Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1881-01-13
"How will the publication be made?"

~ AAo 10 aosisleu Dy CaptalnS Hart
ley and Craigie. l have charge Of tho
Confederate records, aud Major Harvio
assists me. Wo take the events of the
war as they come in order of time, treat
ing each battle and campaign separately.
10 show how we cover battle, let us tako
the first Manassas. First wo publish tho
official report Of General Mcdowell, who
commanded tho Fcderals; then the oiicial
report Of General Johnston, ommandcr of
tho Confederntes. Then follows tho re.
ports Of tho Federal corps commanders,
and tho Confederate corps commanders.
Then come tho division and rcgimental
and company reports for eaci, side. After
this is published the field notes from each
side, and you have no idea how important
aud intcr crcsting ure these little fold notes,
scratched off hastily in the hout of battle
on the pommel of saddles. They arc like
flashes OF lightning that show up the battle
VivldIy After the fold notes come tho
correspondence Of each general command
ing with his department or president or
commander.in chief. by this process VIC
get the battle from every possible point Of
view"
elbow many books have been publshed?"
''TlIcre are three volumes about ready.
These nearly complete the history of the
year 1861, covering the Charleston and
Fort Sumter affair, tho battle of Mapassus,
and the fights iu the Peninsula. THE
whole series will GIL from 80 to 100 VOL
umcs. The books ure printed in long
primer, the letters aud orders being put in
smaller type. We shall bo able to move
much faster hereafter and hopo to conclude
the year 1862 By the next assembling of
Congress.
"tlow can these books be obtained"
"fhcy can be purchased by dcpositing 81
volume with A. Il. Childs, chief clerk
government printing office, Washington, ID.
q. Tho volume covering any special cam
paign can be ordered, any part of set
ordered Those who wish any of these
books will do we'll to apply at oucc, as New
York booksellers are ordering heavily and
will doubtless raise the price very much.
The government sells ut actual cost. There
is one book Of the series for which there will
be a demand. Thut is a complete roster
OF every com missioned officer of the Con-
federate urmy, where he was enlisted, pro
noted, and what bccame of him. This
will be the official rcoord-aud will be val.
liable 10 the families of these officers who
scrved-aud especially Of those who were
killed"
"Wbat developments have you noticed in
the record so far?''
I'll find good many mistaken
opinions vanishing under the figures of the
record. should have mentioned, that in
closing the records Of battle, We print tho
official returns Of the force in each army
issued before the battle. Now, it hos been
generally thought thaS at tho first Ma
nassas the Fcdcrals vastly outnumbcred u.s.
The records show that they had only about
5000 the advantage in point Of numbers,
each army having about $4,000 men.
thought they had at least 10000. 1
suppose as wa complete tho records of
other battles we shall dispcI many popular
errors"
"You do not find that the same mistake
exists as to comparative plumbers through
out the warp"
"Oh, no sir. The records show incon-
tcstaby that for four years We wagcd war
with the proportion of three to one against
US. The records show that the Fcderals
bad, from, first to last, 200, 900 in the field
J. can only approximate the Confederate to.
tai, but it ia safe to gay that it will ret ex.-
ceed 100000. The study of the records
on both sides has increased my admiration
for the valor ond prowess of my people,
without depreciatiog my estimate of tho
bravery of the Federal troops"
"Don't the records show that the credit
of battle is frequently mispaccd?"
eyes That is probably the most striking
feature Of discovery For instance, ot the
battle of Rioh.Iond, Ky, a very brilliant
mauoavre was executed by which General
Preston Smiths brigradc was deployed
rapidly anc thrown OH the flank of the
enemy, giving us victory over an army
double ours in number, and the capture of
thousands of prisoners The credit of this
has heen given to General Kirby Smith;
but the records show that General Preston
Smith conceived the movement and excout
cd it on his own responsibility without the
orders or knowledge of General Kirby
Smith A great many cases of this sort
will be brought to light"
"Whose reports are the clearest and best
from the Confederate sde?'
General Lees beyond comparison. His
paper are perfection. lie never wrote
line or Issued 40 order that did not have
the same dignity and pcrsricuity that it
would have had if prepared under the most
deliberate circumstances. The slightest
scrap from him, bears the Impress of great.
ness OF tho cavalry generals, Whcelcr's
reports are the most admirable. Indeed
his are hardly equallcd by any of our gen.
erals They arc clear, complete and sol-
dierly Indeed, when the records show
Whist perfect confidence all our leaders had