Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-02-16
WAR HISTORY.

Gid.de-camp on the staff Of General Nc
Clellsn, is writing a History of the Civil
War in America" four volumes OF which
have been published in the French Ian,
guAge and four more are to come. This
will be, perhaps, 8 more Voluminous his
tory oil the late wal than any yet pub
lished and has already attracted cOnsid-
cradle attention on both sides Of the
Atlantic. An American edition, COM
prising volumes l and II of the French
10 one volume, has reached its second
edition. The second volume, compris-
ing the French III and Nv. will be
out in April, and the others will follow
as the author completes the work and
the translation is made. The Publishers
are j. Il. Coates 4 Co., Of Philadelphia,
who have furnished us q few proof
sheets from the volume just out and lib
eral extracts from press notices in this
country aud England. The sheets be-
fore us relate mostly to the battle Of
Bull Run, which is described wildly and
yet with great detail and appearance Of
accuracy. Here is q graphic extract
from pages $50 and Isl;
The crossing of Bull Run, Of which
tie approaches are difficult, entirely dis
solved the few corps which had remsiued
united until then. Fragments Of regi-
ments and isolated companies soon be-
came broken up among the fngitives who
encountered the narrow roads followed
in the morning by Hunter and Heintzel-
man on the other side Of the river. Their
columns, which a common impulse drove
towards Centreville, SUCCESSFULLY
emerged into the Wsrrenton turnpike,
and, crowding on a single road, increased
the disorder still more. During this time
the Confederates on the battlefield, fol.
lowing the main road which Tyler had
cleared a few hours before, get as far as
the stone bridge, and not daring to VEN
ture on the other side, they sent a few
~cannon-balls into the midst Of that dense
tide of fugitives. One of these projectiles
demolished a caisson On the bridge
where the road crosses a little tributary
of Bull Run, which threw additional con.
fusion into the ranks Of the vanquished.
This road forms a long straight line. as.
cendiDg by gentle activities from Bull.
Run to Centreville. It thus pre-
scented excellent points OF view
for observing what was pass
ing on the other side OF the
river, and a crowd Of curious spectators
had gathered there since morning to en-.
Joy the novel spectacle Of a real battle.
There had followed 10 the train Of Nc
Dowells army from Alexandria, mem
bers of Congress, men Of all parties aud
professions, journalists from every coun-
try, photographers with their instruments
all assembled TO witness the defeat Of
the rebels. Although out Of reach Of
c~snnon-shct, and frequently prevented
by the woods from seeing the battle, this
crowd actually imagined that they we're
participating in it, and this thought long
afforded them o foolish satisfaction. 1t
finally moved off slowly in the direction
Of Alexandria, on receiving the first It'd
ings OF the check experienced by the
Federals But when the fugitives came
crowding into the road they we're follow
ing, and the balls began to whistle close
to the ears Of thoee men harassed by fa-
tigue aud fright, a wild panic seized both
soldiers aud spectators. The most fiery
str~eet-orators we're seen leading the way
in rapid flight, and Journalists who pre-
tended to describe the battle from a dis
lance outstripped the whole senseless
crowd in swiftuess.
The translator seems to have taken
great pains not to give unnecessary
o~ffsnse. yet with all the pains Of author
and translator to give a seeming fair
history, it is evident that they both
looked through Federal spectacles and
relied mostly upon that side for infor-
nation. The Compile de Paris was on
that side OF the question in person and
in sentiment, and we doubt very much
whether it will be nearer im~partisLtban
the histories Of Draper, Greeley. Badsau
aud others from the Northern side. The
AUTHOR doesnot claim to have seen much
Of the war, or to have possessed unusual
facilities for collecting authentic infor
nation. 10 q recent letter 20 his pub
fishers in this country, under date o.
September, 1875, he says:
I hone, moreover, that your readers
will acknowledge that / have tried tc
make Europe understand the magnitude
of the strife which divided the new world
the extent of the sacrifices borneby the
American people. and the heroism dis
played by both sides on the bloody ieldI
OF battle. | should be proud to have
my share in raising the monument which
is to perpetuate the memory of that
heroism and the glory Of the American
soldier, without distinction between thG
blue and the gray coats.
This seems to have been said in a fail
and generous spirit. Yet we fear it wa
only an st~terthought, as we have beer
informed that he characterizeS Genera
Forrest as one Of the greatest butchers
Of modern or a%ncisnt times-an indie
pendent guerilla, who robbed, murdered
aud destroyed, in defiance Of all the
rules OF civilized warfare. If such OK
pressions appear anywhere 10 the work
and we are informed they do, the pub
fishers, in soliciting a notice, took care
not to send us the prooEsheets. The
translator may have modified the world
OF the author to better suit the market.
II We do either one injustice we will make
amendson examiningth the book. Thispur.
ports to be q full and connected military
history d lie whole -sr, aud to 20 into
the csusea As a chronological record