Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-11-13
GEN. JOE JOHNSTON.
His Address Before the society of the
Army of Northern Virginia.

ClnClunall OonlmerClal OdLeLte says:
Gen. Joseph Z. Johnston delivered an
address Thursday night, before the
Society of the Army Of Northern Vir-
ginia. on 1.-The Confederate Invasion
of Maryland and Pennsylvania.
Gen. Johnston commenced his adj
dress by declaring that no four years
4 have ever produced such results or
made such impression on the art of
war as the four ears which witnessed
the confederate struggle for independ
ence. He had been informed by Col.
Won Borcke that Gen. Stuart's princi-
pie of using cavalry for raids in the
rear of the enemy was adopted IN full
! by the Prussian generals in the Fran
co-Prussian campaign in 1870, and
! that now Stuart was considered the
cavalry general of the century, as the
campaigns of Lee and Jackson were
the models taught from in continental
military schools
The speaker said the fourteen DAYS
occupied by the first Maryland cam
paign were probably more remarkable
for their performances and their re-
suits than any other episodes of the
war. He then rapidly and wildly
sketched the movements of the armies
of the Potomac and northern Virgin
| ia during the campaign of 1862, in
GLIDING the seven days fight before
Richmond, McClellan's retreat to
Harrison's landing, the transfer of
! his army to Washington, and Lees
advance to the Potomac Gen John
ston gave it as his opinion, founded
on conversations with Gen. Lee, that
the first MARYLAND campaign was UNI
dertaken by Gen. Lee solely and en-
tirely as part of his defensive opera
| ton of the protection Of Virginia;
IAN offensive-defensiv operation,
having as its objective neither the IN
vasion of Pennsylvania nor the re-
demption of Maryland, but only the
relief of the confederacy as far as the
means of his command would permit
Gen. Johnson placed the strength
of Gen. Lees army when it crossed to
the north bank of the Potomac at 34,-
! 500 infantry, artillery, and cavalry,
and the force with which Mcclellan
left Washington to meet him at 90
500. The confederate strength is based
on the report of Col. Taylor, Gen
Lees adjutant general, and the union
strength was based on Gen. McClel-
lan's own report. Gen. Johnston
then gave an interesting detail, the
movements of both armies until the
terrific conflict at Antietam, and the
repassage of the Potomac by Lee.
In telling of the passage of the con-
federate forces though Frederick City,
he took occasion to puncture Whit
tiers Barbara Frietchie" fable. There
was no foundation for the story that
Barbara Frietchie Haunted the flag of
the United States in the face of the
confederate column, ana that by order
of Stonewall Jackson a volley was
fred at her and her flag. At that
time Barbara Frietchie was "a years
of age, and had been bed-ridden for
some time. Gen. jackson did npt
| pass near her house; she never saw a
confederate soldier, and probably no
one of any kind 1T is needless to
say, - continued Gen. Johnston, that
no such incident as that described by
Whittier could have occurred in the
confederate army, which was compos
ed of men in all stations of life, sired
by enthusiasm for the cause Of honor,
liberty, and patriotism. The highest
admiration and the warmest love of
principle were the forces which direct
ed and controlled It,
Gen. Johnston's description of the
surrender of eleven thousand union
troops at Harper's Ferry, the bloody
skirmlsheS in Champions and Turner
gaps, and the final shock of battle on
the field of Antietam on the 18th of
September was exceedingly graphic,
and thrilled his veteran hearers, many
of whom were active participants in
that bloody campaign.
Concluding, Gen. Johnston said
"The first Maryland campaign,
when we consider the numbers em-
ployed, the distances marched, the
results achieved, the disparity of
forces fought, was an episode unsur
passed in brittany of achievement, IN
selfsacri6ce of soldiers, officers, and
men, in heroic endeavor, and in
chivalrc gallantry by any chapter IN
the history of the war. Considering
Lees audacity in dividing his small
force in the presence of three times
his numbers in an unknown and un-
friendly country, his fortitude and
tenacity is holding on until the OBJ
iect for which he had detached them
was accomplished and they could re-
join him; his genius is selecting hls
position, and his skill in handling his
troops on the field of battle, and the
manner in which he was supported by
his lieutenants, their subordnates,
and their men, we have lesson in
spring, instructive, and impressive.
The causes of the civil war are
sinking out of memory; the passions
aroused by it on both sides have died
out, but the record of the valor, the
patriotism and the endurance develop
ed by it will be .erpetuated for genera
tons.
Its splendor remains, and splendor
! like this is more than the mere out
] ward adornment which oraceS the life