The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1878-10-31
LITERARY
BATTLES or THE REBELLION .

DA1 vi 1sAOAAAAVNs
"Reminiscences OF Famous Conflicts of
the Late Wharf.-The Fight at Manassas
An Affair which Ended IN a Panic -
McDOwens GeDeralship Contracted
with that Of j shn.tOn and Beaurexard.
New York Star.
After such a short lapse of time it could
scarcely be that a history of the war
between the North and South, giving i'm
partial and comprehensive views, should
exist; but that an event OF such far-reach-
ing importance will, in the course OF time
receive all due calculation, may not be
doubted. So far its narration has been
confined within newspaper columns, tor
never before was a war so thoroughly
chronicled while in progress as ours was
throughout the length and breadth of this
land. This editorial writ1ng-up was GER
tainly adequate to the dav, perhaps a
trifle surfeiting; and when the curtain fell
upon the bloody drama people were glad
to drop all things warlike. The conse-
quence is that there has been a freshness
about the la:e struggle quite calculated
to deter the energetic ramphleteer, spite
of reiterated attempts to turn penny
from his bellicose grist-stuff. Nobody
chose much of the proffered article.
Hence it is not surprising that no orig
inal history or even philosophical memoir
has appeared; the subject matter fresh
in the memories, aye, lives of the people
of both sections, after being so enormous
ly spun out by the editors of the period
could not soon be rehandled in our midst
and Europe remained too Indifferent and
ignorant on American affairs to touch it.
Each side possesses what is called "a his
tory the Northern by Swinton, the
Southern by Pollard-but neither work
can lay claim to the title, being merely
compilations from the newspapers, both
writers having been active war editors.
Grant and Lee issued no memoirs; only
Sherman and Johnston have appeared in
print, but within narrow limits, or with
contributions of details rather after the
newspaper modelling. The Comte de
Paris French History is the work not on
ly OF an amateur soldier, but of mere
explorer of the New World. Withal, the
time is fast approaching when there will
not only be a demand for thorough histories
of the war, looking to the final judgement
of posterity, but OF good chronicles and
sketches yielding some living outlines OF
the foremost personages who held the
stage from April, 1861, to April, 1865,
and preserving much of the local color
ing" ever so conductive to an interest in
and understanding of past times and &C.
currences. The subject is really fresh,
though the rubbish covering it may have
faded and withcred to nothingness. 1t
cannot in itself fade. and already new
generation demand to know "all about
it"-that is, to have the accurate sifted
from the inaccuracies far as other press
ing requirements will admit.
Among the famous battles of our stir
ring epoch the very first on the list may
surely be classed as the most famous, be.
cause the most dramatic in form and
substantial in influence. Manassas, com
monty known as the "Battle OF Bull Run
-so-called, as Englishmen might say,
from the prominent part taken by "Bull
Run" Russell of the London Times in
eagerly fastening to Washington to send
off the news to "Lunnen Town." How
vivid still must be the recollection of
thousands who took part In those remark
able scenes! That spring emphatically
had been era of greenness, the entire
country had been as one huge pumkin,
and the national pie had to he baked
From the day Of the call to arms until
the day Of the battle there had been only
two month and half of the drilling and
organizing OF the two armies, with a
slight advantage of time on the Southern
side, so when the tug of the fight did
come, ON the famous 21st Of July, 1861 all
the soldiers, except few regulars, we're
mere raw levies, without the least notion
of what war was. some already wearied
out with camp-life, bent on going home
In two weeks, or at the precise expira-
ton Of their enlistment. The Command
erin Chief and general officers were
West Pointers. fairly educated, but raw
TO the field. Both Governments were
pretty much at sea, while the people in
their respective homes were boastful, n
thusiastic and exacting. What drum
ming and piping, fag-decking of citiea.
waving of handkerchiefs when the beys
in blue and gray moved from their homes
oshake bloody hands acros the new
froutier-what living witness can fiil to
recall those enthusiastic jubilationsi In