The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-09-15

dnte of tho withdrawal from Bowling Green
was vehement and well nigh universal, and
nothing but the stcadiast confidence OF the
Confederate Government sustained him. Never,
perhnra WINS there moro startling revolution
I'm ruhlic opinion than that which rehabilitatcd
Gen Johnston after the first battle Of Shiloh.
no ono. we think. who cnndidly reviews tho
data here collected will deny that this rehablli-
,ation was foretoid. counted on projected. and.
so to speak insured by tho subject " this me-
moir long before he rrtrcatcd from his ad-
vnnred posts in Kentucky. When We ndd that
evidence no less conclusive justincs his refusal
10 enter upon an advance toward the ohio and
encounter the forces Of Buell., We can under
stand why the sober second thought OF the
Southern States has recognized In this man one
Of the very ablcst IL not the foremost. OF their
Generals and persists TO this day In charging
upon his death tho ruin Of their cause in the
Mississippi Valley.
WHY did not Gen. Johnston move forward
from Bowling Green during the latter part OF
1861? That such a question should have been
asked upon all hands Ia. in view Of the facts
now disclosed. signal tribute to his general
ship II implies that friend and foe alike were
convinced OF his ability to make that movement
Yet we now know the fact to be that Gen. John
sion had no army Neither men nor arms were
forthcoming for tho Confederate Army OF the
West until the West was well nigh lost 1t APP
pears that for many months Gen. Johnston lay
behind the works at Bowling Green confronting
Gen. Buell. and arresting the progress Of force
ou,numbering his own. not two to one. but
actually six to one. Repeatedly IL happened
that his army did not exceed II 600. when its
effective strength was reported 10y the Federal
commanders at nearly hundred thousand.
There was scarcely week or n day when the
Confederate position might not have been
Ranked and this. Of course. would have boon
done had the Confederate General suffered his
mcagrc resources to be guessed at But why 1t
may be- asked. did not Johnston venture at
Bowling Green what he carried out Mt Corinth
why did he not call In his forces from his left
and right. and with his centre thus strength
cncd fall upon the enemy For the reason that
to surrender Cumberland Gap was to uncover
Eas, Tennessee. and TO abandon Columbus was
10 sacrifice a large section Of the Mississippi
Valley. So long rs he could maintain his post
at Bowling Green with the critical positions
just named the whole " Tennessee and part
Of Kentucky wrre saved to the Confcdcracy,
and thcre was always ground for hope that the
Government at Richmond and the authorities
/ 81 the Gulf Statcs would a, last respond 10 the
| incessant appeals oi the General in command.
/ and that an army might be masscd strong
| enough 20 take the offensive.
We are satisfied with the demonstration sup
/ piled by this book that Gen. Johnston was In no
wise responsible for the disaster which over
took Crittcnlen and Zollicofier at Mill Springs.
or for the loss ~ Forts Henry and Done-on.
/ He had furnished every man that could be
/ spared for defensive operations on his right.
/ he never contemplated an aggressive move
ment. or authorized Zollicofcr TO cross
the Cumberland. As to the capture Of Donel-
son. IT Is now established that the dispatches
to Johnston W to the last moment announced
| Il complete victory on the part Of the Confedcr-
ntcs. When the calamity followed on the
/ heels Of the heavy reverse in E1st Tennessee, IT
| is noteworthy that Gen. Johnston wasted no
time In preierring complaints against subordi-
nate officers but leaving them 10 be dealt with
10y the central authorities made the best OF n bad
dilemma. and quietly Withdrew his troops from
Bowling Green TO Nashville. and thence behind
the Tennessee river 20 Cornth. Here he
awaited the enemy. and Columbus having
I ceased 10 he a key Of his position that post was
evacuated and It's garrison ordered to Join the
main army. Through the junction with forces
collected under Benurcgard. Gen. Johnston was
| now for tho nrst time in command
Of an effective force whose numerical
strength was not far from nty thousand men.
Letters now printed show that months before.
while he lay with ahandful oftroOps ut Bowling
Green vainy awaiting rDaniofcements. John
ston forotoli this condition OF affairs and also
prophosiod that ont 81 this ominous coniunc-
/ ture he would pluck a conclusive victory 1t
WIS impossible he said 10 one % his CORE
spoudenis. for the two armies under Buell. and
under Grant. moving respectively from the
North and from the Wo-t 90 effect a junction be-
fore he could strike one or the other with over
whenng force. There was an error Of two
days iu h.- cal 'ulutions but. rs il was. be
hurled his army upon Grant hours before Buell.
could come NJ, and was in the fun tide Of vie
tory. when he fen. leading the decisive charge
Every defensive position but one. on thu
part Of the Fcdrrals. had been carried
nothing elise lay behind them but the
river and the evidence seems irrosist
lhe that hut for the order Of withdrawal
issued 10y Gen. Boauregard. who succeeded T.
the command the remnant Of Grants deri
mated aud dsorganized troops must have beer
surrendered. Con. Bragg has reraptulateo
his judgment on the first battle OF Shuoh-tha
OF April Is. ls62. the second being fought and
won mainly by Bu-l's army-in the following
words Had the first shot Of April ., on TIA,
skirmi-h line, killed rlncy Johnston, the battl,
Of Shiloh would not have been fought an,
gained by the Cpnioderatcs. Had the fatal sho
which struck him down on the 9Th not beer
fired. Grant and his whole force would have
been destroyed or captured before suud0wn
T and Buell. would never have crossed tho Ten
nossee.' Gcl. l.. L. Gibson. who commando,
in the action one OF husgic- . brigades. is al
most equally oApIictt My conviction is tina
had Gnn. johnston survived. the victory woul,
have been complete. aud MS army woul0
have planted tie standard II the Con
fcdernoy on the banks of tho Ohio H.
goes on To- call John-t'n'- death u tremen
d0us cata-trophe,' and says he has no word