Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-09-15
From the New York Times.
Christian soldiers.


II is, therefore, natural that the discovery
of the atrocious character of that hollow
mockery, Gen. o. o. Howard, should be
hailed with rapture by the entire demo-
cratic press of the country, and should
provoke unlimited scorn and sarcasm from
the writers of witty paragraphs.
For nearly twenty-five years Gen. How
ard has been an officer of the United
States Army. During the entire period of
the rebellion this man kept his true char
acter carefully concealed, and successfully
pretended to be brave and able officer.
He actually managed to obtain and keep
command of corps of the Army OF the
Potomac, and so thoroughly blinded that
well-meaning, but VIGOROUSLY weak and
dull person. Gen. Sherman, assto obtain
from him the command OF the right wing
of the army which marched from Atlanta
TO the coast. Not content with thus de-
ceiving his own brother officers, he car
ried his hypocrisy so far as to convince the
Confaderates that he was something more
than an incapable coward and repeatedly
beat them while laboring under this delu-
sion. Meanwhile, in addition to thus wn-
ming undeserved reputation as a soldier,
Gen. Howard cunningly contrived to
create the impression that he was man
OF personal integrity. Just as in order to
foster belief in his patriotic devotion,
he wickedly managed to have his arm
shot Off al Fair Oaks, so he basely alb
stained from the vices that are OCCASION
ally found among Army officers, and thus
fraudulently gained credit for morality
and decency. So successful was this re-
markable hypocrite that at the end Of the
war he was generally believed to be
good soldier and an honest man.
For some time after the war Gen. How
ard was connected with the Freedman's
Bank, an institution which ultimately
earned a most unsavory reputation. Ger
tain democratic journals whose love for
honesty was even stronger than their love
for every faithful Union general, soon be-
gan to accuse Gen. Howard of stealing
enormous quantities of money from the
freedmen. The World, which naturally
has an intense horror of man who will
steal anything, and which naturally can
not comprehend the possibility that any
man should have an opportunity TO steal
without ayailing himself of it, was
especially stern in denouncing Gen. How
ards alleged dishonesty. With his usual
effrontery, that accomplished hypocrite
had his conduct investigated by court
composed of Army officers OF stainless
reputation. who reported that he was en-
tirely innocent of the democratic charges
made against him. This acquittal is per-
haps one of the grayest crimes that Gen.
Howard has yet committed, since il
showed a tlagrant disregard of all the
finer feelings of the editor Of the World
and his democratic brethren. aa ".i
OF late, Gen. Howard has commanded
The troops that are operating against the
Nez Perces Indians. His failure to out
march. with bis heavy infantry, the savage
horsemen has finally opened the eyes OF
the public. With his handful OF men he
has not yet exterminated the Indians, al
though he has been in the field almost half
as long as was the expedition which was
beaten by the Modoes, and quite as long
as the gallant Custer had been when his
force was annihilated by the Sioux. Peo-
pie in in this part OF the country can form
much better Judgment as to how an IT,
dian campaign should be conducted than
can an old Army officer in the field All
Gen. Howard has to do is to surround the
Neg Perces and to kill or capture the whole
Of them. That he did not do so within
the first twenty minutes after he began hi,
campaign is convincing proof that he il
utterly unfit to hold any command what
ever.
Ii is extremely creditable to the clear
perception of Gen. Towards critics that
they disregard his minor crimes, and
dwell chiefly upon the one supremely in-
famous fact that be is a CHRISTIAN
soldier" or, in other words, prolessedly
religious man. This charge can neither
be denied or paliated, tor Gen. Towards
religion is not OF the graceful type of one
of Mr.. Frothinghams religions, but is the
old-iashioned orthodox variety. 1t is or
ought to be, self-evident that no man who
Is religious can possibly possess any mill
tary skill. Had it not been for their re-
ligion Washington and Slouewall jackson
might perhaps have been something better
than miserable pretenders, but it is notori
Gus that those christian soldiers were
grossly incompetent. Were Gen. How
ard a drunken ruffian, the public Nigh,
have some little confidence in him, and be
might achieve some such glorious victory
as that which Col. Chivington once gained
over village of desperate women and
bloodthirsty babes. As it is, the fact that
he Is a christian soldier not only fully