The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-07-16
RECORDS OF THE WAR.

of those parts of the military operations
the war of secession in which he had takei
. part, is one worthy of imitation.
: The history of this Republic from the clos
of the year 1860 until the beginning Of 1885,
will be one of great importance to all classes
of thinking readers, but will be invaluable tc
the student of military history. For The
good of political and military science, for the
sake of just praise to those who merit it, as Q
warning to coming generations, and as 9
chronicle of what deserves to be remembered,
there ought, in the fulness of time, to be a
fair, impartial and truthful history written Of
the operations of those most eventful five
years.
This is task which can not be done now.
Perhaps the successful historian of the war
of secession is yet unborn. There must in
future years be found the union of talent
with industry, of research with profound
philosophic meditation, of the ability to study
military affairs through the mind of the SOL
der, with the capacity to appreciate political
affairs through the mind of the statesman, q
fair, full, clear, logical, analysing mind.
thorough in its conception and comprehen-
sion, joined with q spirit capable of entering
into the feelings Of heroic men; thinker
who fathoms the depths of human motives.
writer who can paint battles in words, q
critic who can penetrate all DISCUSSES. a man
who shall not be alone among men Of high
talent and broad magnanimity.
The time for such historian has not ar
rived, but the era will come when a great
chronicler will win unfading honors
by such noble work. The surviving actors,
| as well as the descendants of those who fell
in that great drama, whether upon the side Of
the adhering or Of the seeding States, may
rest content that when passion subsidies the
truth Of history will be duly indicated.
The coming historian of the most remark.
able war that was ever carried on will require
all the materials which can be found. It
seems, therefore, to be the duty of all who
were in any manner engaged in the titanic
struggle on either side to put on record all
that they know about it, 80 that when it is
published by multiplying the record their
testimony will be preserved beyond the pos
sibility of loss or destruction. Let every
officer of the rank of captain in either army
write and print his own experience from the
beginning until the close of his term of SER
vice, giving the truth as it appeared to him,
giving Impressions as they were made upon
him, describing what he saw, detailing what
he heard, recording his impressions of the
leading commanders, giving every remem-
bered authentic anecdote of battlefield or
camp, noting how and where his comrades
fell, representing the sentiments prevailing
in his own and other commands, and placing
in the hands of the reader the means of get
ting q realizing sense Of all that he describes.
Labors like these comprise the most that can
now be expected towards military history Of
the period named. Until half century has
elapsed there can be no true history of the
war, but in the multitude of chronicles there
might be laid up and made accessible an
abundance Of materials for the coming his
torian. The publication Of memoirs and
chronicles may awaken enmities and jealous
les, and provoke much censorious criticism,
but writer's who love the truth will utter it. let
it cut wherever it may.
It is mistake for an officer of either army
to think that his own observation and expert.
ence are not important. 1t is another to think
that any true relation concerning the war can
be otherwise than interesting, or that the
lapse of years will in anywise lessen the eager
ness of his descendants to know the history
of his service in the field. 1t is very great
mistake to think that all the honors of the war
will be accorded exclusively to those who
finally won. But the gravest and widest mis-
take of all is to imagine that any unmerited |
dishonor can attach to the names of those |
who fought upon the losing side. The day is
not distant when all true Americans will confess |
that in the great war of secession the soldiers
in each army believed that their cause was
Just. and they will take pride in the valor,
proves and heroism of their countrymen on
whichever side displayed
Ia spite of the cant of carping politicians
and the mean-spirited censures of fanatics,
the day is coming when those who met in
bloody battles will say what they think Of
each others chivalry, without needing the
comments of the vulgar herd. The acts and
words of the groveling, narrow.minded and
vulgar perish from the memory, but the YER
iicts which brave, noble and good men pro-
,ounce upon each other will re main on record
IS long as race of magnanimous men is left
n the land.
The actors and eye-witnesses on the great
'rena of the recent war, ought to write and
publish all they remember of it, without
'eing deferred by the fear of being accused
# vanity, and of a wish to win more honor
han their share. He who is q gentleman and
soldier may speak the truth as he knows it,
md relate the story of his own actions without
isking the loss ofa particle ofthe esteem of any
man. Even when what is written
,rovokes rejoinders. the cause of truth gains
sther than loses. Let each actor review his
'wn part as he remembers and understands