Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1880-06-17

order, and Johnston returned tt
privacy.
In this connection it is SAID
upon the authority of two gen.
tlemen closely connected with
mr.. Davis, one Of them alleged
to be General A. Il. Lawton, the
Quartermaster-G General of the
Confederacy, and the other Gil
mer, that he was opposed to re-
moving General Johnston, and
relunctantly yielded to the advice
of his Cabinet advisers. The
account goes that at the meeting,
when it was determined, Mr..
Davis walked up and down the
room with his hands behind him
in deep anxiety, saying with
earnest emphasis, and with a
most troubled manner, that he
doubted the propriety of it. This
report which | give / have every
reason to believe true, and it is
the more important because it
conflicts with the generally ac-
credited opinion, and puts Mr..
Davis in different light.
1t is certain, however, that
Johnston's removal was the be-
ginning of the end. 1t was the
turning-point of the war. Sher-
man gave a long deep breath of
relief. 1t is high tribute to
Johnston that this able and en-
terprising foe so valued him. In
a few days Hood, throwing COM
pletely over the cautious Fabian
strategy of Johnston, committed
an error that the most ordinary
soldier would have avoided, viz. :
threw his little army against
Sherman's double force, strongly
intrenched and met with bloody
repulse from a third of Sherman's
force. Alittle later Atlanta fell.
Then Hood started on that i'll
fated expedition into Tennessee,
and by Christmas of 1864 our
heroic army was annihilated.
Surely there never was a swlfter
dissolution of a noble army un-
der purposeless lead of inca
pacity! And General j Johnston,
in pursuance of that grim and
malignant destiny of his saw his
own soldierly sagacity proven in
the overwhelming disaster that
followed on the reversal of his
policy. 1t seemed as ifa strange
fortune never tired of signalling
his capacity by the incompetent
cy or mistakes Of others.
JOHNSTON REINSTATED.
Johnston, from his privacy in
Macon, wrote to a friend that
Sherman's march to the sea was
the movement that ought to be
made. And it was, and from
Savannah to Columbia, and then
in rapid remorseless progress on
Lees rear was Sherman advanc-
ling, when again the clamor of
the people called out Johnston in
the dying agonies of the South
ern Confederacy to take COM
mand. 1t was too late. 1t was
a tardy recognition of the illus
trious soldier. Lee was given
the conduct of all the Confeder-
ate operations, and he ordered
Johnston to confront Sherman.
But the struggle was drawing to
Il close. Johnston organized a
small army, and a flash or two
Of his brilliant strategy illuni-
mated the closing scenes with a
flickering, fitful splendor. Lee
, surrendered. Johnston prompt
ly recognized that the end had
come, negotiated those terms of
surrender that embodied the spir-
lit of true craftsmanship and
peace, and which do such honor
to Sherman. Time has brought
the public mind to the perception
of the mastery wisdom of those
terms, and the impolicy of their
rejection.
AFTER THE WAR.
Since the surrender Gen.J Ohm
: ston has been mainly a citizer
of Georgia, preserving in civi
r avocations the exalted esteem
: accorded to him as a great sol
: dier. He looks a little but not
great older than he did during
2 the war. His small but cree
5 figure carries the same stately
: dignity; the intellectual face
! with it's flashing eyes, lofty fore
e head and apparent power, bears
a the same striking expression; hi
: manner of blended suayity anc
/ decision is as marked and attrac
r. tive. l have thought that John
. ston was the most impressive sol
r der l have ever seen. L remem
, Der at Dalton at a review OF tn
: army, when he was surrounde'
5 by a hundred of the most distin
:. guished-Iooking officers OF tn
= q ,.,,,1y a ctranoer to him unerrlnO @