The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1881-09-30
Mississippi Politics.
Chalmers Versus Lamar-The
Little Bull and the Loco.
motive.
Is There q Storm Brewing in the
Cotton State.

Frankfort, NY, sept. Io.'-A
former citizen of Mississippi, now
residing in this State, says he has
been greatly amused, but not at all
surprised, to hear that "Little
Bun Chalmers as the congress.
man from the Shoe string district
in commonly called down there,
was actually Offering himself as u
candidate for the United States
senate against the incompatible
Lamar! Pursuing the subject
at some length, this ex-Mississip-
pianspoke in substance aboutas fol-
lows:
"No one who ever know Chal.
mers, or watched his career from
youth to middle age, in peace and
in war, would be surprised at any.
thing impudent or 'brassy' he
might do. Being a sort of bril-
liant little mediocrity, with some
talent as u lawyer, it seems to
have been the philosophy of his
life to play for everything in
sight Though never noted for
warlike proclivities-in fact, rather
the reverse-the moment the war
broke out in 1861, he set to work
and raised one OF the finest rcgi.
ments Mississippi ever put in the
field, and was one of the first to
tender his services to the Confed.
rate government. BY paying as.
siduous court to Gen. Bragg--eu-
logizing him to the newspapers and
in public speeches, etc.-.he not
only overcame that commanders
rabid, oft.repeated repugnance to
political general but actually be.
came q prime favorite, aud, through
his influence, was promoted to q
brigadier before ever doing any.
thing to warrant such promotion.
Indeed, it was generally under
stood at the time that this partial.
ity Of Bragg tor the illiputian
brigadier saved the latter from the
condign punishment which would
have been the fate OF any less
favored officer, for the terrible mis-.
take he made at Munfordsville, in
this State, when Bragg made his
celebrated march into Kentucky,
aud then to the astonishment Of
everybody and the dismay OF the
South, marched back again Chal-
mers, being in advance with his
brigade, and wishing to distinguish
himself by a bold coup, attacked
that strongly fortified position
without orders, aud in few min
utes lost over 800 men without ac-
complishing anything.--in fact, was
repulsed, as any really capable OF.
ticer would have seen beforehand
would have been the result, when
had he but waited few hours for
q division or corp to come up,
and threw its lines around the
garrison would have surrendered
without firing a gun, as suose.
quently actually happened.
"After this Gen. Chalmers LETT
the Infantry, and Gen. Bragg
raised a cavalry brigade, and was
assigned to the command OF the
district of North Mississippi. In
this new field, it is said, that for
a long time he distinguished him
self by allowing the Federal forces
at La Grange and Memphis to do |
pretty much as they pleased in his
district raiding around, robbing |
the people, running on the negroes
to fill up the colored regiments,
etc., etc. On one occasion, whe
the enterprising commander at La |
Grange, Col. Hatch, (now or lately |
watching the hostile Indians in the
territories of New Mexico and
Arizona) made one Ut the raids
down through the counties OF Pan
ola, De Soto and Marshall back to
La Grange, it is remembered that
he was followed nearly all the way
by Gen. Chalmers, with an equal
If not larger force, without being
attacked, although Hatch was en-
numbered with an immense wagon
train, loaded down with the gath
cred 'spoils' OF three or four coun-
ties including more than one thou.
sand negroes, men, women and
children, and as many horses,
mules, beeves, ETC., etc. Nearly
all of Chalmers officers begged
and implored him to attack the
Federal force, SO eucumbered, urg-
ing the absolute certainty of sue
cess, but for some unaccountable
reason, he would not. The gallant
Col. -, of Panola county, noted
for his chivalrous and generally
successful daring, entreated Chal-
mers to allow him to make the at.
tack with his regiment alone, and
promising that he would be respon-
sible for Col. Hatch and his entire