The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-04-16
& gENr1A MoBN1se APRIL 1e 1870

,racy. that it should be removed to rae Car.
vance and his Lee'D lines OF sup DIV. and. in |
The last necessity, of retreat. The succee-
lion was adopted and this sforce so moved.
General Wilson with well.appolnted and
ably-ied command Of FEDERAL cavalry moved
rapidly through North Alabama, seized
Selma, and turning east to Montgomery
continued into Georgia General CANDY.
commanding che Union armies in the South
west, advan ced up the eastern shore of Mo
bile bay and invested Spanish Fort and
Blakely, important Confederate works in
that quarter. After repulsing an assault.
General Maury, in accordance with instruc
lions, withdrew his garrisons IN the night to
Mobile and then evacuated the city, falling
back to Meridian, on the line OF the Mobile
and Ohio railway. General Forrest was
drawn in to the same point, and the little
army, less than 5000 of all arms, held in
readiness to discharge such duties as the
waning fortunes OF the cause" and the
honor of its arms might demand. fr
After Lees surrender at Appomattox and
General ]. Z. Johnston's capituiation, moth
ing remained for General Taylor but to fol-
low their example. The arrangements
which the authority of the United States
Government was re-established in the seced-
ed States, were marked by courtesy, good
feeling and both military and political WIS
DOM His own army of some s 200 men and
the debris of the mighty hosts which had
waged SO stubborn yet unavailiDg q contest.
were rapidly and quietly returned to their
homes and the paths OF peace. The prop
erty OF the Confederacy was transferred to
its legal successor, and the exhausted South
raised its weary eyes in the hope of a restor-
alton OF liberty and happiness under the
auspices of the Federal constitution. Had
the soldiers who accepted and adjusted the
terms of surrender been allowed to carry
forward the reconstruction of the vanquished
States on the principles which guided them,
the era of discussion would now be forgot.
ten. The politicians committed 1t to the
hands of camp followers and felons, and the
result has been what it has been.
The close of the war found General Taylor
ruined in fortune. 1t is a proud common
tary on the Confederate cause that its ablest
leaders shared to the utmost in the misfor-
tunes of their countrymen, and in nowise
ton. They have, on the contrary, rather
exulted in the exceptional hardships of their
| OF. 5r--.I.5--s's ~.
| General Taylor delighted to tell how, when
he reached Mobile after the cessation of hos
tilities, with single aid de-camp, they were
Obliged to sell their horses in order to pro-
vide for their immediate necessities, and he
/ often laughingly declared that he had never
| seemed to himself SO rich in his life as when
his aid, after closing the transaction, came
back to HIM and handed him q stout little
roll of $500 or $500 United States green
backs.
/ For several years after the war General
Taylor resided in New Orleans and the Leg
! islaiure of Louisiana gave him charge oil
some important public works in that State
! In 1873 he was induced to go abroad on bus
mess of importance, and passed consider
| able time IN England. There he fell in with
an old friend of the Mexican war, Mr.. Percy
| Doyle, G. B., who represented England
| in Mexico during the American in
vasion, and who has long been &
| favorite with the very highest circles Of
British society. To these circles General
| Taylor was introduced, and soon made him
| self a welcome guest in many of the Des
London houses. He was elected foreign
member OF the Turf club in 1873 and agar
in 1874, and he received much persona
attention from the heir apparent, whom hs
visited at Sandringham, and whose admira
ton he won by the charm of his manner
and the pIquancy of his conversation.
Since his return home General Taylor hai
taken only an advisory interest in politics
but those who knew him best know how
much was lost to our public life in the los
from our public councils of an intelligenc,
table spirit. His freedom and vigor o
speech, the keenness of his analysis, hi
| fierce denunciation of the prevalent corrUp
tion and his indifference in making persona
issues would have been invaluable in thes
days of furtive plans and whispering poll
tics. e-,. Ai
One reflection remains-what is to be sait
for the wisdom of the Radical scheme o
reconstruction which brought to the from
in the South negro BARRIERS and enfranchises
slaves to regenerate society, and forced int
retirement men able to sway councils ant
command armies? No wonder that unde
suck guidance the country has been callet
to pass through season of unexampled vice
misery and degradation. Hf...r t,rss F :