New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-05-11
'An Ofiicer and Gentleman. ,,
From the New York Christian Unior,P

! blame an intidel for doubling whether the
laws Of divine justice are always in force
when such lite as General Canby's il
| recklesslv cut off by the hand of a wortho
less savage like captain Jack" Ii is only
in view Of the far-reaching influence which
this shocking affair must have upon our fue
,ure relations with the wild tribes. thai
short sighted humanity can feel at all recono
| ciied. The world knows the details of this
last out-crop Of Indian treachery. How the
commissioners and the MUdoc chiefs mes
between the opposing forces. How after a
| characteristic speech, the leading chiee
stepped behind the commissioners, coolly
| said. "all ready" snapped his revolver a.
! General Candy, recocked it, and as the
; General turned to face him, shot the noble
old soldier through the head so that he fels
iifeless almost on the instant. OF the Othep
victims Of this shocking affair the presens
| writer knows nothing, but with Gero
eral Candy he had relations which,
| while they were in Che main 4nerelv
! official, served 70 impress him with a lasto
| ing respec. for one whose life was truly
that OF ian officer aud gentenano'
Military affairs wege in a very bad way
| in Louisiana. when. early in 1864, War
| Department order was issued creating the
| military division of west Mississippi, ant
placing Major General E. II. S. Canby III
command. OF course somebody had to be
superseded; but rs we had just received q
! sew sound beating at the hands Of the
rebels under Dick Taylor on the Red river,
| and as the hist ~ of the Department of the
! Gulf had been tor two years u pretty dis
! graceful one, the capture of Port Hudson
/ and the G ,mpaign which preceded il being
the only redeeming features, nobody, save
the superseded officer with his numerous
staff, and his still more Numerous corps OF
F.! hangers-on. felt very badly.
No one knew very much about the new
| commandment and at that time comm unica-
with the North was comparatively intre-
Guenr. The lrnay Register told us that he
ranked as Colonel IN the regulars. One re-
stood 10y the flag in New Mexico when the
war first broke out; another. that be had
| been in command in New York when the
| city was under martial law in 1868; and
! others. that he had served in the Florida
and Mexican wars, and elsewhere. Mat
ters went on "a usual tor few days, while
| the new staff learned the run Of headoUar-
ters business. Then there came day
when sundry officials high in command re-
ceived notices from the quartermaster to
| the effect that horses bearing the United
States brand should not be used by officers
unless proper certificates of purchase could
| be exhibited, Every one had seen such
orders before, and took them merely
as matter OF form; but after a
few days more, courts martial were
! organized, and charges began to be
| preferred against officers for disregard
| us orders. In some instances, where the
! service required it, horses were taken from
| private stables and turned over to the cave
! al:v or artillery. There was sad ia lling-ctf
! i'll che nanbey of tuInouts on the shell road
! OF pieasan: afternoons. Presently, too, the
! spectators began TO find it difficult to pass
! wagon or boat loads az boots aud shoes bee
! yond our outposts. and dangerous 20 bring
| pack the return loads OF cotton and sugar,
! shortly. military commissions were estab-
| !ished for the tIia1 Of civil cases, and army
! supplies became forthwith scarccr than ever
! in The Confederate States bordering the
Cuff. Nor was this all. Those Of us who
were i'll l;nmedi ate command OF troops
began TO learn that it was advisable to be
i'll constant readire ss for inspection at quite
irregular and inconvenien hours; ard SO,
without any unnecessary fuss, the sadly
G.sorganlzed Army OF the Gulf found itself
in highly efficient condition Altogether
j: Was very striking instance of what an
earnest commander can do when his efforts
are backed by faithful and appreciative
staff.
The writer hereof had become rather shy
OF headquarters receptions when CANDY
assumed command. Those of us " ho had
~ live OH cur nay had found 1t not easy to
keep SIP appearances III the matter of
' CS
OF course. however. it was the thing TO
plesent one i self at the quarters OF a new
colHflandefs ami as receptions occurred pee
riodlcally during she months preceding the
Mobile campaign it was soon evident that
the wOrthiest and best men in the army
were rallying about General Canbye His
tall spare form, in the plain nn lress Cnie
form OF a major general. is very distinctly
before me as write: and the digniti I'd hose
pItalltv with which he and his wife received
MS al! was something new to the army in .
New Orleans. Truth compels me to admit
that to some the new order of things was
not at all acceptable and dissatisfaction
vergeG upon Indignation when courtsmaIe
:!al began to pass severe sentences (which
were very likely to be approved ut heade
quarters, for drunkenness in public or on
duty, and for other irregularities which
army inen are TOO apt to regard with
indifference. Be that It mayo however.
General Canhy made his-own high standard
of manhood felt throughout the commando
and doubt if many who were under him
Will 70 day deny that he did much to reform
the departments Presently came che CAPE
:ur" OF Mobile, and the surrender IN $3.50.
Ct the last armed force of the rebellion. AS
campaigner. General Candy was Perhaps
over cautions. bus that he was an energetic
fighter with once he had his troops well ia
hand j. evident .roni tire .ig1r with which
he pushed 10 a successful termination the
campaigns about Mobile, which were, iro
deed. TIE last active field operations OF tie
war.
Wholly without the petty ambitions and
jralcnAIrs which so often d+tract from our
admiration of a successful soldier, General
Candy was utterly incapable of intriguing
tor his own advancement. The honors that
be gained were such that any Christian gen
tleman may be proud to wear Our readers
may remember that in 1863 while GeperaI
Candy was in command at Richmond, and
the troubles about reconstruction and the
TEST oath and SO on were beginning his
name was dragged before the public, and
ne was decrled or praised, after the manner
OF politicians. Those who knew the man
WERE OF course, sure that he would act
wisely and well at that perplexing
time, and SO he did. The journals which
were then foremost in irving 10 de-
fame this faithful, blameless. unpretend.
ing officer are now joining in the eulogies
called out by his death.
The General was. at the beginning of the
winter, placed in command of the Depart
nent of the Columbia. His advanced years
and long services entitled him to a life as
easy as can be expected by an officer on &C
tive duty: but when this Modoc business
came up, he was asked to conduct the ne,
got'atons. and promptly left his headauar-
ters at Portland, Oregon, to pass the winter
III She fieldo The zeal with which he has
strIsen TO reconcile conflicting interests and
"plnlonso not 10 cay orders. is characteristic
~ tne InaDo AlIness anyone else would
hay" soss patience. and exceeded his sao
stsnc!!ons.. Perhaps if more energetic
measures had been permitted, This nobls
.:fe ;Hight have been prolonged: but if hia
death compels rs 8" adopt a weiI-consit9e
cred and discriminating Indian policy, she
es.essGrs will nor ha W. hes IN ,..iu