The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1878-08-01

knew some of them in Mexico. KnoWl-
edge of that kind goes far toward deter
mining 8 movement like this"
THE ATTACK ON FORT DoNEtsoN,
"Suppose Longstreet or jackson had
been in commando" said your CORE
spondents
"n Longstreet or Jackson" said the
general, cor even if Buckner had been in
command I would have made different
campaign. In the beginning we all did
things more rashly than later, lust as
Jackson did IN his earlier cam paigns
The Mexican war made the officers of the
old regular armies more or less acquaint-
ed, aud when we knew the name Of the
general opposing we knew enough about
him to make our plans accordingly.
What determined my attack on Don
elsOn," said the general, "was as much
the knowledge had gained of its com.
manders in Mexico as anything else.
But as the war progressed and each side
kept improving its army these expert
ments were not possible. Then it be-
care hard, earnest war, and neither side
could depend upon any chance with the
other. Neither side dared to make q
mistake. 1t was steady, hard pounding,
and the result could only be ruin to the
defeated party. That was popularity
in our war, that we were not fighting for
a peace, but to destroy our adversary.
That made it so hard for both sides, and
especially the SOUTH"
ALBERT SIDNEY JOHNSTON AND JOSEPH
z. JOHNSTON.
An allusion was made by your cor
respondent to Albert Sidney Johnston,
and the general said I" I knew Albert
Sidney Johnston before the war When
he was sent TO Utah had high opinion
of his talents. When the war broke out
he was regarded as the coming man of
the Confederacy. shared that opinion,
because l knew and esteemed him, and
because I felt as well as all did in the
old army, where was q public opinion
among the officers SIS TO who would come
out ahead. In many cases, 10 most cases,
our public opinion was in error. Bragg
had a great reputation in the south.
Bragg was the most contentious of men,
and there was s story in Mexico that he
put every one in arrest under him and
then put himself in arrest. Albert Sid
Dey Johnston might have risen in fame,
and we all had confidence in his doing
so, but he died too soon, as Stonewall
Jackson died. too soon for us to say what
he would have done under the later
and altered conditions of the war.
The southern army had many good
generals. Lee, of course, was good
soldier, and so was Longstreet, but / do
not know that there was any better than
Joe Johnston. l have had nearly all OF
the southern generals in high command
in front of me, and Johnston gave me
more anxiety than any of the others.
was never half so anxious about Lee.
By the way, saw in Joe Johnston's
book that when was asking Pemberton
to surrender Vicksburg he WAS on his
way to raise the siege. l was very sorry.
If I had know Johnston was coming
would have told PembertOn to wait in
Vicksburg until / wanted him, awaited
Johnston's advance and have given him
battle. He could never have beaten that
Vicksburg army, and thus [ would have
destroyed two armies, perhaps. Penn.
berton's was already gone, and was
quite sure of JOhnstOn's. WAS sorry ]
did not know Johnston was coming until
it was too late. Take it all in all, the
south, in my opinion, had no better sol.
der than Joe JOhnston-none, at least,
that gave me more trouble"