The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-07-21

the fate Of Nashville and OF Tennessee at Fort
Donelson." 1t will scarcely be eontended that
the writer means here to say that Cen John
ston conceded with the plans Of Gen. Beaure-
gard.
Again, the same writer has the following.
when the chief officers of his staff advised
against his march to join the forces under
Gen. Beauregard, he with the resources Of d
master OF strategy. who with one glance em-
braces the great points of the CAMPAIGN. and
genius unexampled in our war, had 1lrendV
planned the great change from the defensive
10 the offensive and the glorious battle of which
that march was but the prelude"
Col. Schaller relates various Incidents which
confirm what has been stated. He informs
us that, on the morning of the battle, Glen.
Johnston, on being informed that the enemy
had been surprised, said to a staff officer.
Tonight ri we will water our horses In the
cred the fulfillment Of the prediction, no
human pen can positively determine, but
Lllere are many who believe 1t.
On the evening before the battle council
officers urgently advised a retreat. Col Sehais
Ter Goes not inform us whether Gen. Beallre-
gard was present or not but he tells nc that
et 4f yo s decided upon and ordered the
s sii Il, Ior tne coming morning. "Clear and
full, like map In his mind, as he had ordered
that battl was develOpedas q game of chess
Such is the testimony OF O most competenf
and trustworthy witness, to which that of
many others, might be added, If time and
space permitted. In any case the burden of
proof rests upon those who dispute the right
OF the commander Of an army to the credit of
planning bis own movements
"Cy" proceeds to charge Mr.. Davis with
serious omission In failing to mention Gen.
Beauregard at all in his address; SAYS that
he spoke Of the first and third commanders
OF the Army Of Tennessee, and asks WHY ne
should be silent about the second. have no
authority to speak for Mr. Davis. The nt1es-
concerning a
within the province Of his own taste and judg-
ment, and no one has a right to call
him to account for the manner in which
he chose to exercise these VIM he thought
proper to speak Of Sydney Johnston and not
OF Gen. Beauregard [ know not The same
complaint would apply with equal force to his
failure to mention Gems. Joseph E. Johnston
and Hood-two other commanders of thesarn8
army, Gen. Sydney Johnston alone was
named in connection with Shiloh; Gen. Bragg
only incidentally in another part of the adj
dress. But an obvious and entirely sufficient
answer, II any were needed, would be that he
spoke OF the two deceGsed commanders and
made no mention of the three stil living. I
do not know that this would be Mr.. Davis
answer, but 1t Is one that he might make
with propriety; II necessary. The only living
officer OF the Western army mentioned was
Gen. Pemberton, who has been the object of
so much Ignorant and unreaSoning abuse as
to render the exception in his case eminently
proper
Again; think your correspondent Is greatly
mistaken when he says that Gen. Beatregard
was unexpectedly relieved" from command
"by order OF President Davis" NY under
standing OF the matter land think 1t will be
sustained by inquiry into the facts) is, that
Gen. Beauregard relieved himself left the
army at Tupelo on surgeons certificate Of
disability, and turned over the command to
Gen Bragg, all without any knowledge Of the
transaction by the President or War Depart
ment, until they were Unexpectedly" in
formed of it after the General had gone. IL
this statement is inaccurate in any particular
/ shall be glad to be corrected. make no
comment nor criticism upon the facts, but it
is proper that they should be correctly stated,
and either ICY" or myself has been much
misinfOrmed concerning them.
While upon this subject permit me to say q
word with regard to those criticisms from
other quarters-not from your intelligent
correspondent take exception to Mr.
Davis estimate Of Albert Sidney Johnston as
exalCing him above others whom they rate
higher-such as Lee and StOnewall Jackson.
It should be observed that, in speaking Of
Johnston as "the greatest soldier, the ablest
man, civil or military Confederate or Federal,
then living" Mr.. Davis included, and no
doubt intended to include himself In the COM
parisOn. His exalted estimate of Gen. john
stOn has never been concealed, but has long
been well known to his friends, and more
than once expressed to the public, Tt Is Of TO
recent origin, but as he himself testifies, Waa
the growth of long and intimate association
Gin barracks and in BATTLE" as we'll as in
other scenes. whether this estimate was
right or wrong, no one had better opportuni-
ties or was more competent to make it, and
there is no reason why Mr.. Davis should re-
frain or be restricted from expressing it
without offense to anybody. The sensitive
ness than cannot endure a difference in the
choice of a favorite hero is too eXacting for
human natures daily food" Rus.
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