Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1879-09-04
WALnALLA SOUTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, ,AudusgN 1870

iaoh' oaoSSu ~ HaPoieoub y IcSIj wv no
did all that?' he Is, in my opinion, among
tho most successful of tho Federal officers
who have played q prominent part in tho
history of the war. in tho course of con-
vcrsation he spoke of Sheridan as most
brilliant and magnetic commandor.
WHY TIE CONFEDERACY PROVED A
FAILURE.
10 the question: "What was the cause
of tho failure of tho South?" the General
smilingly said:
speaker, nor am l very good cxtcmporauc.
Gus answcrer of questions The most con-
spicuous reason was tho superiority in men
aud in resources of tho North. The Upitcd
States had all the advantagcs-a land of
bouudcss wealth, cities secure from tho
horrors of civil war, and constant stream
of cmigrants to Gil up the depleted ranks of
your armies. The numbers against us
were enormous. The population Of tho
South was never moro than scvcn millions.
With five to one against them tho South
erners performed mighty work and made q
gigantic stop towards their independence.
"Anothcr cause lay in the vanity of
many of our people. Tho first battles of
the war being favorable to US, the South
was wild with confidence and the whole
country was thrown into fcrmcnt Of cx-
element. 1t was doubtful, indeed, whether
one in thousand Of our people supposed
! for moment that there was any doubt of
an Immediate and successful termination
of the struggle. The public meetings wcrc
in every case too enthusiastic. The people
were Carried away with accamation The
cheering proved to bo our folly. This cx.
cess of confidence lost US Now Orleans and
many other cities.
! "A much moro serious difficulty arose
from tho mistaken view Of tho Southern
cause by the Philanthropists Of tho Old
World. They we've led to believe that We
were lighting for the perpctuty Of slavery,
ard that tho establishments of tho Confcdc-
racy would be the rcorcning Of the African
slave trade. This opinion shook tho faith
OF great and good men in the humanity and
righteousness OF the South. The conscript
law was another effective check 70 our success
ihstead Of being benefit, 1t was curse
n badge of disgrace. Tho rich wore favored,
talsehood auI assimilation werc it's natural
results, suspicion and mistrust arose where
confidence aud reliance should have pre-
vailed. The attitude preserved by Mr..
Davis and other leaders in opposition to the
armlng OF the negroes, policy which J.
ulwaye believed to be cxpcdent, proved
most disastrous. The wide gpread poverty
OF the country, accompanied by the just
conviction that all further efforts were hope.
! lcss--thcsc und other forces worked to ono
final result, the failure Of tic Confederacy.n
THE FOREIGN ELEM TENTS IN JsoTI ARMIES.
Our next topic Of CONVERSATION was the
foreign clement in both aruco. Speaking
Of the Irish, he declared with considerable
feeling that the "South could not reconcile
with their notion of consistency and honor,
how Northern lrishmcn, who were SO dcs'
pcraic y aud violently opposed to The thral-
dom OF Britnin-tho wrongs OF Ireland
being mesquite bites by the side Of the
enormous Injuries which had been inflicted
by the North on tho South--how liberty
loving lrishmen could fight against tho
Southerners contendins for independence
and equality of rights" suggested tnat
the soldiers of Irish origin in our armies
were cxually bewidcrcd to know how Irish
men who for centuries had gallantly con-
tended for the freedom of the Colts could
bo so inconsistent and rccrcant to every
principle of right es to be engaged in war
for government whose cornerstone was
slavery Besides that, though Irishmcn
were rcvolutionsts at home, they were COM
servatives in the United States and that
there was an infinite difference between n
war in the interest of oppression and one
in favor Of the oppressed.
Advcrting to tho character of the Irish
as soldiers the General was very cnthusas-
tic, saying that thoy played u prominent
part in all the wars Of tho world for tho
last three ccnturics-now on one side, now
on the other. "Thc Irish soldier fights not
|, SO much for lucre as through tho reckless
} love OF adventure, and, moreover, with q
chivalrous devotion to the cause ho cspouscs
for the time being. Clcburnc, on our side,
inherited the intrcpidity of his race. On a
field of battle he shone like meteor on
cloudy sky AS q dashing military man he
was all virtue; single vice docs not stain
him as warrior. His generosity and be-
J nevolenco had no limits. Tho caro- which
he took of tho fortunes of his officers AND
, soldiers, from tho greatest to tho least, was
} inccssant His integrity was proyerbial,
, and his modesty was an equally conspicuous
trait in his character.
"Moaghcr on your side, though not
Cleburnc's equal in military genius, riyalcd
him in bravery and in tho affections of his
, soldiers. The gallant stand which his bold
, brigade made on tho heights of Fredcricks.
burg s well known. Never were mon sc
! brave. They ennopled their raco by their
} splendid gallantry on that desperate occa..
sion. Though totally routed they rcapcd
harvosts of glory. Their brilliout though
hopeless assaults on our limos excited the