The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1878-07-12

IN Ihan never 10 nave io"sn' "'"';
The Independence and sovereignty
the State carried with II the obligation
allegiance of the citizen to his state. !
respond to its call and go forth with tho
& who "huug the banner oil the outer wall
was u legal duty aud obligation To h
home aud all IL held dear; alike bin,
ing on the father, the brother, the son an
the CITIZEN. The propriety of engaging
It war is II qnrstion open to debate, but whe
it has been entered on, to shrink from il
= trials and responsibilities is a crime, whicl
In all ages, has been denounced by the pa
!; triotic. aud the brave. IL is questionabl
whether. " NJ is ever justitiable except fo
# defence, and then it is surely a duty. n
calling or condition inlife eXempts the Gil
izes from service where his countrymc
l think he can be useful. Thus the GOO
Bishop Polk reasoned before he entere'
y the army after solemn meditation an,
1 prayer, for he told me, before doing So
that he regarded the war az pro arts
Jocis, and that his calling required rattle
| than excluded him from serving whereye
and however he was most needed. Tim
would not serve to enuIncrate even a small
, part of the examples furnished by you
praycrful army of pious service, and pioul
death in battle, but, but pride and atfec
! ton will not allow me to leave them all {,
silent memory. The Greek who defended
the pass, and the Roman who held for 1
time the bridge have been immortalized il
song and story. Yet neither of these per
formed a more heroic deed than did Tighl.
man, the commander of Fort Henry.
Close by in time aud space was another ex.
ample.6f patriotic and soldierly devotion
which yon will not value the less for not
having been crowned with victory, the
defeDce of Fort D0nelson, on which de-
pended the possibility of holding our line
i'll southern Kentucky, and the safety of
Nashville. IL,
Relying an constitutional guarantees
and restrictions, the South had not prepar-
ed for war before taking the step which
lef TO it,. Therefore, it was not possible
to supply You with the clothing and shell
ter needful in the extraordinary cold and
sleet, nor to garnish the work you defend
ed with an armament aud munitions at all
compatible to that of your assailants, yet
to the world it is known, and will long
be remembered, how %gallantly you held
the position, aud the desperate efforts
which you made to cut your way through
the investing force. | AM sure You will
anticipate me in paying tribute to the sol
dierly conduct of the true'liearted Buck
ner, who when the command devolycd up
on him, refused to follow tile Example
which had been set him, and declared his
purpose to remain and share the fate of
the men, whatever it might be. That wise
and tar seeing soldier Sydpey Johnston
had correctly measured the value of hold
ing the position of Fort Dolelson. From
the few troops with which he held the line
of Green river, he made q detachment to
reinforce the garrison at Fort Donelson.
When that fort fell and the fact became
apparent, which he SO long skillfully con-
cealed from both friend and foe, of the
small number of troops under his immed.
late command, retreat beyond the Cum
bertrand became inevitable. Time has re-
vealed how nObly you bore those disap-
pointInents and reverses, and still remain
ed true to your o%olors, and ! am sure your
conduct on that occasion must ever be
held in grateful remembrance by YOUR
c~ountrymen.
The c~arpet-knights who, like jobs war
horse, snufted the battle from atar, but
unlike the ~war-hOrSe, neighed not when
Impatient to engage the enemy, but
from afar of criticised and derided every
failure without caring to enquire, and per
imps without capacity to comprehend the
cause thereof, added to your regrets for the
and painful memories Of all
you had dared, suffered and lost, the bit
ter sting Of unjust eensure and |ingrati-
tude. Yet it is a memorable fact that
though leaving your homes and wives and
children behind, you closed your ears to
their pitrul cries and circled deep around
your commander, who richly deserved and
had acquired your confidence in his ability
defend the country, and his Willingness +
70 sacrifice himself for it. Was it that his
grand presence inspired you with unmeas
ired confidence and the hope OF happier s
lays when opportunity should offerf Or .
y'"I Judgment told you tnat [