Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-11-16
ALBERT SIDNEY
The Lecture Of Colonel HuBford Before
the Confederate AssOctatiOn
Last Night,

the As8ocAalAOA l
Last Night.
The lecture delivered by Colonel Munford IN
the Memphis Club Hall, last night, was a dis
ttng1tsbed. as well as a deeply interesting
event We noticed among the very re-
sractable audience MI. Jefferson Davis, Gen
arsI Ewell. General walthsn, General Frayser
and other gentlemen of high reputation and
much prominence during the recent war.
The lecturer was introduced by General
Fizer. president Of the Confederate Associa-
ton. colonel Munford proceeded at once 70
deliver his discourse. he gave q clear 4
succinct account Of the operations in which
csnarsl Johnston was engaged in Tennessee,
and up TO the time Of his death at Shiloh. We
give a synopsis Of this very able and interest
ing lecture:
Alhert sidney johnson wss born at Wash |
In1ton- Mason county, Kentucky, on the I'd OF
February, lS1. He was the youngest Oh !srge
sifV and was conspicuous there for always
knowing bis lessons In ~ be was appointed
acsdet az Mes ~ f1 4n3sntr JP service went west |
/ and ii is noteworthy did not visit Washington
/ CITY tor more than 3 quarter OF q century, ano
| then in obedience 70 orders. he nao become
| sdfntant OF the sixth infantry, and in this ca
| nscity served in the Black Hawk war OF lSZ,
Ia a Campaign with two men, who have since
/ susrsfued an unusual h istoric relation, Namely
| Jefferson Davis and Abraham Lincoln.
In 1885 the falling health OF MS nrst vile
| caused him 10 resign. She died IN 1870 aho lhe
| Texas revolution breaking out be enlisted IN
| its army as q private early IN ls4, rising IN =
| year TO the chief commRnd, having nlleo eNSrS
| grade except that otlieutenant-coiOneL. IN teot
hs was made secretary OF WaTof lhst rePub.le,
4 nIling that difficult and important ONCE win
| ability. He q rnesuy rdvocateq
snneTaflon- and when this was accompl shed
retired like an ancient hero 70 his farm, on
which he regularly labored with ms own hanos
for the support OF 9 second wife and MS young
/ children. Upon the breaking out OF the Mex
lean war, General Taylor made a personal re
L Quest Of General job son TO Join him, when
se did at Corpus Christi He was elected col
onel OF the first Texas M when ne
commanded till its term OF service expired,
/ General Taylor then assigned him 70 dGty as
Inspector of suffers division. At Monterey
he greatly distinguished himself Generals
i Haner. Butler and Taylor al complimented
MIN and him to the govern
ment Tor promotion. In l4s he was appointed
paymaster in the army, and ior nve yeaTs ais
Il CHARGED this duty IN the frontiers OF Texas. In
is54 he was appointed co4onel Of the I'd cav
airy, OF which Robert e Lee was lieutenant
Il colonel and William ]. Hsrdee major. what q
eaIaxy in a single re. iment! He commanded
the department OF Texas TILL ordered 70 take
command of the then imPer1led Juan e1pe-
Il ditiOn. which il requiem all his talents 70 save,
He not only saved the expedition, but t1
nm hantly and bOnorably settled the ques-
tons then endaI gertng the peace OF the ma
ION The sun ability he displayed in
discharR ng these difficult duties ADDED great
" TO his fame. BE was next assigned TO the
4 COUlLLhlA AROhA LG 6@-An1
the memorable year OF lSl.
In psusou S5ensrslJ Johnson wzstal, SQUARE
shOuldered, Iun chtstea she mHsculei.
without grossDess, indicating great pooliS
tTengtn. his bust was superb. the neck anr
hesd mounting " ard nom the shoulders
I'm mhfeelic ". ce HIS compact Jaws BeI-
nina ed in q chin somewhat prominent anc
bot slightly square, az re SnIcn one OF u
worn by man, partly eoicSsied Sut could no
render leroclous The sweet ana genial express
SION of his mouth over this 5000 so0e-
what boldly forth the clio '4-cut and expanded
sDi ls ola bTosd-Dassd nose which slightly
i%ncllnlng upwards sIsW OUT nom oeIesI
Thought sal IS u pom q throne. his full and
angular, though rounded, fe.ehead rose up
Waru tln its nigh We peaks" we're ioi
ander dark-broWn hsir g little mixed with
grey, extremity nne and wsVy simost 70
Ours. His desp-set. blue-Srey eyes, smsL
that sort which Cowper dekctoss as melt
ing in love and kin dIfnY in war" over these
/ feaIu. es q kin uuu soft, white ana
ciear. though now lightly hrorEsd from ex
posure, completed d. picture OF more then Or
dinary manly beauty. Coerege sna modssty.
intellect and goOdnes uoeeriuAy otVlosu the
empire over his expressive isce.
When absorbed IN Ihought bis heed leaned
eorEard and his body slightly bent. At all
other times he was strtkinsly erect
His soldierly port, devoid OF stlnnesss
was characterized bY--a dignlned and
POISED, simple and uncstentatious- l do not
remember a man filling high position so ut
terly uncomtaminated by mat vulgar "dlNlh-
ity which doth hedge a King" There was, In
both his appearance AMI bearing, That name
less something which, whilst IL chastened I'M
ps~rtinence. invited confidence, and rendered
even the humblest at perfect ease in his pres
ence. He was eminently a~pproachaDle 70
every body OF every rank ana conoluon IN
life. Neither his movement whilst walking
nor his manner in repOEe could Justly be call
ed kwa yet neither were Light and airy
in fact there was in both something too pom
derous for grace. On horseback ms appear
ance excited universal admiration. A caVe-
lier by instinct and training, be sat a horse as
| II, centaur-lks, he had groHn up part OF hlm-
Wherever his soldiers caught sight OF him In
the saddle their shouts were trrepressible.
styie being m vigorous and risidly CON
else. His manner Of talking was slow, meas
ured and thoughtful, eyincing an an1-
which would express only his exact
meaning. From this care to say just the thing
was one OF the most Interesting Of mon. HIS
scholarship was ripe-his knowledge OF books,
OF men, and ofthings, was extensive ana va,
RED His views always comprehensive and
clear, never failed In their expression TO nvet
attention and cOnter pleasure. To his cheerful
temper was superadded a fund OF the richest
humor, which not unreQuently sparkled into
diamond-pointed wit. The prominent ana
Distinguishing features OF his inteLlects now
ever. we're au Intense perception and realiEa-
| do. of s~urrounding circumstances: a power OF
analysis which no complication Of lots could
bs1ne; a logical accuracy Of thonght whioh
the mazes of any labyrinth; and q solid JUG
me { which correctly estimated forces and
perfect mas1er They were thoroughly disci-
pIined-ennghtened by extensive knowledge,
and perfected by a lsrgeexperience. HIS sound
senss. therefore, was Of that perfect kind
which constitutes wisdom.
To strangers, his intellectual action seemed
TO be slow This was 6. misrepresentation, re
quiring for It's correction only a better know
ledge OF the man In communicating MS
thoughts 70 the outer world; In the use 81 q
mere machinery Of words, he was simply IN
ready. Where words were not TO be used,
but things were to be done; where
directly into acts, they moved with all
the Quic ness and force OF the electric dash
OF oTRtorical power he had none. Like Moses
he was sslow Of speech" and could write bet
ter than he spoke Some men can both speak
and write greatly above their true intellectual
worth In neither could sidney johnson ap-
prosch the very high mark OF his own, and ne
was fully conscious of the deleot In counsel
he was always g~reat--in action. greater sun
OF the enemy and thwerting them-in seiZtng
at q glance the decisive points or the battle
neld and concentrating upon them more
troops than could be opposed TO hin-in
grasping his army, hurting 1t like q thunder
bolt upon the foe and scattering all opposition
nom before him-his genius blazed forth IN al
It's fuli-orbed splendoT and glory. In his short
career as a Confederate general, that victory
Is his only monument. Alas! that the proud
temnle he builded there" should have crum-
bled Into dust at his death. But It's memory
and his Will live in the bosomso of his country
men as long as there Is len on earth one true
Confederate heartbeat. To these high Intel
iectual gifts was united q l~arge-hearted good
ness Of wbichhe was '.ful as the dew-drop OF
the morning beam together they shed
upon his name a l1stre Belonging OF right
only 70 the immortals. such was sidney
Johnson-the model so~ldter7genusmsn and
patriot.
HIS MAGNANIMTTY AND HlGH SENSE
OF JUSTICE.
close this sketch with a few Illustrative
anecdotes BE had no self seeking. BE hon-
estly believed that the south wss right anc
the cause Of constitut onal IDer y in america
bound up In her fata In Joining her
standard, Therefore, he was actuaied by snch
convictions OF duty that ne had no trouble In
keeping his eve Axed siDgly upo1 her sue
cess. as Illustrative Of ints, o. mis- magma
nLmity and absolute lasiieA, l viii nqtlce his
treatment Of Generals Floyd and Pillow. in
the very midst of the den unclaions poured
out upon him Ior losing the army at ponel-
son. 1t hes already been stated that he re-
ceiYed them beth with the utmost
kindness, and made Floyd At oEce
Vile. xfter we hsd reached Murfess-
boro, I asksd him what he thought of their
conduct. he rsplaad: The ofhcisl reports
are not yet before me. I 40 not think II
would be just 70 those genflsmen to permit
rnyeelf to form an opinion till they have
stated the facls In an authentic form At
Decztur, he Voluntarily said 10 me: 81 intend
70 sustain Floyd AMI Pillow. Their conduit
was irregular. Out Its repetition msy be
avoided by q simple order. They are both
ence IN the neld. We hsve too few oncers p's-
sessAd OF these advantages. and the countrv
needs them. / think It my duty 10 sustain
i them, and shall do 80" How lew men in the
midst Of abuSe, as he was. would not have tried
10 save their " reputation by sacrificing his
ownf
HIS OPINION THAT OFFICES ARE PUBLIC
TRUSrA