The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1874-04-10

IL WIS ny CdAloGng oil hhD W ~
empty treasury, that our armies wer
so reduced in the last months OF tn
war.
As to the charge of want of loyalt!
or zeal in the war, / assert, from a
much opportunity for observation al
any individual had, that no people evel
displayed so much under such circum
stances, and with so little tagging fol
so long a time continuously. This as
proved by the long service of the troops
without pay and under exposure to sucl
hardships, from the causes above men
toned, as modern troops have rarely
endured by the voluntai Y contributions
of food and clothing sent to the armies
from every district that furnished a reg.
iment; by the general and continued
submission of the people to the tyranny
of the impressment system as practiced
such tyranny, / believe, as no other
hlgh-spicited people ever endured-and
by the sympathy and aid given in every
house to all protesting to belong to the
army or to be on the way to join it. And
this spirit continued not only after all
hope of success had died, but after the
final confession of defeat by their mill
tary commanders.
But even If the men of the south had
not been jealous in the cause, the pat
riotism of their mothers and wives and
sisters weuld have inspired them with
zeal or shamed them into its manifesto
ton. The women of the south e1hib-
tied that feeling wherever it could be
exhibited-in the armies by distributing
clothing made with their own hands,
and at the railroad stations and their
own homes by feeding the marching
soldiers, and, above all, in tn hospi-
tails, where they rivaled sisters of char
ity. am happy in the belief that their
devoted patriotism and genial charity
are to be richly rewarded.
An error in relation to the state of
preparation for war of each of the two
sections of the country in the begin
L refer to the belief that when the
southern confederacy was formed the
arms that had been provided by the
government of the United States for
the common defense were III the pos.
session of the seeded states.
This belief was produced by the
most malignant and industriously cir
culated ISLANDERS by which the reputa-
tion of any public man of the United
States ever suffered-the accuse ion
against John B. Floyd, of Virginia,
that while secretary of war he had all
the public arms removed from 1 orthern
the southern arsenals; to disarm
the north and arm the south, for
the impending war. This accusation
was so extensively circulated as to lead
to an investigation by a committee Of
the house of representatives in January,
1861. The chairman of that committee
was one of the most respected members
of the republican party in that house,
Mr.. Stanton, of Ohio. The report of
that committee completely exonerated
Mr.. Floyd, and refuted the calumny.
Yet it continued to be circulated and
believed, while the refutation, although
by such body, was unnOticed, and /
believe is now forgotten.
The facts that were distorted into
that calumny are clearly stated in tho
report of the committee, and must be
well known by the principal officers of
the United States ordnance bureau, and
recorded in that bureau; for the orders
in question were given through that,
the proper channel. They are briefly
these
Previous to the year 1859 til infantry
arms manufactured under the direction
of the war department had been accu-
mulating in the Springfield armory, in
of the neglect of an old
rule of the government which required
the distribution of these arms in arse
nails constructed for the purpose, in the
different sections eff the country. In
the beginning of that year the accnmu-
lation had filled the places of deposit
at Springfield, where the newly adopted
arms were made. To make
room there for tie new arms as they
were inshed, Mr.. Floyd ordered the
removal of about a hundred and five
thousand muskets% and ten thousand
rifles, to empty southern arsenals, con-
structed many years before to receive
them, under the laws of congress.
These were old-fashioned arms that had
been discarded by the government on
account of the recent improvements in
small arms and the adoption by it of the
&c rifed musket." About 400, 900 of the
improved we're left in the north. About
offered for distribution to the states
under an act of congress. Only 700 of
them went to the sOuth- however, be-
cause even then there was 80 little APP
of war that several south
ern states refused or neglected TO take
heir portions. Mr.. Floyd's orders, as
have said, were given before secession
had been thought of, or war appre-
lended, by the people of any part of
he United States.
The seeding states, in general, made |
no preparation for war by procuring |
lrms-none of consequence, that is to |
say. I believe that Georgia procured |
$4,000 old-fashioned muskets, and Vir- |
yinia had 40, 900, made in a state armory |
more than forty years before They had, |
If course, flint locks. Each of the other |
southern states on seeding claimed, |
md, when practicable, took possession
If the military property of the United
states within its limits. They obtained |
n that way the arms with which they |
)egan the war.
To recapitulate : The confederate
tates began the war with 120,0 arms
# obsolete models, and 700 of the re-
emily adopted weapons, "rifled mus
tets, and the United States with about
80, 900 of tho old and oil of bhe mod
rn arms that had been made since the
doption of the new model, about the
middle of Gen. Pierce's administration,
vhen Mr.. Davis was at the head Of the
var department, except, however, the
90 held by the confederacy. The equip
,ed field batteries and fixed ammuni-
ion of all kinds were in the north, as
yell as the establishments for the man
Ifacture of arms and the preparation of
except that at Harpers
Ferry, which, being on the border, was
bandoned by The United States, after
II attempt to destroy it, which left lit
lie besides machinery.
THE chief OF ordnance, Col. Craig, IN bis
.port on the subject states that but $4,000 OF
1e arms ordered by Mr.. Floyd to be sent 10
,e south were actually removed.
Wells.
Alas for wells From the tiny infant
] the nurses arms to the ancient widow
, bor rxraaJo tho ruboIa aav - xosI.I /