, 1885-03-06
BILL ARP'S VIEWS.
HOW ACCOUNTS OF THE OFFICERS
OF TWO ARMIES DIFFER.
Gen. Grants Article In n Century =
william Preston Johnston's Account
In the Same Number Story
Abozt .OId Hickory"


AhAAA ~ "a AAA|ANAN &kAA|NANAAAaAAHI
"Men Of M~a1sachusetts, you have con-
quered everything else, now learn to con-
quer your pretudices.' Daniel Webster said
that or words to that effoct, and II he YVES
alive to-day he could say 1t 10 all Of US for
we are the slaves Of prejudice. j was think
ing about this while reading tho last number
Of The Century. In the December number
Cen. Lew Wallace wrote an account Of the
battle OF Shiloh and l thought it was
very fair and considorats, consider
ing that be was q Federal general l be-
lieved him to DO sincere. And now comsa
Gen. Grant In the last number and says that
Lew Wallace did not oboy orders and
bungled up things terribly. He says that
the Confederatos had over 40, 900 mon the
first day, and be had only rs 900 In line; but
ho never had any doubt about whipping tho
fight. He says further that Lew Wallace
came up after the first days. fight with 5000
men, and Buell. came next morning with
10000 more, and this made a total OF Sc, 900
for the second day. He says he did not
need b uell's force, but was glad to see them
and they did all that there was for them
10 do.
Well, now let US look at William Preston
Johnston's account In the same number. He
says that Grant had an army OF 5000 men
In camp, nearly 5000 Of whom were effsc-
tives. Buell. was near at hand with 81. 900
more, and Mitchell not far distant with 49,
900. In all Grant had 105, 900 effective men,
and opposed to him were less than 10000
effective Confoderatos.
So II seems that Grant was to AVE easily
whipped tho 10000 Confedsratss with his
$1,000 Federals without any help from Buell.
And on the other side IL seems that Grant
had 105, 900 men pitted against 1000. Ev-
erybody Is at liberty l suppose to believe
either ono or the other; but I reckon most
people will do like the juries do when the
lawyers get them all befoddled-just split
the difference and find a verdict
Beauregard and his friend Jordan make
up n pretty good story for their side, and
William Preston Johnston handles them
without gloves and makes up a better one
for Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston, and SO
It goes, and nobody knows just how IL was
exactly, and never will know / reckon. I
don't believe any Of thsse writers can tell It
just as IL was for they are all Just human
and have prejudices, and IL is impossible for
them TO sec II from the same standpoint
And we their readers will believe or not be-
lievo according to our prejudices, for we
can't help It We inherit a love Of sour
aide' just like we inherit our politics or our
religion. 1t Is d trait in human nature that
contributes to our good and makes us hap
pier, but like all other good things II can be
indulgod in to extremes, and then It makes
us selfish and conceited and uncharitable.
1 know that the truth Of history ought to
be vindicated II 1t can be, but / don't see
that all this wrangle about the battle OF
Shiloh Is doing any good. 1t Is pretty well
settled that we got badly whipped somehow
or somehow else and the "ifsn and the per
adventure arc too uncertain to make up
history. They remind mo Of an article ]
read about Con jackson at New Orleana
The writer said that "old Hickory was the
second savior OF the world for II be hadn't
commanded at New Orleans and killed old
Packsnham, old Packenham would have
whipped that fight, and then gone
back to England and taken charge
Of the English army, for he ranked Well
ington and Napoleon and would have
whipped him at Waterloo, for Packenham
was a poor general, and then the French
would have whipped England and all the
rest OF mankind, and the whole world would
by this time be under the French empire
and BE- eating frogs or catching them for a
living.
There Is just about as much jealousy
among military commanders as among
doctors In a ono-horse town, and II is of q
worse kind, for q doctor can die out Of 1t and
get rid OF II, but a general can't They will
rake him up and lander him after he has
boon dead and buried for twenty years.