Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1879-08-09

said before, Individual bravery amounts
to very little in battle. Men must be
fought in blocks and masses, just as
parts of machine. Nearly everything
depends upon the commander If the
men have confidence in him and in his
movements, they will stand by him to
the end. They will actually come to
feel safer in following him, no matter
where he leads, than in breaking away
from him. A good general can take an
army of Cinnamon and whip al army OF
Englishmen, if the latter are improper
ly handled. No matter how brave men
are, they will not fight if they feel that
they are in doubtful and unskilful hands:
This principle explains the wonderful
victories of the French under the first
Napoleon. If general can only III
spire his men with the feeling that he
knows what lie is about, he will have
good fighters. lie can put them any
where on the field, and in the face OF
any fire."
II was once dining with Horace
Greedy" said the General, becoming
bit discussiye, sand he asked me If 1t
was not necessary to swear at your men
and 'whoop them up, as the saying
goes. l replied that thought not.
There is nothing like quiet assurance
and confidence. A general need never
be noisy, and l think quiet troops are
the best fighters. once sent out brl-
gade TO occupy certain point. AS 1t
was mounting q little crest, it came full
upon immense masses OF Federals. The
men were panic stricken, and thought L
had made mistake in ordering them
forward. They halted irresolute, and
then dropped down upon the ground
1t was important that they should adj
vance and make feint, at least. l,
therefore, rode quietly through their
ranks, on to the crest, and there hating
my horse, adjusted my glasses and calm
" surveyed the scene in front. l turn
ed carelessly around, and as | expected,
there was my brigade at my back, every
man in position ready for anything
confident and assured.
SAT another time, in the heat OF the
battle OF Chattanooga, General Beming,
of Georgia, one of the bravest men
ever saw, came charging up to me IN
great agitation. He was riding a cap
tured artillery horse, without any sad
die, with the blind bride on, and was
using a rope trace as a whip. His hat
was gone and he was much disordered.
General, he said, my brigade is utter
ly destroyed and scattered Is that so!
! asked quietly; utterly destroyed, you
say?' Yes, sir, he replied; all gone to
pieces! His great heart was nearly
breaking. l approached him and said
quietly: Don't you think you could
find one man, General?' 'One man, he
said in establishment; 4 suppose | could.
What do you want with him. Go and
get him, | said, still quietly laying my
hand on his arm, and bring him here.
Then You aud l and he will charge To-
yrther. This is sacred, General, and we
may as well die here as anywhere. lie
looked at me curiously Il moment, thea
laughed and, with an oath, dashed his
horse with his rope trace and was OIL
like fash. In few moments he swept
by me ut the head OF command that
he had gathered together somehow or
other and he was into the fight again.
but were not the Southern troops, in
defending their own soil, inspired by
stronger motives than the Northern
troops. who were intruders?
Il think not. The sentiment in favor
of the Union and the memories that
cling about the old flag wero ;"at as
strong, if not StroAger, than the love OF
the soil of the States and the feeling
aroused in defending homes. There
were thousands of men in every State
who turned against their native States
III Difference to this love of the Union,
and Joined with the Federals in invad-
inc their own homes. 1t is impossible
to over-estimate the love that the Fed
erals had for the Union and the old flag.
1t was a love that was born with the
Revolution and cemcnted with the blood
of our fathers. | remember myself that
after the battle at Chattanooga General
breckenridge made speech congratu-
lating his men at being a0le for the first
time in their lives to sleep on the battle
field, and he said that they had to thank
me for it. The next day some one re-
marked that must feel very proud of
this. l replied that the war and all
connected with it filled me with mex
pressible sadness, and that felt inst as
if | was being congratulated over whip
ping my own brother. The truth is,the
soldiers on both sides were nerved 10y
lofty and desperate emotions,and knew
from the first that there would he hero
ism displayed by both armies, and that
the struggle must be prolonged and
strenuous.
"What were the decisive battles of
the war;"
1T is my opinion that we were whip
ped when we failed at Gettysburg. AT
ter that we had only a chance. After
Bragg's failure to follow up the advan-
tage at Chattanooga | felt that only
miracle could save us, and you know a
soldier does not rely 10 any great extent
on miracles You see, as regards Get
tysburg, we had staked a great deal on
the invasion Of which il was the turn
ing point. 1t had been decided that we
must make an offensive campaign. |
did rot favor the invasion of Pennsyl-
wanna. My idea was to hurry the army
thea concentrating at Jackson, for the
purpose ofsuccoring Vicksburg, forward
TO Tullahoma, where Bragg was con-
fronting Rosecrans, and TO send my
corps TO the same point. With these
combined forces Rosecrans might have