The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-12-22
SOME NEW hooks.


...,opt contributions 10 tho record OF our civil
49,. have been published on the part OF Confed-
s,,,e generals aud statesmen. Butfor the social
and privutr history Of that struggle compare
,r,ly rw materials have been forthcoming
t,,m Southern sources What may be called
H.. minor literature Of the period has been
mainly furnished by Northern writer's who
have portrayed the state Of things existing
.rth o tpr slave line. A notable exception.
L.vc,or. Is the book lately ssusd by the Put
rso.rnt.tlrd 4 Rtbcrs Recoueciions. by GEORGE
r,qy EoaLrsroN. The incidents detailed in
,i- vor, bar all tho signs OF authenticity. and
set forth with so much spirit that we are
enabled 10 enter into the feelings. aims and
c.uy.t,ons which animated the people OF tho
t.ncIoracy during the several phases OF the
contest
ttsonnis 10 be- no part OF the authors purpose
g. defend the southern view ot secession but
n. hc'ls tie reader at the outset to put himself
In the place Of the Southcrncrs. and to look Mt
..ir things through their eyes. in order to un-
d.rstand their action and appreciate its results
II reminds H. that the Fcdcrast view OF the
40 between the States never had any currency
,t-.r South. In the debates which preceded tho
sla-,neut and adoption OF the Federal COM
D. ttatu people OF that section had sided rather
vf. N.r-on than with Hamilton. They be-
H.lfi 100 f'N UN'Il OF SUCCESSION. not merely as
.uiut ouary but as a constitutional right.
luIns that every State possessed the re-
f,ni power OF p"tccahle withdrawal from
d.. Um.n. Th"y had inherited. further. n
c.tvi. tom TINT every mans allegiance was due
g. Estate primarily and TINT it was only by
,I,u,oftdr States cont nuance in the Union
ttauy iraty was due To the general Govern
r.rtutnll. In other words patriotism as tho
sr'l understood it, meant devotion to ones
...aul only secondary and infcrcntal de-
VISION 90 tho Federal body. In Wow OF this
spread and almost universal belief. Mr..
j 20 SION insists that his follow-countrymen
v.f.gs truly and purely patriotic in their Sc
O. --'on and in the fighting which followed rs
v.r' the people Of the North in their adherence
r.ir Union cause. The difference 10 affirmed
tolaye been simply one OF opinion rs to what
VS. th" paramount duty Of n citizen.
Nr E.sleston tolls us that the war. with all
f. horror and Indebtedness had even to South
cra yes some aspects that were anything but
nun. aud that its beginning was especially
ru-u'pus He calls to mind Wcbster's state
u.nt with regard to our Revolutionary fore
i'D'rs. thai they went to war against pre-
hatle. and declares that something like this
might be said Of the Virginians. without whose
punk and energy tho struggle could have had
r. lons duration. The citizens OF that State he
sys. made war upon a catchword. and fought
O. ihey wera hopelessly ruined for the sake OF
a.. sirartion. Virginia did not want to leave
o.. Union. and her decision 10 this effect was
gwen in the election Of Convention composed
l- .hy most part Of men strongly opposed to
-sion. But from that moment every pos
s.le" iI0rt was made by the seeding States TO
l-' the heart OF the conservative Common
vHth. Delegations with parchment appeals
nui innnmmatory stump speeches poured into
l.. edmond. while every Virg.nian who favored
th' movement became committee Of one TO
Ig-h the propaganda. Nevertheless. according
9 ,lr Egslrston. who seems 10 have had an op-
'rtuuity OF testing public sentiment the State
v'uid not have been brought over had sho not
ben constrained to choose between coercion
ana secession. II was not until the President
called upon Virginia for her quota OF troops
with which 10 compel the return OF tho Gull
siat's-a step for which. in the judgment OF her
people. there no warrant in law or equity
iht tho Convention finally decided to withdraw
from the Union.
tlr. Eggleston thinks that the Virginians I'M
drrstood what secession implied much more
perfectly than did the rest Of the Southern peo-
pie. They. at all events. anticipated no child's
play. and. indeed. seem to have exaggerated tbs
resources OF their opponents and the prepare.
TONS making at the North. One day. Tor in
stance. IN alarming report came that q lttl,
transport steamer. well-known in the Jane,
River was on her way up to Richmond will
10000 Federal troops on board. II occurred tC
nobody TO inquire whore so many soldiers coulc
have come from. at time when the whole actiy,
force OF the United States from Maine to Oregon
scarcely reached the figure named. nor did any,
body seem surprised that the whole 10000 hat
managed to bestow themselves on board yes
SCI whose capacity hitherto had been about iOt
men. The report WAS accepted as entirely
authentic. and caused n multitude OF stumI
speeches touching "vandals" and "Attila
f1ss." to bo telegraphed Ia Richmond. Will,
sores OF grindstones were applied to the grind
in Of sabers. process which did not greatly
benefit the blades.
Mr.. Eggleston saw good deal OF the
volunteers who soon began to assem-.
bic in the camps of instruction. and does
Mt speak very highly Of their discipline or eli.
h'iency. As regards the first year or two OF the
struggle. Mt all events he il not disposed to
question Won Moltke's alleged definition Of our
civil war. rs the wranRing OF two armed
u1hs.' Looking at the first twelve months OF
service the author pronounces the Southern
army simply a vast mob OF rather i'll equipped
young gentlemen from the country. whose ideas
Of q soldiers life and business were drawn
chiefly from the adventures OF Iyanhoe and
Charles ONIalley." No doubt the men who
Volunteered were excellent material in all phys
i'1 respects, but they were wholly indisposed
t'ohy anybody, except on good and sufficient
reason. While actually on drill they might fol-
low the word Of command, because they were
Interested in the issue Of pretty performance
but all other times they held themselves re-
h''ed as gentlemen from consulting any will