Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1883-02-21
For the Herald.
Mr., EpIToR -

lot be omitted. In general arrange
ment. 10 beauty of maps and engrav-
ngs, in quality Of paper, in size and
,learness of type, and in neatne's Of
inish, it is unsurpassed. It's mechani-
,al execution 10 perfect. It's general
)lan is admirable. One OF its most
features is its series Of bio
graphical and explanatory notes at the
md OF each chapter. In general, its
yrasp of the essen itls.of history IS sure,
is treatment of them, terse, lucid and
vigorous.
Even that portion under cOnsidera-
lou Is written without any harsh
epithets, without any insulting express
sions. A careful perusal, however,
will lead 10 the conviction that it cre-
otes false impression about the nature
Of the struggle IN two ways first, by
an occasional oyerestimate OF the
Confederate iorces and second, by an
almost lnvaIiable failure to state the
disparity between the contendlng forces,
thus giving undue prominence to the
result of our action at the expense OF
the manner of its achievement.
# the parts are defective the whole
can no. be perfect. If there be mis-
statements about the several battles or
defective accounts OF them, then there
will be a misrepresentation OF the whole
contest, and no act Of typography and
no excellence in any other respect can
supply the deficiency.
An instance of an oYerestimate OF
Confederate forces was gwen in last
weeks article. Another instance is
where it estimates Lees forces at
Geuyburg at eighty thousand while
Holmes, Johnston, &c. barely put it al
sixly-fve thousand. Again, Early or
fsrlOra hope IN the Valley in ga is put
at twenty thousand, when it could not
quite reach twelve thousand. As q
final instance, let me quote s $50 p.
308:-
The forts and floating defences OF
Mobile harbor had been taken in Au.
gust, by Admiral Faxagut, 10 one OF
the most remarkably naval actions OF
the war. The approaches from the
Gulf were we'll guarded, not only by
forts and batteries on sboSe, but By
sunken torpedoes, and by POWERFUL
fleet, commanded by the highest officer
of the Confederate navy. The fourteen
Federal vessels that were ontside the
bar advanced, two abreast and lashed
together delivering their broadsides
of heavy shot With perfect precision as
they passed the forts. -Four Federal
iron-clads already within the bar joined
in the battle, which was kept up for
three hours with great spirit and reso-
luton on both sides. The seyerest
conflict was with the Confederate ran
Tennessee, which engaged five Union
vessels at once, but at length surren-
dered." (Eclec. Hist. L. S.)
In the official report Of Admiral
Buchanon, 1.-THE highest officer in tht
Confederate navy" published IN the
RICHMOND ENQUIRER, of Nov. 9TH,
GA and in The New ECLECTIC, o
Aug. 80, this POWERFUL" Confed-
crate fleet is stated as consisting o
the ,cooden gunboats Morgan aud Games
each carrying SIX guns, and Selma
four.n with "the ram Tennessee, OF si1
guns in all % guns and 40 men,
This report also gives the Federal force
exactly as in text quoted. with regar(
to number aud character of vessels, land
states them also as carrying in eli
1919 guns and .2700 men," This POW
ERFUL Confederate fleet was not quit
80 immense as might be imagined from
the text.
Two instances, in which the write
thinks there is an overes!lmate, ar
omitted because he has at present NJ
satisfactory evidence. This, Mr.. Editor
closes the list of overestimates, q
least, Of those discovered up to date
After two diversions, we will proceed
to point out the disparity between tho
opposlng forces. The first OF the dl
versions partakes more of the humorou
than of the serious; the second. some
what of both. On page %, Johnston
IS represented as sending Jackson "ap'
the Valley. 10 '62, 10 threaten Wash
ington; on p. SO5 1t sketches Early a
dashlng "dorn" the Valley, in ga, 70
the same purpose. Did Washington
change its position between the year
,62 and '64, or did one portion OF th'
Valley undergo an upheaval and th
other subsldence? .
The account Of the seven days battl'
around Richmond is so contrary to tn
ideas of it prevailing here, that a llttI'
notice of it will not be inappropriate
First. S523, p. Dol, entlre:-
ga two days battle at FAIR OAK
would probably have ended IN victor
to the Coniederates but for the disablin
of their chief by serious wound. Gen
eral Robert +. Lee, who succeede
him, had time to raise immense nun
bers of recruits aud strengthen tn
defenses of Richmond; and BY SEVERN
Mcclellan from his supplies, force
him 10 move his army TO the James
This difficult movement was accomplish
cd with seven days. tremendous hgh
ing. usually successful, but fearful
costly of life. The Federal army, sii
outnumberiug Its enemy, then poste
itself at Harnson's Landing belo
Richmond" (Eclec. Hist. Z. 81
To complete the force, when McClIau
after seven days' casually successful