The Caucasian. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1874-1875, 1874-04-25
BOOK REVIEW.
Narrative of the War Between the
States, by
GENL. JOSEPH E. JOHNSTON,
d. Appleton 4 Co., Publishers.


1874.
Through the kindness and courtesy
of Mr.. w. K. Johnson, the local Agen
for the sale of the book here-we are
just in receipt of this volume. 1t il
elegantly bound, printed on most ex.
cellent, white clean paper, and pre-
sents the most respectable appearance
of any recent work that has come I'M.
der our observation. 1t is sold only
| by subscription, Price SIS 90 cloth
Col. Jack Wharton is the Agent 70,
the State of Louisiana. We predic,
for it larger sale than any similar
work has ever met with among the
Southern people.
We have not at present, sufficient
space at our command to do anything
like justice to General Johnston's work
and much to our regret, for we would
like to reply to a review Of three col :
nmns leugth we have Just read in the
latest humber of the New York Week
~ Sun, which is SO evidently tinged
with the animosity Of the Northern civ
ilian towards one of the most formida-
ble Of the opponents of the North in
our recent struggle, as to do General
Johnston great injustice. The article
of the Sun is in marked contrast with
the expressions Of the opinion Of Cen
eral j. Hooker of the U. s. Army, pub
lished in the work itself; and of the
two, we much prefer to follow the
opinion of one who fought Genl. john
l'ston and who had better opportunities
OF judging of his military capacity and
Of the generalship displayed by him IN
his campaigns, than had the critic of
the Sun. We honor General j. Hooker
for that letter to General Johnston, and
applaud the generosity of the true SOL
der, who when his former enemy had
laid down his arms, did not hesitate to
express his admiration for his genius
or to do justice to his military aperar
tons, although, against himself. Let
the soldiers on both sides who fought
the war, settle the matter Of animosity
between the two SECTIONS Of our coun-
try, free from the intermedlIing of civ
ilians who remained at home while the
fighting was being done, and we are
no prophet, if the "bloody cl,asm'' is
not bridged in an inconceivably short
time, and both North and South unite
IN a common policy of protection, good
feeling, aud national prize. Let each
section retain the sacred memory of
its heroic dead; let each build historic
monuments to perpetnate the recoIlec-
ton Of the gigantic contest of brother
against brother; let the one find con
ISOLATION in defeat by rejecting that no
foreign foe was the conque,o,, and the
other learn to he magsanimons in vic
tory by remembering that the van
quished is the weaker brother of the
same family, that boil. have a common
history, and a common destiny, and we
will hear no more Of oppression on the
one hand nor animosity On the other.
The only fault we have to find with
THE NARRATIVE, is that too mucl, of its
contents is taken ZIP in a discussion of
the controversy between President
Davis aud the anttor. We do not,
however, grumble very much at the
author, for all our symgathes are with
him. q
The matter is one of vital impor-
lance to General Johnston aud. upon
the strength or weakness Of his defense
of himself depends tie position he W il
occupy in history, either as weak,
wavering, neutrality-suspicious., not TO
say coward7ly, commander OF as the
crafty, prudent and bold genius, who
is worthy of tl,e'merit accorded him 10y
his enemies during tile war, who plac
ing his name in ''perilons connecticut"
with that of the immortal Lee, advised
their Generals "to beware Of Lee on
the advance, and of Johnston OIL tho
retreat"
Having, as General Johnston has to
do, contend for his fame against the
odds of having the FOREMOST man of lbs
own side, as an adversary, it belpoves
him to be painstaking and elaborate in
his OVID defense. We t@ink that he
has succeeded admirably we'll in 'smak-
ing out his caseY as the lawyers say;
aud as of the jurors sitting upon it's
trial, We render our verdict IN his favor.
We well remembe. the effect npds the |
portion Of the army to which VIE be-
lonscd, when it was announced that
General Johnston had been removed
from the command Of the army in front
of Atlanta aud General Hood given! his
The former had the CONT
dence 81 the Whole army, and the lat
ter was not held in that esteem which
was necessary for successful operations.
Had they both been the recipieuts Of
the same confidence and respect from
the army generally, change ofcom-
manders liz the face of an advancing
foe, largely superior 10 numbers, was
hazardous experiment, that could
hardly have resulted otherwise than it
did, in confusion, defeat and disaster.
1t was generally predicted then in
camp, that President Davis had intlict-
ed the death blow Of the Confederacy,
and We solemnly believe to-day, that