The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1874-04-09
SOUTHERN HISTORY.


|
He began it with the occupation Of Har-
per's Ferry and the victory of Bull Run.
He manGuvered the shattered coufeder-
ate armies Of the west during the latter
months of that great campaign on the
Mississippi which made Gen. Grant
commander of the armies of the union
and broke the backbone of the cOnfed-
crate system. lie stayed for long weeks
with an inferior force the march of
Sherman to the sea, and whom at last
he was forced to recognize the hopeless
ness of the contest in Georgia aud the
Carolinas, the people of the confeder-
ate states all felt that the verdict OF
fate had been pronounced against them.
Gen. Johnston's account of Bull Run
explains the failure of the confederates
to follow up the day by advance up
on Washington. "The victory" says
General Johnston, "was as complete rs
one gained by infantry and artillery on
ly can be-" but he declares it to be his
opinion that "if tho tactics of the fed
erals had been equal to their strategy
we should have been beaten" He
thinks that General Mcdowell great
ly underestimated the strength of his
enemy" and that this was the cause OF
the fatal inferiOrity above alluded to.
1t is General Johnston's opinion that the
disasters of the north at the outset OF
the war were due to the fact that it I'M
dertook an offensive warfare and that
the south would have been Just as bad
ly beaten, therefore, had the Offensive
been originally taken ON that side.
EITHER country" he says, "could
have raised armies stronger both in
numbers and in spirit for defensive than
for offensive war;
" AT the outset" says General John
ston, "the southern troops were superi.
or to their advcrsaries, from greater
zeal and more familiarity with the use
of firearms. The thorough SYSTEM of
instruction introduced into the United
States army gradually established
equality i'll the use Of firearms, and our
greater zeal finally encountered better
discipline.
Upon the operations which preceded
the fall of Vicksburg and the great ad-
vance of Sherman through Georgia,
Gen. Johnston's book throws floods of
new light. We shall content ourselves
with few striking extracts, which will
give, we think, fair notion of the
spirit and style of his remarkable pub
lication. He says:
On tho DIST | received the following
letter from the president, dated ODD.
Like that Of the secretary of war, it
was ostcnsibly intended for my instruct
tion
GENERAL This is addressed I'M
der the supposition that you have ar
rived at Dalton, and have assumed com
mand at that place. The intelligence
recently received respecting the condi-
ton of that army is encouraging, and
induces me to hope that you will soon
be able to commence active operations
against the enemy.
"Tbe reports concerning Missionary
Ridge show that our loss in killed and
wounded was not great, and that tho
reverse sustained is not attributable to
any general decentralization or reluc-
tance to encounter the opposing army.
The brilliant stand made by the rear
guard at Ringgold sustains this belief
"In letter written to me soon after
the battle, General Bragg expressed
his unshaken confidence i'll the cour-
age and morale of the troops. lie
saws: 'We can redeem the past. Let
us concentrate all our available men,
unite them with this little army, still
full of zeal, and burning to redeem its
lost character and prestige-hurl the
whole upon the enemy, and crush him
in his power and glory. / believe it
practicable, and that may be allowed
to participate in Che struggle which may
restore to us the character, the prestige
and the country we have just lost
This will give rs confidence and restore
hope to the country and the army,
while it will do what is more import
ant, give us subsistence, without which
[ do not sec how we are to remain
united.
"The official reports made to my
aid-de- camp, Colonel Ives, who har just
returned from Dalton, presented a not
unfayorable view of the material of the
command.
"Tho chief OF ordnance reported
that, Notwithstanding the abandonment
of considerable number. of guns dur
} ing the battle, there was still on hand
owing to previous large captures by oul
troops, as many batteries as were pro
portionate to the strength of the army
well supplied with horses and equip
ment, that large reserve of smaliarmS
, was in store ut readily accessible points
and that the supply OF ammunition wa'
abundant
Comparatively few wagons and am
balances had been lost, and sufficient
remained for transportation purposes
if an equal distribution were made
throughout the different corps. Tht
teams appeared to be generally in fai
condition. The troops were tOlerabl,
provided with clothing, and heavy in
, voice of shoes and blankets daily ex
pected.
"The returns from the cOmmissar,
department showed that there wer,
thirty days provisions on hand.
, "Stragglers and convalescents wer,
| rapidly coming in, and the morning re
ports exhibited an effective total that
added to the two brigades last sen
Q from Mississippi and the cavalry sen
back by Longstreet, would furnish
[ force exceeding in number that actual.
engaged in any battle on the confeder
/. ate side during the present war. Gen
l eral Hardee telegraphed to me on tn
s 11th instant: 'Thc army is in goo
Il spirits the artillery recognized an
Il equipped, and We are now ready t
t fight.
"The effective condition of your ne
+ command, as thus reported to me, is
4 matter Of much copgratulation, and
o assure you that nothing shall be wan
d ing on the part of the government
l. aid you in your efforts to regain po
r session of the territory from which "
d have been driven. You will not nee