Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-08-29
UELEAREINe THE FICTIOHs OF TIE
WAR.


UHLEAREING THE FICTIOEs OF THE
WAR.
A good many of the fctions of
the war, both pleasing and unpleas-
ing, are being cleared up in the
light of restored public Judgment
and conscience. 1t is easy to be-
lieye all we hear favorable in regard
to our heroes and all that is dam
aging against the other side, wheth-
er in times of war or merely CT
political excitement. The Ameri-
can people have practiced in this
until they can believe anything
reasonable or unreasonable, SO it
suits them. This is really unworthy
of a people who boast of free schools,
a free press, and the universal diff
fusion Of intelligence. Many Of.
these things have gone into
cotemporaneous history and may
be accepted in future. For
instance, it is believed by many
people that Farragut performed a
great feat at Mobile in being dashed
to the mast when passing the Con-
federate batteries, and the deed has
been embalmed in choicest verse by
Anew England poet. Yet the can
did and gallant old sailor stated
afterward that he was only at his
usual post, always occupied when
anything important was going on,
and only used the cord around the
waist asa matter Of precaution. He
thought there was nothing special
in it to elicit so much admiration.
Hundreds of thousands Of privates
and sailors took greater risks all
through the war and it was taken
az q matter Of course. They knew
hat their heroism would never be
heard Of outside Of the camp mess,
the family circle at home perhaps,
or possibly'a mention in the list Of
killed or wounded. The great lead
eis knew that they would b.
applauded by the command and
the world for the slightest risk
Of their persons. AS a rul,
the priyateS showed at least
a. much heroism and daring
as the officers, If not more. On the
other hand, We learned during the
war TO believe everything deroga.
tory and bad ever reported against
tic other side. For instance, we
arr reminded by a recent publica
ton that our Northern brethren
have believed for several years with
dogmatic and enthusiastic prrse
yerance that JEFF Davis when cap
tured had on a woman's hoop-skirt,
dress and bonnet, and was only
detected by his big military boots
This has been caricatured and re.
peated in a thousand shapes; the
art Of carlcature has been exhausted
to make Davis appear as mean anC
cowardly and ludicrous as possible.
Even the pulpit was prostituted t
retail the falsehood and give it til,
sanction and stamp of holy truth
while the religious press We'd will
the secular papers in spreading j
on thick and fast. The story wa
believed by millions, and a few sol
diers who participated in The cap
ture testified for the sake of me
mentary notoriety to the truth a
the report. Not one of them hal
the moral courage to come out an
deny it for some years. FINAL
one or two and probably more be
came ashamed of il and told tn
truth. OF course nobody in tn
South believed such a silly story
and it seems incredible that any
body should. All the old arm
officers knew that JEFF Davis wa
personally as brave a man as eve
lived. It was his regimen
that saved the day in on
Of the hottest battles i
the Mexican war. Whatever h.
faults of character, lack of courag
was not one of them. No act {
his life justified any part of tn