The L. tcnings and / functions Of the loyal
press.
The cause OF writing this article was The ap-
psarAnce Of an arucleln the New York Ledger, !
No. 60, headed Under the GallOws," written
by Syivanus Cobb, jun, purpOrIing TO be a
story related BY a Capt. Chester. The whole ]
story is false from beginning to end, without
doubt, not one GOrd OF truth IN IL, and il the
whole tAing Is an idle c1ncoction Of the senss-
ton novelist, or was related 10 him by an Of
nc-r, he should ret-act Il through the same
source and not leave The readers OF such a
widely circulated paper 20 form opinions with
out some facts Tor Is foundation, when such
opinions tend TO prejudice the people Of one
section OI the contry against the other.