National Republican., 1879-12-26
MISCELLANEOUS.
ANTE BELLUBr DAyS.
some shetcly and Graphic Rc,nInlaccnce

Some Sketchy and Graphic "Reminiscences.
Washington Correspondence Knoxville Chronicle
A rollicking, oasy.gong fellow was Howell
Cobb, of Georgia. Buchanaus Secretary Of the
Treasury. He was not n great financier, as
the deplorablc condition of the National
Exchquer in 1860 attested but he was fond
of horse races aud chicken fights, aud was
often known to lay aside the weightier duties
of the Treasury Department 10 witness a
circus. Old Treasury employees are fun Of in
teresting "reminiscences regarding Cobb. IL
was In the thigh Jonks" period when he was
power in Democratic circles here lie was
the life of old Bucks Cabinet, and was jester
Of no mean protentions. His anecdotes are
remembered, and during lunch hours the old
clerks repeat them with great glee. Among
other Georgians whom he brought hero and
put in Office was young man from Columbus,
who had great fondness for cats, and often
bad two or three folincs mewing about his
Office in the Treasury. When South Carolina
seceeded this young man became restive for tho
fray, and hurried away to join the army Of
Calhoun's Republic, which was making yrep-
erations 10 re.aoe Fort Sumter, locking his
room and taking away the key.
About a week after his departure, Cobb
happened to pass his room, when his olfac-
tories were disturbed by the inordinate
stenss amanatiug therefrom. Upon breaking
open the door Two dead cats were found
which had perishcd frcm hunger the first
victims Of the rebellion. Many Gf your read
ers have doubtless heard Of Judge Underwood,
the elder, of Rome, Ga, celebrated wit and
lawyer of great cminence. Well, the Judge
had son named John, who, although at
present one of the worthiest and ublost of
Georgians, was in his younger days gay aud
festive character. Not being able TO restrain
him at oil times ut home, and with view to
inculcating within him habits of economy, his
father concluded TO send him to Washington,
aud place him nnder the surveillance Of his
old friend Cobb, then Speaker Of tho House.
The old gentleman sent Cobb a liberal sum
of money with which to defray Johns ex-
penscs, and charged him not to let him know
that he had done so thereby hoping to induce
John to lead n more economical life since he
was to live at Cobbs expense. John appeared
at Washington after a pleasant journey from
Rome, and registered at the Kirkw where
his friend Cobb was stopping. After dinner
one day Cobb took his protege out for walk,
as he said ito show him tho sights of the
Capital" They had not gone far when Cobb
espied Beau Hickman across the street, when
the following colloquy occurred:
Cobb-Do you sec that man across the
street? That is the great Beau Hickman.
Underwood-Is it possible2 / must go
over aud shake his hand. And hurrying
away he addressed the Beau as follows:
"My friend Cobb tells me that you are the
great Beau Hickman. l have come over to
grasp your hand. The people of Romo honor
you Us the greatest of wits and next to Mr..
Cobb, they regard you the greatest man in the
country. Let me whisper into your ear that
am in the same business here that you nrc
living on my wits. / have already fixed
Cobb for my board-bill at the Kirkwood, and
Bob Toombs has agreed TO pay my carriage
hire. Come over and let me introduce you to
Cobb, and we will make him pay for wine and
cigars" Look here, young man, drollcd
out the Beau, what do you take me for Do
you see any green here" pointing to his
dexter orbit. "Why, Cobb is an old stagcr,
and is playing you for sucker No longer
than last night heard him telling huge joke
on young man whose father had sent him on
here to be FURNISHED up at his fathers ex-
pense, the young man supposing that Cobb
wrs to foot all his bills. You are welcome TO
all such fellows as Cobb, aud what you would
make out of him would not feed ly for
week, but you can not introduce me to them
any too soon if there be any more greenhorns
hore from tho South like yourself" Under.
wood saw the joke, and was as placid as
lamb during the residue Of his stay in Wash
ington. Before | close, must relate a few
"reminiscences connected with Cobb's career as
general of militia in the rebel army In
1864, when Sherman was Crushing things to
the sea-" Cobb commanded about 5000
pcOrBiaus, WHOin le nHu TalSeu ny IODDlnH
the cradle and the grave" But he was only
u parade general, The whiz of Sherman's
bullets were too much for his nerves and he
always kept at a safe distance when skirmish-
ing was going on. Leutenant General w. ].
Hardee told the writer several anecdotes on
Cobb's "discretion," to put it mildly, about
the close OF the war, all of which went to
show that war was not Cobb's trade
nor fighting his delight but that
his proper sphere was on the hustings.
whore he could sway the masses by
his eloquence. Had the war lasted longer,
Cobb might have retrieved his reputation and
won laurels as soldier. 1t is related by
Macaulay, the great historian, that in his first
battle Frederick the Great became demoral-
lied, and his English gray boro him in haste
from the field To All old mill three miles away,
where he was found hiding by u courier who
rode up and told him that the grand old Field
Marshal, Schwerin, had rallied the troops and
won great victory despite Fredericlk's dc.
moralization but in the subsequent engage.
ments of Roosback and Leuthen he displayed
great courage and exhibited strategic ability
Of the highest order. And SO. too, Cobb might
have evinced military genius had more OPP
portunities been offered him. But the great
drawback in his case was the fact that
Shermans troops marched so fast that the
Georgia militia did not have time to stop and
make q fight. When Sherman reached his
plantations he ordered them destroyed, us q
punishment for his base demonstrating at
tempted to destroy government in which he
had served in several exalted positions In
the last agonies Of tho Confederacy Cobb COM
manded at Columbus, and 10 was there Charles
A. Lamar, u member of Cobbs staff, was killed
by Wilson's cavalry, as he was retreating
across bridge in the evacuation of that city.
Lamar had made himself notorious by inn
ported slaves on the yacht Wanderer in 1859,
and it was little significant that peace was
not allowed to be restored in Georgia until he
had given up his life. But why dwell long
upon the antecedents ofmen like Cobb They
have had their day.
Had they studied the best interests of the
country, and oxerted themselves in behalf of
good government, generations would rise up
and call them blessed. But their merits are
TO have led people most seriously astray
They run ship ashore, and yet their sue.
CessOrs are asking TO DO put in command of
another. The same old drunken and mutin.
GUS crew. with now set Of commanders, are
again hankering TO obtain control of the grand
old craft. But the people know them, aud as
long as memory lasts, the walls of the widows
and orphans aud cripplcs of tho late war will
IesOund through the land, aud admOnish
Americans that party which fought for four
long years to destroy Il Government Is not 1T
TO be intrusted with the dostinies Of u great
Republic,
How She Was Saved.