The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-08-11
A sCANDALOUs OANARD.

|
palpably false imputations are made agains
prominent chieftains of the late Confoderacy
ms article purports to rest upon the state
ments OF Gen. Dahlgren, who now resides
In st. Louis, and Is described as a veteran
! commander in the war OF the rebellion who
has been reduced to great poverty by his
exceptional honesty in refusing a million OF
dollars bride for a permit to pass cotton dur
ing our civil war
/ TO render this Fahricius- like and exception
al integrity Of "Gen. DahIgren" the more
conspicuous, the story s eked out into quite
an effective little drama by introducing NJ
Benjamin when Secretary Of War issuing a
permit to two Israeites, which Dahlgren
refused to recognize, ordering the said
IsraeIites to be hung the next morning for
Offering him the bride.
| A nights reflection, the story runs, induced
! the truculent but not cruel OF hOmicdal Con
eral to countermand the order and content
himself with the expulsion of the Israelitish
| traders from his camp.
| These so-called facts are related by the in
terviewer Of the RepubHcdn as illustrating the
superior integrity Of this Confederate com
mander over that of other officers, who were
exposed to the same opportunity Of enriching
themselves during the war. 1t Is implied
that this Is an exceptional case and that such
opportunities were turned to moro profitable
account by their generals.
A more glaringly false imputation, one
more VIGOROUSLY in conflict with the history
OF the war, could not have been conceived
Its publication could have been made only In
would disgrace even a bitter sectional foe, and
subject Its originator or retailer to the slls-
picion OF regarding as venial and natural the
acceptance of brides by the military chief
tains engaged in the desperate and seIfsacri-
ficing struggle Of the South against the
North.
That struggle proved a most disastrous and
unfortunate one. It closed with the desola-
ton and tmpoverishment of our once rich and
happy section. All that was left to our sol
diers and people was the consciousness of a
duty performed and sacrifices made which
are unparalleled In history, and Of an integ-
rty and patriotism preserved and maintained
against temptations and perls such as were
never before resisted with like unselfish devo-
ton, fortitude and constancy.
This was especially true of our military
commanders who yielded up honorable. high
and lucrative positions to embark in a strug-
gle Of four years of unezampled trials and
and at its close found themselves
utterly bereft Of everything of property, the
means OF subsistence, OF shelter for their
families, Of professional employment.
The only truth contained ia the article
copied from the Republjcan is that which re-
fers to the opportunities and temptations to
which these commanders were subjected, of
making fortunes by granting permits to
traders who infested all our armies and piled
their arts Of persuasion and inn
to obtain permits for the exporta-
ton Of products into Federal lines. 50 far as
the Confederate commanders are concerned,
we have never heard of an instance In which
such Importantly was yielded to, nor of any
profits enjoyed therefrom.
This fact, which we challenge the world to
has been one Of the chief glOrie3 of |
5he Confederate struggle The poverty of
our chieftains the utter desolation of their
homes and fortunes, were as eloquent testimo- |
lials Of tho purity Of their patriotism and the |
integrity OF their motives and conduct as
we're the scars, wounds and mu'iatlons |
Which atteSted their courage and fortitude in |
)attle. So much for the real commanders and |
who led the armies of the Gonfnd-
'racy, and defended the lines assigned to
hem, alike against the armies Of the enemy
IND the Wlles and brides OF Spectators and
raiders. Among these chiefs, however, no
uch name as that Of the Repubitcaa's in
ormant can be found.
The Gen. Dahlgren referred to never held
NY command In the Confederate army; was
leycr subject to any orders of the War De-
of the Confederacy, and could not, +
therefore,, have granted any such permits as
t is pretended was asked of him, and for
which he was offered a million Of dollars All
hat has ever been heard Of any service rem
Tered by an Individual Of that name was the
appearance Of an irregular force OF a few
hundred militia Or volunteers on the Missis-
ippi coast under a Gen. Dahlgren' at the
egnning Of the war, which force disappeared
With the sudienness OF Roderick Dhu's men
# the command ot their chief, when a small
'ederai guuboaJ approached the coast
ome time after there was published an elab-
rate and pompous report of the commander
I this force, Of his mastery retreat through
he swamps and piny woods into the interior
t Mississippi report as long, elaborate,
cientitic and graphic as that of Nenophon's
.nabasis. .-
This is the only record Of the military ser
Ices Of Gen. Dahlgren in the Confederate
5ar. We seek in vain for his name in the
oster Of the Confederate army, and we know
hat during the whole war the districts en-
racing the cotton-producing region We're
ED by regular and recognized officers OF the
army, and that no others could
liant any permits, passports or authorize
ny communications with persons inside of
be enemy's lines or issue any military or
ers which We're entitled to any respect by
itizens or soldiers. Had the retailer and
this preposterous story possessed
he most superficial knowledge Of the history