The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-08-15

would not move without Davis, and, rs q
matter of fact at that time, or roon after,
Davis was fugitive in the VIZ sis,"
5EPPERsoE Davis AND TaE SOUTH.
An allusion was mado TO the feeling in
the South that Davis was an injury To
the Ccnfederacy and did not do his best.
II never thought so,D said the General.
"Davis did his ocst-did all that any man
could do-to save the COME Aoracy. This
| argument is like some of tie arguments
| current in history--that the war was
war against windmills, and that If one
| nar or another had been in authority
the result would have been different;
that some more placable man than Davis
Feouid have made 6 better fight. This 10
! not true, The war was q tremendous
war, and no one knows better than those
| who were In 1t. Davis did all he could
and all any man could for the South.
The South was beaten from the begin
ming. There was no victory possible for
| any government resting upon tho plat
form of the Southern C0nfederaey. Just
"a soon rs the war united and aroused
the young men of the North and called
out the National feeling, there was no
end but the end that came. Dacis did
all he could do for his side, and how
much he did do no one knows better
1 than those who were in the field"
sToNEwALL JACKSON.
1 Your correspondent asked the General
Fhow he ranked Jcckscn among soldiers.
~ knew Stonewall Jackson" said the
General, "at West Point and in Mexico.
At West Point he came. into the school
at an older age thhn The average, and
began with low grade. But he had 80
much courage and energy, worked 80
y hard and governed his life by discipline
II 80 stern, that he steadily worked his way.
lalong and rose far G1oye others who had
more advantages. Stonewall Jackson at
West Point was in state Of constant i'm
provement. He was religion. man
then, and some OF us regarded him as o
II fanatic. Sometimes his religion took
]; strange forms- hypochondria- fancies
a that an, evil spirit had taken possession
s oflhim. But he never relaxed in his
stsidieso or his Christian duties. knew
him in Mexico. He was always a brave
and Trustworthy oflicer-none more 30 in
! the army. ! never knew him or encoun.
!, tered him in the rebellion. I question
, whether his campaigns in Virginia jus.
: tify his reputation as great commander.
, He was killed too soon, and before his
( kabG biLOVC0 iAteh : tOSsV IL
would have been test of gsncralship If
jackson had met Sheridan In the valley
instead of some of the men ne did meet.
From all know of jackson and all see
Of his campaigns have little doubt OF
. the result. If jackson had attempted
on Sheridan the tactics he attempted 60
successfully upon others he would not
; only have been beaten but destroyed.
Sudden, daring raids, under q fine sen.
: eral like Jackson, might dc against raw
troops. and inexperienced commanders,
lsuch es we had In the beginning Of the
war, but not agai lst drilled troops and a
! commander like Sheridan. The tactics
for which Jackson is famous, and which
achieved Aucli remarkable results, be-
! longed entirely to the beginning Of the
war, and to the peculiar conditions under
!. which the earlier battles were fought.
hoy would haze insured destruction tn
any commander who s-ied then, upon
!, Sherman, Thomas, Sheridan, Meade, or,
In fact. anySof our great generals. Com
. Isequently JackRon's fame as general
depends upon achievements gained be-
fore his generalship was tested-before
he had "a chaace of matching himself
with O really great commander. No
doubt 90 able and patient man rs Jsck.
attempted, would have adapted himself
10 nav conditions as.ss 5iasss wi.h them.
4 He died before his opportunity. I al.
! ways respected Jackson personality, and
esteemed bis sincere and manly charac.
ter. He impressed me always az man
of the Cromwell stamp-a Puritan
much more Of the New Englander than
II the Virginian. If any man believed In
the rehellioR, hesdid. Aridthis nature
was such t:iat whatever he believed in
became deep, religious duty-a duty
he would discharge atlany cost. It is a
/ imietake to suppose that ever had any
feeling for Stonewall jackson but respect.
Personally, w we're always good friends;
his character had rare points of merit,
aud although he made the mistake Of
fighting against his country, If ever q
man did so cnnscientioualy he was the
man" e les -A~e
/ LEE AS a COMMANDER.
Thia led to . remark "a 70 the great
and universal fame of Lea, especially In
Europe--a reputation which seemed to
grow every dsy.
81 nese.. ranked ranked Lee a. high us some
| others of the army" said che General.
| that is 70 say, nevor had as much
anxiety when le was In my front as
when Jee Johnston was in front. Lee
| was 9 good man, q fair commander, who
had everything IN his. favor. He was q
imam who needed sunshine. He was sup.
ported by the unanimous voice of the
South; he was supported by large
party In the North heihnd the support
and sympathy ofthe outside world. Ali
this is Of an immenEe advantage to q
general. Lee had this In q remarkable
degree. Everything he did was right.
BE was treated like q demi. god. Onr
!! generals had 1, hostile press, Iukewarm
friends aud public opinion outside.
The cry 5was in the air that tho North
only won by brute fdlee that the gen.
eralship and lyaIor were with the South.
Inn has gone into hiatory, with so many
other illusions that are historical. Lee
ws3 of q Hlow, conservative, cautious ma.
ture, without imagination or humor. al.
isays the, same, with grave dignity. I
never con!G see in his achievements
what justifea his reputation. The ;ila-,
sion that nothing but heavy odds 3eas
him viii not stand the ultimate light of
hiat0sy. know it is not tSue. The
South and North were moro nearly
matched than You would snppoae. The
whole population were in the war. The
four million OF negroes were the Same as
soldiega, because they did the work in
the fields which white men would have
Ito do. 1believe the South had as maFlvll
men Under arms aa the North. What
defeated the Southern arms yas North
eED courage and skill, and this, too, with
slrlS..- Ill = 81