Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-11-07
Of posterity. However, it is to be admitted

of posterity. However, 1t is to be admitted
that, in its general meaning it was a true
and noble sentiment, well expressed; an
spothegm not unworthy Of place in the
pages Of a sententious philosophy. As an
expression bsth Of responsibility and resig-
nation, implying in its terms one of the
most appalling certainties of human life, 1t
well became Line chief actor in a great his
torical drama attracting the attention OF the
world, and moving under the direction Of
an overriding Providence.
GA CHANGE OF BASE"
When Gen. Mcclellan was beaten before
Richmond, and had retrsated to Harrison's
Landing, he disguised, or rouged, the dis
aster by telegrsphing to Washington that
he had reflected a change of base" This
official style of expressing retreat fur
nished much laughter 70 the South, and
supplied innumsrsble Witticisms and bon
mots to the newspapers. The polite Gu.
phusm for all fugacious displays came to
be "change of base" II o general re-
treated, if rogue decamped, if any one in
embarrassing circumstances "made him.
self scarce" McCleIIan's words came in
use-the fugitive had only "changed his
base.n The Charleston Mercury had the
following squib:
thereafter, when a scoundre's kicked out Of
doors,
He need never resent the disgrace,
But cay, 'DeSr sir, Pm eternally yours
For your kindness In changing my base"
sToNEwALL JACKsoN's LAST WORDS.
"Let Us cross over the river, and rest
under the shade of the trees" were worth
ily endeared to the south, as the last spoken
by Stonewall Jackson on his death-bed in
the farm house near the field Of Chancel-
lorsyille. They were among the utteian-
ces Of the delirium in which he died; aud
their connection with some preceding
speeches showed that the dying man i'm
agined himself at the head of bis army.
BE had just muttered something about his
soldiers being fed (and the dying allusion
TO what was the great fault Of the south
ern armies-the commissariat-wss
wrought up in the newspapers into curl
GUS eoincidence); then he had exclaimed,
sternly, ga. L. Hill, prepare for action p
A minute afterwsrd, and with strange
light breaking upon his couDtenance, he
said very gently, "Let us cross over the
river, and rest under the shade of the
trees" And 50 his spirit passed away, as
az the end of a weary march, and In the
prospect of repose.
81 WILL FIGHT IT OUT ON THIS LINE"
These famous words OF Gen. Grant are
yet in popular use to express spirit of de-
termination, the resolution of direct and
steady perseverance in anything under
taken. They occur in a dispatch which he
sent to Washington just after the doubtful
battle with which be opened the campaign
of 1864 across the Rspidan. The Southern
newspapers had subsequently some hyper
criticism on the expression, to the effect
that Grant did not really make good these
resOlute words; that he did not fight it out
on the line referred to; but that that line
was repeatedly changed, as when he moved
to Sp0ttsylvanis Courthouse; again when
he passed to McClellan's old fighting
ground; again when he crossed the James
river, and showed himself before Peters
burg; and yet again when, he pursued Lee,
and gathered the last lines of the war
around Appomattox Courthouse But
this criticism is scarcely fair, and is some
what puerile. In proper sense, it may be
said that Gen. Grant did maintain the in
tegrity of the line that ne at first developed
across the Rapidan.