The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1879-05-02
GEN. TAYLOR's BOOK.

GEM TAYLOR'S BOOK
General Richard Taylor, in his book,
"Destruction and Reconstruction" the
proof sheets of which he completed on
his death-bed, writes of Alexander
Stephens with bitter personal feeling,
saying that during the war "Mr. Steph-
ems, with all the impartiality of an
equity judge, marked many of the vir-
tues of the Government north of the
Potomac, and all the vices Of that on
his own side Of the river" and adding
this terrible cut:
Like other ills, feeble health had its
compensations, especially for those who
unite restless vanity and ambition to a
feminine desire for sympathy. It has
been much the habit OF MIR. Stephens
to date controversial epistles from ga
sick chamber" as do ladies in a deli
cate situation. A diplomatist of the last
century, the Chevalier D'Eon, by
usurping the privileges of the opposite
sex, inspired grave doubts concerning
his own.
His severe criticisms of Gen. Grant
are more surprising to those who know
of the friendly relations that formerly
existed between the ex-President and
himself; but he writes of Gen. Grants
military career with admiration. He
Is terrible in his wrath against Gen.
Pope, to whom he refers thus: ssOf an
ehrontcry while danger was remote
equalled by helplessness when it was
present and mendacity after it had
posed, the annals Of despotism scarce
afford an example of the elevation of
such a favorite. 1t has been said that
his talent for the relation of obscene
stories engaged the attention and con-
sideration of President Lincoln" Gen.
Taylor considers that Mcclellan laid
the foundations for Northern success;
declares that George Pembcrton joined
the South for the express purpose of
betraying it; and declares that the am
bition of Stonewall Jackson was as
boundless as Cromwell's, and as mer-
CHESS.
But the book is not all criticism.
Here is sketch of different charac-
ter-a felicitous pen-drawing of Gen.
Ewell:
We had known each other for
many years, but now our friendship
and intercourse became close and con-
slant. Graduated from West Point in
1910, Ewell Joined the First Regiment
OF United States dragons, aud, saving
the Mexican war, in which he served
with such distinction as young cavalry
officer could gain, his whole military
life had been passed on tho plains, where
as he often asserted, he had learned
all about commanding fifty United
States dragons, and forgotten every
thing else. In this he did himself
injustice, as his career proves; but he
was of singular modesty. Bright, pro-
minent eyes, n boInb-shaped bald head
and a nose like that Of Francis of
ValOis, gave him a striking resemblance
to a wooGlcock and this was increased
by n birl-likc habit of putting his head
on one side to utter his quaint speeches,
He fancied that he had some myster-
ious internal malady, and would eat
nothing but frumenty, a preparation of
wheat and his plafntive way of talk |
ing Of his disease, as if he were some
one else, was droll in the extreme. His !
prevented him from TAX |
ing regular sleep, and he passed nights |
curled around n camp-stool, in positions |
to dislocate an ordinary PERSONS joints
and drive tho sscaoutchouc man" to |
despair. On such occasions, after long
silence, he would suddenly direct his |
eyes and nose toward me with "Gen. |
Taylor! What do you suppose Presi-
dent Davis made me major general
for ?"-beginning with a sharp accent
and ending with lisp. Superbly
he was the boldest OF horse
men, invariably leaving the roads to
take timber and water. No follower
of the "Pytchley" or "Quorn' could
have lived with him across country
With II fine tactical eye on the battle
field, he was never content with his
own plain until he had secured the ap-
prevail of anothcr's judgment, and chat
ed under the restraint Of command,
preferring to fight with the skirmish
line. On two occasions in the Valley,
during the temporary absence of Jack
son from the front, Ewell summoned
me to his side, and immediately rush.
ed forward among the skirmishers,
where some sharp work was going
on. Having refreshed himself, he
returned, with the hope that cold
Jackson would not catch him at it,"
He always spoke of Jackson, several
wears his Junior aS cold - and told mo