The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-07-11

restrictions. the South had not prepared fol
war before taking the step which led to it
Therefore 1t was not possible to supply you
with the clothing and shelter needfui in tbf
extraordinary cold sleet, nor TO garnish the
work you defended with an armament and
munitions at oil comparable to that of yout
assailants; yet to the world 1t is known, and
will long be remembered, how gallantly you
held the position, and the desperate efforts
which you made to cut your way through the
investing force.
| am sure you will anticipate me In paving
o tribute to the s0ldierly conduct Of the true.
hearted Buckner, who, when the command
devolved upon him, refused TO follow tho px.
ample 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 far-seeing soldier, Sidney Johnston, had
correctly measured the value Of holding the
position Of Fort Donelson. From the few
troops with which he held the line OF Green
river he made detachment to reinforce the
garrison Of Fort DOnelsOn. When that fort
fell, and the fact became apparent, which he
so long skillfullY concealed from both friend
and foe of the small number of troops under
his Immediate command, retreat beyond the
Cumberland became inevitable. Time has
revealed how nobly you bore those disappoint-
ments and reyerses, and still remained true TO
your COlors; and am sure your conduct on
that occasion must ever be held In grateful
remembrance by your COuntrymen.
The carpet knights, who, like Jobs war
horse. snulfed the battle from nFar. but. nm
like the war horse, neighed not with impa-
thence to engage the enemy, but from afar off
criticised and derlded every failure without
caring to inquire, and perhaps without ca
paCtty to comprehend, tho cause thereof.
added to your regrets for the unavoidable.
and the painful memories Of nil you had
dared, suffered and lost, the bitter sting of
unjust gensure and lngratitude Yet 1t Is q
memorable fact, that though leaving your
homes and wives and children behind. you
closed your ears tn their pitiFul cries and cir
cled deep around your commander, who
richly deserved and had acquired your conf
dence In his ability to defend the country and
his willingness to sacrifice himsel for it. Was
1t that his grand presence inspired
you with unmeasured confidence and
the hope Of happier days when opportunity
should offer? or was IL that your Judgment
told you that you followed, as / verify believe
you did, the greatest soldier, the abest map
civil or military, Confederate or Federal? He
seemed about to fulfill these hopes and expec-
tatiOnS, wben concentrating oil the forces
within his reach, he moved forward to the
battle OF Shiloh. Cen Johnston sent TO me a
cipher dispatch, being his plan Of battle, and
| regret the loss OF II the more because ii WIS
the only instance within my knowledge of a
plan which was executed as II was devised
How we'll the tide of battle rose and swept on
ward In the channels his great arm directed,
| need not say to you who saw il. When at
ltASb III DD5bilhbt tHSlSbhUJB BJuYGd bnt SUebpy
progress of our lines, Johnston rode to the
point Of danger, to lead his men to the cap
ture Of what was believed to be the last point
to be carried. There, and in the performance
OF that supreme duty, your great leader re-
ceived the wound which proved mortal. A
prompt attention would have prevented
fatal result, but his heart was all his coun-
trys, his only thought was Of his duty-he
not himself
MIR. Davis here read beautiful tribute to
Gen. johnston, which has been often pub
lished.
There have been those who supposed he had
been Roaded into the reeklessness and had
thrown away his life. AS q friend who had
known him intimately through all the years
OF our manhood, had served with him in bar
racks, and In the battle, | claim to more than
ordinary ability to Judge of his motives under
any given state Of facts, and unhesitatingly
reject the supposltion rs unjust to his nature
and rPfuted by the testimony of his whole
life. when he lift tfi5 il California
to cross the continent on horseback and Join
the Confederagy, he came without herald,
without pretension or claim for high rank
from the Confederate government He simply
offered himself to the cause. When he arrived
In Richmond, he came unexpectedly to my re-
sfdenoe, where | was Ill, confined to my bed
and unable to receive visitors. When he en-
tered the hall, recognized his STEP and sent
to have him shown up. He came, and by his
accession, | felt strengthened and treasured,
knowing that great support had thereby
been added to the Confederate cause When
he fell, / realized that our strongest pillar
had been broken.
/ will not follow you through your long
career of honorable service or pause to exutt
with you over the batte-fields rendered illus
trtOus by your victories, but cannot forbear
expressing the hope that some competent
person will give to the world full history Of
the Army Of Tennessee. Yet, before leaving the
subject, | wish to mention one of the many
proofs saw Of your efficiency and valor. On
the field OF ChiCamauga, where you achieved a
brilliant victory under that true patriot and
able soldier, zen. Bragg, 1t was noticeable,
after the conflict, TO see the side Of the trees
next to the enemy riddled with balls and
shot, from the ground to q very great height,
while on the Confederate side the trees were
but Titled Marked and the marks were near
to the ground. The number of the killed and
wounded show how calmly you selected the
object, and how well your balls Obeyed your
will
Now, let us look further to the South and
West, where the great problem was to keep
control OF the Mississippi river. After New
Orleans and Island No. 10 had been captured,
the problem was narrowed to preserving the
section between Port Hudson and Vicksburg.
While this was held, communication was pos
sible with the Frans-M Mississippi, upon which
we much relied for q supply of provisions.
This section was also requisite for Co-opera-
ton between the troops Of the east and the
west sides of the river.
Long and well did the little garrison of Port
Hudson maintain It's position, and the siege
OF Vlcksburg will ever be memorable for the
duration of the defense of an unfOrtified place
against well appointed and numerically
vastly superior army. The heroic deeds of
the defenders and the long bombardment and
frequent assaults on their hastily constructed
entertainments will, when better understood,
shed imperishable lustre on Gen. Pembcrton
and his gallant army; nor less, in time to
come, will the untlinching devotion and self
denial Of the citizens be gratefully remember
ed For long time after the siege sight
seers came to gaze at the caves
which had been dug for the protection of
the women and children. However, by such
inspection little was to be learned of the pri-
vations and dangers voluntarily endured by
the gentler but heroic sufferers. Here and
everywhere the unanimity of our people
proved the thoroughness of their conviction
of the rectitude of our cause. We have been
accustomed, aud justly, too to give unmeas-
ured praise for the sacrifices made by our
Revolutionary ancestors for the cause OF self
government and the independence which had
been declared. But there was no such una
nimity among the colonists as WAS shown by
our people in their effort to maintain the lib
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