Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-02-27

| hNu0Nkh NhsI s's'' J'"se sss-'N $780,
since the clash ofarms ceased throughout
the South, historians have not been slow
20 contribute TO ootemporaneous litera-
ture scores Of volumes, historical, bio
graphical, ETC., relative to the great
struggle terminated on that ever mem
orable day at Appomattox Court House.
Some deem the time too short since the
cessation Of hostilities for impartial his
tory to be written. This is true so far as
making up the final record as between
North aud South but that Of regiments,
brigades, divisions, corps, or Of indi-
yiduals, can be as accurately and un-
periodically traced as at any future
time.
We have been led TO these remarks by
the presence on our table for several
days Of "The Campaigns of Lieut.. Gen.
N. B. Forrest, and Of Forests Cavalry"
by Gen. Thomas Jordou and Col. John
p. Pryor. tits work of seven hundred
pages, from the press of Blelock 4 Co.,
New Orleans, Memphis and New York,
gotten up in good style, the type being
clear and bold, and the paper Of first.rate
quality. Interspersed through its pages
are large number Of Autographs Of the
more prominent officers Of General For
rests command.
The work, as its name reveals, is in
tended to furnish history of the war
for the Confederacy so far as the troops
serving under Gen. Forrest participated
in it. The style is that of plain, I'M
vanished narrative, the authors wisely
avoiding the too common error Of gar
nishing with attempts at the heroics.
Nowhere do we observe any disposition
to color, or by enveloping incidents in
ambiguous, high sounding phrases, mis-
lead. The style is plain and simple,
suited to the comprehension of all. The
sentences, though of ample strength,
flow gracefully as the smoothest current,
aud the literary as we'll as mechanical
execution of the work must commend
itself to all.
The opening chapters are devoted to
the early years of Gen. Forrest, and con-
tain many interesting incidents yet in
the memory of "old settlers T" as part of
the stirring border life in the Southwest
From youth Gen. Forrest was q marked
parsonage. He was seldom baked in
anything he undertook, and his was not
the spirit to quail before obstacles. His
early life was as full of adventure as
that which caused the country to ring
with his deeds Of daring few years
ago. Whether participating in the
scenes of strife so common in Southern
communities many years ago, serving a
constituency as an Alderman, or battling
with armed hosts for his section, victory
seldom failed to reward his efforts. His
career has been almost uniformly sue
cessful, both as civilian and soldier. BE
possesses in an eminent degree those
sterling qualities which command sue
cess-bravery, indomitable energy and
perseverance, and that which we call
dash, all guided by strong, clear sense,
The material of the work is mainly
contributed by General Forrest himself,
| L c..~.oL>I 10 a.thara oil thu "a or
that could be obtained from official re
ports, correspondence, official orders
and personal recollections. Everything
derived from other sources is properly
credited. So in all essentials it may be
regarded as bearing an official stamp, I'M
! like the majority of cotemporaneous
works of the same kind derived almost
in their entirety from scraps Joined to-
gether at random.
In glancing through its pages we find
no evidence Of that narrow-mindedness
and malice which so often crop out Of
war histories to the advantage. of the un-
deserving or disadvantage of the deserv'
ing. No effort is made to render the
chief subject of the book more of a hero
or warrior than the facts warrant No
where is he held up as deni-god, as
ford writer's are wont to parade those
whose histories they write as labor oil
love. Every material fact is borne out
by ample proof and the reader is left'to
his own conclusions. So far as the per-
sonal illusions to Gen. Forrest are con-
cerned, The Campaigns" is but fuller
development of those leading character
istics which all familiar with the citizen
we're atisfed would more powerfully re-
veal themselves in the soldier.
We have not space for more than gem
eral illusions to this history, which from
beginning to cad Is but record Of
thrilling adventure of individuals, COM
pauies, regiments or brigades. The
names Of all who bore prominent parts
in the work performed by Forests Cav
airy" are given with such attention to
personal deeds as the limits Of the book
permit. As whole, it reflects no little
credit upon the historians, who may
Justly feel proud of their tribute to as
brave and gallant a body of soldiers as
ever war threw i'lto the battlefield For
sale by Blelock & Co., 3l5 Main street.
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robson, sNEED d CO., removed