The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1886-07-22
BLOODY shirt PAPERS!
NUMBER XXXVI.

There are many soldiers in this par
of the State who will remember tn
terrible 22d day of July, 1864. Oh
that day the Army of the Tennessee
was changing position, for the pur
pose Of Tightening the grasp Of thu
National army upon Atlanta. Gen
Johnston, having retreated with hi:
great Confederate army, across large
portion of the State of Georgia, had
turned the command Of that army
over to Gen. Hood, subordinate Gen
eral. Johnston, always cool and care
full, had conceived plan of making a
sortie from the works about Atlanta
and by attacking in great force, try
ing to break the Federal lines. This
plan was turned over to Hood with
the transfer Of the command. Hood
was sort Of fighting crank. Many
a man has been described as "brave to
rash ness" but Gen. Hood was brave
to foolishness. He decided, there
fore, on the 22d of July, to make an
attempt to carry out the plan so dear
to Johnston's heart. Attacking the
troops under Gen. Mcpherson, with
great force and impetuosity, the Con-
federates gaining temporary advan-
tage. There was a gap in McPher-
sons line, and that officer was making
dispositions of troops to protect his
flank, when he was killed.
A grander life did not go out dur
ing the entire war than that Of James
B. Mcpherson. A brilliant strategist,
ever on the alert, and closely watch
ing the enemy's movements, he was
ready at all times to give battle, or
double up the enemy by turning his
flank, as the case might render neces-
sary. Gen. Hood was repulsed, after
desperate struggle, with heavey loss.
We happened to belong to another
part of the army, but know that that
22d of July was terrible experience
for those who CHANGED to be thrown
into that engagement. This day was
but type Of the fierce struggles that
took place almost daily between those
two great armies. Gen. Johnston
placed the Confederate forces al fifty
one thousand men, while Sherman
had more than one hundred thousand
men. Young man, look at the picture
again. In the State Of Georgia alone,
more than one hundred and fifty thou
sand men, engaging in the daily busi-
ness of trying to shoot each other.
Gen. Johnston, in his report, said
in rather a boastful spirit that the
Federal loss during the campaign had
averaged thirteen to the Confederates'
one, and attributed this factor this
alleged fact-to the conditions of the
fighting forces, one retreating and
fighting under cover most of the time,
the other pursuing and attacking.
Yet the enemy Jared a little worse
than Gen. Johnston was willing to
admit. The death of Mcpherson was
the most severe loss sustained by the
Union armies during that campaign,
and there were many losses. During
the month of July, the Army of the
Cumberland-the Fourth, Fourteenth
and Twentieth Corps-lost three thou
sand, seven hundred and nine men.
1t is perfectly fair now, after the
lapse of twenty-five years, to inquire
as to what was the meaning Of such
conditions as these. What purpose
could be served by this bitter and
deadly contest between men of the
same nationality? What benefit
might come to the individual or the
State through the fierce conflict, the
trying privation. or the silent suffer-
ing in the prison pen? An effect
must have its melting cause; the ac-
tions of men must have some motive
governing them; the impulsive act
must have some aim back of it; what,
therefore, could be the meaning of
this great struggle?
1t may not be improper to speak of
the political sins of a great party, es-
pecially when that party comes before
the people from time to time asking
to be entrusted with important Gov
ernment duties. 1t may also be per-
fectly trite to say that the gallant
Mcpherson was a victim of Democra-
cy. 1t was Democracy that made the
war which called him into the field;
it was Democracy that charged, and
engaged in death-struggle with, his
lines; it was Democracy that fired the