The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-01-14
Montgomery blair on Some Of tho Sc
orots OF tho War.

A correspondent OF tho New Orleans
Picayitne writes thns OF Sidney John
ston at Shiloh and Hood at Atlanta:
The writer, in looking over Virginia
paper, the Lexington Gazette, was forci-
bly, struck with an article which con-
tanned the substance of conversation
or interview of the Hon, Montgomery
Blair, at the Virginia Springs, this past
summer, upon some Of tho secrets of
the late war. We quote, as it is exceed
ingly interesting:
''BLA1R's INTERVIEW OF HIMSELF.
While spending Il day or two ut tho
Rockbridge Alum, last month, tho visit
OF the Hon. Montgomery Blair, in 1868,
to the same springs, was brought to
mind, and soma things connected with
tho late war and related by him were
freshened in tho memory. at this dis
tance OF time, entire accuracy is inpos.
sib!e, but tho report is correct in the
main. Mr.. B air made q public address
at the Alum; but his conversations in
his porch of evenings were specially in
teresIing. lie was Mr.. Lincoln's Post
master General, and know much Of the
inside OF the Washington Government
His brother, Gen. Frank Blair, served
| IL
twice in the power Of our Southern COM
manders to have achieved great victo
ries. at Shiloh, (they call it Pittsburg
the fruits thrown away. When the
Confederate forces halted, the Fedcrals
were ready to surrender. Thirty mi
nutes more of active firing and pushing
| would have ended in the capture of Grant
1olf &c [.
had already thrown down their arms,
and wore shelteripg themselves under
the river banks. The gun.boats were
firing. but their shot passed over the
Confederates. The bluffs along the
river required too high elevation OF the
cannon. He had heard that the shells
from the boats bursted among the high
officers in the rear of the Confederate
army, aud led them to think their SOL
diers we're suffering severely in their
approach by the river, and ordered u
halt. He mentioned sally from Atlanta
by Hood, killing Gen. Mcpherson, one
Of the most talented officers of the Fed
eral army. Tho death sof this great
soldier and the impetuous and nm.
checked advance of Hood threatened tho
United States forces with destruction
Sherman and his generals were aware oe
the crisis. and not hopeful Of happy
issue. He weakened his line ut other
points, and crowded Hood with fresh
troops, till his terrible advance was
slnckened and stopped. If half the en-
terprise exhibited by Hood bad been
shown hy his subordinntes, the ranks Of
the Federals, weakened by the men sent
to oppose the victorious onset of the
Confederate General-in- Chief, would
have been broken through, and Sher-
man put to flight or collapsed into
surrender. Mr.. Blair said his brother,
Gen. Frank Blair, drew for him the
battlefield, and assured him that the
movement of Hood would be rated
among military mon as probably the
most brilliant of tho war, and that the
escape of the Union army from ruin
was owing more to snpinencss in come
Southern officers than from any skill in
the Federals.
The writer was in both of the battles
referred to, occupying front position
10 both. At Shiloh his line WAS ad-
vanced on the evening Of the 9th until
1t was In easy musket range of the banks
OF tho Tennessee River, where we're
huddled III wild, frightened and shud-
ooiAnS lHasS tuo TemNauL Oh GranLS
powerful army, which had been hurled
back with tremendous losses and an an
Initiated organization to the waters
edge by the mastery strategy and une-
qnaled onslaught Of General Albert
Sydney Johnston, commanding the
Confederate forces. Never was moyuie
nnd organization so completely DESTROYED
in an army by one blow, ns in the Fedo.
rnl army under Grant on the evening of
9th of April at Shioh--the sun rose
that morning upon as proud an army as
the Federal Government could boast,
and set that evening upon 'haplcss
host OF fngi,ives." crushed and COVER
ing under Tho sheltcring bank OF the
tennessee. II the death blow of Tint
grand old chieftain, of whose life,
genius and patriotism his native Ken
tucky and her sister States may well be
proud, had not been given, the star Of
Grant, then glimmering in tho ascend
ancy. would have gone down in sea Of
bloody and irre,rcvabic diia>tcr-in in the
critical moment, when the hands Of the
Federal army were extended to their
enemy for mcrciful surrender, halt
WAS ordered. a few gnn-boals in the
river kept up y scattering but innocen.
shcl!ing OF our lines. while Buell., with
a llruo k'a,JornI forn, IL