The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1886-04-28
TARDY PATRIOTISM.

TARDY PATRIOTISM.
the Author of "Uncle Daniels Story
Counted Disloyal Interesting Facts
from History.
The Stars publication of Logan's
novel of the war has set the Oldest citi-
zens of Washington to buzzing like so
many bees. The air is thick with
"reminiscences and conjecture. Hoary
veterans who were in their prime dur
ing the tragic days of 1S60-61, but who
latterly have withdrawn from active
life and mingle with the world only at
some rare military reunion, have be-
gun to brush up their recollections of
twenty-five years ago. They knew
John A. Logdn well in those days, and
remember him wildly as a rather COM
monplace man Of about forty, or per-
haps year or two less, who was bon
camarade in the social recreations of
that time, but of no personal or politi-
cal mark, and giving no promise what
ever of the robust and virile individu-
atty he has since developed.
1t is proper to say that these men re-
member him kindly. What puzzles
them is the attempt in "Uncle Dam
iel's" narrative to make Logan flu
rious Boabdil of Union enthusiasm dur
ing the early days of secession. Many
of these men were busy at that time
organizing for the Union cause. Many
became members of the first company
mustered into the Federal army for the
war-Company A, Washington Light
Infantry Battalion. Before that they
had known Logan intimately, and what
they do not understand now is why, if
Logan was such fervent Union man,
he never mentioned the subject to them.
1t was time when most men were
taking sides; when Congress rang with
the fiery outbursts of secession prophets
and imprisoned appeals of the loyal.
The subject was on every tongue.
Southerners were resigning and going
home, and from beyond the Potomac
came sounds of hostile preparation
blown on fierce winds Of sectional
hate.
Every body then knew the South's
dread purpose. A hundred thousand
tongues of flame were licking at the
soldier that held the States together.
Wigfall was in New York trying to Sc
cure an engraver's establishment to
take South and make the Confederate
currency. Yancey, Slidell and Toombs
had declared the gloomy. propaganda
of secession. 1t was the time for loyal
hearts to thrill and loyal voices to ring
out. Yet these veteraa citizens at
Washington who knew Logan so
closely can not remember that he at
any time defined his position, directly
or indirectly. They, his erstwaile boon
companions, were VIGOROUSLY organic
ing company, but he did not APP
proach them with one word of SYM
pathy or encouragement. He had op-
portunities without number, but he
did not embrace single one of them.
Your correspondent visited one of
these citizens at his house last night,
and asked him to review his memories
of the winter of '6O-'61 so far as John
A. Logan formed part of them. II
knew John very well in those days, -
he said. eve were, you may say,
close friends, certainly intimate &C
quaintances. No; | do not connect
him with the Union sentiment during
that winter. If he had declared him
self should have known it. 1.-The had
said word in Congress I should have
heard it. am sure of that. But he
never opened his mouth. Nobody
knew how he stood, only we, his former
mpanions and intimates, took it fol
granted that he was Southern sym
pathizer because he manifested no
sympathy with us. He knew we were
embarked in the Union cause, but he
never told us his heart was with us.
''When was this?"
"All through the winter. He left
here after the Congress adjourned, and
went back to Illinois. Then, when we
heard the stories of the companies be.
ing raised in Egypt to 60 South, we
gave Logan up for lost. His name was
associated with that movement you
know
"How did you finally hear of his
joining the armyP'
"From himself. In May he returned
to Washington, and one evening / me,
him at Browns Hotel. He came up Il
me with his old manner, and told mt
he was going with the Union army al
the head of a regiment. remember
how delighted, and yet how surprised
Twas, for had certainly thought hi
was all wrong. But he made a good
so!dier-a mighty good soldier. Ihavs
always thought thai the secession o
John G. Breckenridge had good dea
to do with deciding the Dougla
faction. They couldn't agree on an,
thing, you see. II Breckenridge hai
taken part on the Union side, as h
really wanted to do, I honestly believ,
the Douglas crowd would have don
the other thing lat least they wouldn'
have gone with Breckenridge. Blu
Albert Sydney Johnston nersnada,