The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-06-29

Mr. Davis was not one of those who
wished blindly to rush into civil war. He
comprehended only too clearly the miseries
which must ensue. let the result be what it
might.
As, unlike most of my associates, did
not believe that secession would be peace
ably accomplished but that war would
surely ensue between the sections. and that
the odds against US would be far greater
than what were due merely to our numeri-
cal lnferlorlty, was slower aud more re
luctant than others, who held different
opinion, to resort TO that remedy. | soon
learned that | was regarded as too slow;
and my critics were probably correct IN
their assertions that was behind the gen
eral opinion of the people of my state as
TO the proprlety OF prom TSeCesSion.'
Mir. Davis attacks belief which was at
one time accepted very generally in the
north.
lit has often been asserted thai the
troops of the United States army were so
disposed, by collision between the south
ern leaders and Mr.. Floyd the secretary of
war, that the seizure of forts, arsenals and
custom houses in the south was rendered
possible and easy No such conspiracy ex-
listed. The military forts were in their
usual condition. There were no fewer
troops at the time of their seizure by the
states than there had been for many years,
nor than there is, generally, even to this
day QSS9)."
OF his election to the Presidency, he
says:
las my election had been spoken of as
probable event, and as did not desire that
position, or any civil office, but preferred
to remain in the post to which l had been
elected. and still held, at the head of the
army of Mississippi, 1 had taken what
seemed to me ample precautions TO prevent
my nomination to the Presidency | ac-
cepted the position because | could not de-
cline it, but with the expectation and inten-
ton OF soon returning to the field'
He was at the time engaged as planter
at Buartield, Miss.
Mr.. Davis discusses the emancipation
proclamation at length. Yielding to the
great pressure brought to bear upon him
by the popular feeling in the Northern
States.
ION September -, 1862, President Lin
coin issued preliminary proclamation of
emancipation. 1t declared that at the next
session of Congress the proposition for
emancipation in the border siave-holding
states would be again recommended; and
that, on January l, 1868, all persons held as
slaves within any state, or designated part
OF any state, the people whereof shall then
be IN rebellion against the United States
shall be then, henceforward, and forever
free'''
Mr.. Davis describes the various military
and naval operations of the confederacy in
a concise and lucid style, avoiding the
temptation to verbosity which is the pre-
vaillng fault of nearly every history of the
civil war which has hitherto been written
He touches upon the events which created
so much terror in the north at the time,
namely, the capture of northern vessels by
southern cruisers. Speaking of the Sum
ter, he says:
During her cruise, up to January II,
1862, she captured three ships, five briggs,
SIX barks and three Schooners; but the
property destroyed formed very small
part of the damage done to the enemy's
commerce. Her appearance on the seas
created such alarm that northern sSips
were, to large extent. put under foreign
flags, and the carrying trade, in which the
United States stood second only to Great
Britain, passed rapidly into other hands
The Sumter, while doing all this mischief.
was nearly self-sustaining
The account OF the battle between the
Alabama and the kearsarge is very dram
attic:
''On the 10Th of June, 1864, the Alabama
left the harbor of Cherbourg to engage the
kearsarge, which had been lying off and on
the port for several days previously. Cap
tain Semmes in his report of the engage
ment writes:
"'After the lapse of about one hour and
ten minutes our ship was ascertained to be
in sinking condition. To
reach the French coast, gave the ship all
steam, and set such of the fore and aft sails
as were available. The ship filled so
rapidly however, that before we had made
much progress the fires were extinguished
l now hauled down my colors, and dis
patched boat to inform the enemy of our
condition.
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