The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1870-08-26
An ex-Confederate General on the War.
-gi ~ iHi .rs - s - sna q ~
General Joseph T.. Johnston Inter-
viewed on the Current War Topic.

UeuCrdl OOSClDu L. % OIlIlStOH IL sO-
journing at the Sweet Chalybeate
Springs. A correspondent of the
Richmond Dispatch reports an inter-
view with him on the subject of the
war in Europe. rsa -ai III aiE.5a
One of us said :-"General, they
seem to he very slow about getting to
business over the water a"Oh no."
he replied, ''two powerful nations,
such as France and Prussia, require
time to prepare for war. Each side
must concentrate its forces before at
tempting to cross into the others.
country. 1t would be a fatal mistake
to cross without efficient force and
material to sustain an invasion. /
suppose the leader who first finds
himself with the larger force will be
the one to cross, gan -.sfia, % .iii
When asked about the relative
merits of the troops he said that the
French had generally been success
full in their combats with9the Prus-
slams, but this was as much due to
their excellent generalship and the
confidence. of the men in their gener-
ais as to any other cause. + =.
1t is a mistake to suppose that the
Prussians were not soldiers. Mill
tary knowledge was more widely
diffused among the people Of Prussia
than of France, because the Prussian
conscript was enlisted for three years
only, while the French were enlisted
for seven years. Thus the Prussians
were more constantly changing, and
military knowledge was diffused
among greater number Of men. ''''
AS to the generalship of the two
armies, the General expressed the
opinion that France had the advan-
tage in point of experience. The
French generals had been tried in the
Algerian and Crimean and Italian
wars, and their merits proven. Tile
merits of the Prussian generals could
not be discussed, as they have never
had opportunity as yet to display
them. The short campaign of 1856
was devoid of military actions and
movements sufficient to prove the
military ability of their generals. -
ayes but General, there is Won
Moltke, is not he a great general z"
Gle has that reputation, but not de-
scrvedly, / think. lie had the luck
to defeat an old and inefficient gen
eral ut SadOwa; whereas. if he had
had q general of any tact or, ability
opposed to him lac would have re-
ceived terrible whipping. From
the only historical version of the bat
tie i'm English that have seen it APP
pears that he started two columns
from two different points to advance
on Benedek. These two columns
were not in communication with each
other, Benedek calmly awaited the
attack, and while engaged with one
column the other took him in the
rear of his right. But what good
leader would have waited for these
two columns to come up on him
Napoleon the First or our own Jack
son would have advanced rapidly
opon one of the columns with his ell
tire army, defeated it, and then have
returned to take the other one i'm it.
turn
Ellis reputation, then, General, was
as deserved as that of Grant, and he
deserved about the same credit ffor
his strategy lo- ist 20 40
sOh. no,' rejoincd the Generals evil
IDENTIFY installing the drift OF the re-
mark. .'Grant would never have stay
ed there like Benedek. He would
have advanced upon one of the adj
vance columns and engaged them
separately e,ef ...sh.i. s.oi.
Touching the subject of American
sympathy with the opposing nations
ne expressed the idea, with a slight
indication of disgust, that politicians
would doubtless play upon their sym-
pathies for Prussia in the approach
| ing election in order to influence the
German vote. Hecould not under.
stand it why the press of the South
was so unanimous III its sympathy
with Prussia. In Savannah, where
he lived, there was hardly day upon
which the papers did not make an at
tack upon Napoleon. The impression
seemed to be that Napoleon was a
despot and King Frederick was not.
He considered this a great mistake.
Napoleon was wise and sagacious
ruler. and France was one of the
frecst countries in the world, and no.
where could a man find better pro-
lection for his life and property. The
Prussian government was one OF the
most dcspotic of Europe. The Ter
mans were great red republicans, and
in this country had almost as mass
voted against the South. As TO the