American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1868-08-08
THE MORALS OF THE CONFEDERATE
ARMY.

AkMl.
A most remarkable comment on
the morals of the late Confederate
army is presented in the recent re.
port to the Trustees of Mercer (Ga.)
University, by Rev. II. Fl. Tucker,
ID. d., President of the University.
The facts set forth will be read with
interest by the Southern people, and
cannot fail to impress those who are
not Southern people with the belief
that if we have been sorely chastised
by Heaven, we have also been SUR
prisingly blest. The following, SAYS
the Richmond Times, is an extract
from DR.. fuckers report. After
stating that the University is in full
and successful operation, and after
some remarks on the general good
3order of the students, the President t
reports:
In a few instances a unmber of
them together, owing not to evil in
tent, but merely to the eXuberance OF
youthful spirits, have been u little
too boistrous and somewhat disorder
ly. A mere suggestion of the impro-
priety of this, not accompanied With
reprOof, has been sufficient to restrain
them. AZ to diligence in study, |
have never had occasion to incite
them to it; on the contrary | have
felt it my duty, in some instances, to
restrain them, and advise them to de
vote more time to recreation. On tie
whole | may say that more dOcile,
gentle, tractable and dutiful body of
young men | have never seen. A
number of these students were sol.
diers in the Confederate army, and |
desire to put it on record as one of
the remarkable featS of the times,
these war-wOrn veteranS-veteranS
in arms, though young in years, who
served through the whole or greater
part of the war, arc not only among
the'best we now have, but among the
best we ever had. 1t is touching to
contemplate the almost incredible
combination of heroism and gentle
ness. They were lions in battle-at
home they were lambs. | need not
say that it is luxury to teach such
noble youths, and an honor and a
privilege to prepare them for their
future career,
The facts in the case seem to con-
tradict all our preConceived opinions
and theories. We supposed, i'll com.
mon with all, that the influences of
the army and of the camp would be
in the highest degree hurtful to NOR
ais; that IN re youth Of uniformed
removed from the re-
straints OF home-away from the
sweet influence of the sanctuary, and /
associatlng with company the most !
and witnessing and taking
active part almost daily in horrid .
scenes of carnage and death, would .
lose all their finer SenSibilltieS, and be- .
victims of the worst passions Of hui .
man nature. Indeed to the pious pa
rent, the risk of life aId limb in bat |
tlo was less to be dreaded than the .
more fearful perils of character. The
facts are precisely the reverse Of all |
that our fears anticipated. Whether
this is the case in all armies and in |
all wars, or whether the late COnfed
crate army was an exception, with or
parallel, and if 50, what were
the causes which made the case ex-
are questions which | shall
attempt to discuss. 1t is eneugh-at |
present. to record the surprising fact |
hat the influence of army life seems
10 have been for good, 1t shohld eX-
cite our heartfelt and fearful graft.
-ude to God, that if lie has slain ma
~ of our sons He has in His compen-
'ating Providence improved the char
icter of those that remain.
About two thirds of Que present
Students have been in the army, and
ire third of these, equivalent to one
ilth of the entire number of our stu
lentS were wounded in the service.
md wear the scars Of battle. From
he facts set forth | leave the world
o draw its own conclusions. /,