Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-08-05
THE FRANCO-PRUSSIAN
WAR.
The Views of the Confederate Gene
raj Joseph L. Johnston.

WAX.
The Views of the Confederate Gene
raj Joseph L. Johnston.
From the Correspondence of the Richmond Dis
patch, from Sweet Cnalybeate Springs, Va.
Gen. Joseph Z. Johnston and lady arr
also here. The General is looking re
markedly well and seems cheerful and
hopeful. In company with a couple OF
friends this morning, entered into a con-
versation with him in relation to the Eu-
ropean war. He spoke very readily, and
with great earnestness, evincing great
deal of thought upon the subject.
One of us said: General, they seem to
be very slow about getting TO business
over the water" sob, no." he replied /;
'two powerful nations, such as France
and Prussia, require time to prepare for
war. Each side must concentrate lis
forces before attempting to cross into the
others country. 1t woul be fatal mis-
take to cross without efficient force and
material to sustain en invasion. l sup
pose the leader who first finds himself
with the larger force will be the one to
cross
When asked about the relative merits
of the troops he said that the French had
generally been successful IN their COM
bats with the Prussians, but this was as
much due to their excellent generalship
and the confidence of the men in their
Generals as to any other cause.
1t was mistake to suppose that the
PrUssians were not soldiers. Military
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 Pruusians 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 advantage in point of ex-
perienCc. The French Generals had been
tried in the Algerian, and Crimean, and
Italian wars, and their merits proven.
The merits of the Prussian Generals could
not be discussed, as they had never had
opportunity as yet to display them. The
short campaign of 1866 was devoid of
military actions and movements sufficient
to prove the military ability of their Gen
erals.
"Ycs, but, General, there is Won
Moltke; is not he a great General ~
''IIe has that reputation, but not de-
servcdly, think. he had the luck to de
feat an old and inefficient General at Sa-
dowa; whereas if he had had q General of
any tact and ability opposed to him, he
would have received q terrible whipping.
From the only historical version of the
battle in English that have seen, it ap-
pears that be started two columns from
two different points to advanceupon Ben
edek. These two columns were not in
communication with each other. Bene-
dek 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 have come up on him
Napoleon the First, or our own jackson,
would have advanced rapidly upon one of
the columns with his entire army, defeat
ing it, and have returned to take the other
one in its turn.
''His reputation, then, General, was as
deserved as that of Grant, and he de-
served about the same credit for his STRAIT
egy."
sob, no, rejOined the General, evident
ly mistaking the DRIFT of the remark,
"Grant would never have staid there like
Benedek. He would have advanced upon
one of the advance columns, and engaged
them separately
Touching the subject of American SYM
pathy with the idea, with slight indica-
ton of disgust, that politicians would
doubtless play upon their sympathies fol-
Prussia in the approaching elections, in
order to influence the German vOte-he
could not understand it, why the press of
the South was so unanimous in its SYM
pathy with Prussia. In Savannah,
where he lived, there was hardly a day
upon which the papers did not make an
attack upon Napoleon. The impress
sion seemed to be that Napo-
leon was a dcspot and King Frederick
was not. He considered this great mis-
take Napoleon was a wise and sagaciOus
ruler. and France was one of the fTeest
countries in the world and nowhere could
a man find better protection for his life
anu llhlt-AN. 1ut L iuS'4-A N''NAA
ment was one of the most dcspotiC OF
Europe. The Germans were great Red
Republicans, and in this country had al
most as q mass fought and voted agains
the South. As to the interests Of Europe
in the struggle, he thought that they
should be with France, for if France wer,
defeated Napoleon would be dcthrOned
Such an event as this would cOnvulse
France, and there could be no peace II
Europe for long time.
So bystandcr pIayfuIly remarked, ''Gen
era, you and Gen. Lee ought to be ovel
there to settle this
Laughing he said, 'The General anC
myself would not make much headway
with our soldiers with our limited knOwl
edge of the German language. No leadel
should command an army without know
ing his men. Here, l think is where Tho
mistake lies in appointing so many Amer
lean officers to the Egyptian army. 1t !!
very nice for the officers, who are wei
paid, but it win not prove so well for the
Egyptians.
Here the conversation changed, anC
after enjoying it for some moments long
or, during which we could not help bein9
struck with the Generals unassuming anC
courteous bearing, we parted.
RorTwEIL is out with another puhlit