Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1890-02-22
ovEa rHH coNrxpERArs cAxr.

~ i. I
OVER THR CONFEDERATE CAM. i,
"Thcy paused for moment to flres
but Hood instantly pushed them for
ward. They rushed onward with lcud
yells to the very mouth OF the gum
which had SO merciIessly poured grape
into them. Tho artillery horses hitched
to the limbers either ran away with ths
drivers or were driven of by them
and the gunners who had persisted b
remaining at their posts to the last, also
disappeared In the tide OF Texans, which
overwhelmed them in an instant, leaving
nothing behind but corpses lying on the
ground"
Porters battle field was In the form
OF an arc and could be seen from al
points. His headquarters were near the
center, and the count, his uncle, Prince
de Joinville, and his brother, Duke de
Chartres, were involved In the activity
Of this fight. Gen. Porter In his story
Of Gaines Mill, In the Battles and Lead
ers Of the Civil War" relates that dur
ing the highest excitement Of this battls
the count came TO him on the field and
begged him to send his uncle, do join.
Vile, on some trumped up errand -
army headquarters 30 that he might
escape the peril OF the position. The
message was given. but the old prince
did not go; II was repeated and still hs
did not leave the field. He said after.
ward that things seemed 90 favorable
all at once that he decided to wait Tor
good news to take back to the command.
ing general.
syr.. tu.4,. ..,.. A.. N,sS 49, Sc...~tH -,
Gen. Robert +. Ice as commander Of the
Army of Northern Virginia. In noting
his advent in new field the count sayss
ellis first efforts In war had not bsen
more brilliant than those OF Grant. and
he personally was but little known TO the
troops be was about to lead In baktle,
Always a patient, persevering and prn.
dent calculator. yet ready to risk much
at the opportune moment; handling
large army with great dexterity IN the
midst OF tho thickest forests; undefstAnd-
ing men, selecting them carefully. and
securing their attachment by his equltyS
worshiped by his soldiers and obtaining
from them what no other chief could
have thought Of asking them; respected
and obcyed by all his lieutenants; hu-
name, OF u conciliatory dispositicn. one
whose only fault as general was IN ex-
cess OF Difference to the opinions Of sub
ordinates, which at times caused him 70
lose . little Of that frmness which u 90
indispensable In the midst OF battle.S
Tho services Of tho count ended within
. week after tho battle of Gaines xill
and covered period Of about ten
months. Although an alien, he held
very decided opinions upon the issue cf
tho war, and his work shows that his
conduct was not guided by love Of 3D.
tenure, but by conviction. In TIE
preface to his history no writes:
"Having been kindly received In the
armies Of the young republic. which rs-
members the support given by France 70
tho first defenders OF It's Independence.
and has not failed 10 place the name Of
Bourbon among those who are to per.
petuate its memory on its soil, u he's
been tho wish Of the author to present .
grateful testimony To his late comrades
In arms. In writing his personal recol.
lections no has been led 10 describe The
war, some incidents Of which have come
within his own personal observa&i0n.
Notwithstanding his legitimate prefer
ences for the cause he served (Union), he
has endeavored TO preserve throughout
his narrative the strictest impartiality."
He believed slavery was the sole cause
| Of the war. "Thc effects" he declares,
"of the servile institution upon the dom
nant race presents spcctscle-sad and
instructive to historian and philosophsr
| -of fatal decentralization as just pun
ishment for slavery inflicted upon thoss
who expected to find nothing but prodt
| and power. In fact, the slave
power could only exist by enlarging IT.
domain and absorbing everything around
It. II the north had carried
| patience and forbearance much further,
the day when the decisive crisis arrived
this power might possibly have been
able to impose its fatal yoke upon all
| America"
The emancipation act was under dis
cussion at the time the count left the
country, and was passed soon afterward.
Speaking Of the proclamation, he says:
at inaugurated new epoch, and tn ;
conflict, freed from the remembrance OF
past concessions, assumed henceforth its
real character. II could only be ended
with the entire abolition Of slavery from
the soil OF the constitutional republic, or
by the triumph of this institution over
the largest portion Of America"
The opinion expressed Of Lincoln.
whom he introduces as "Honest Mr..
Lincoln" shows clear understanding
Of the trying position Of tho president
In 1861. He says:
"The republic had chief determined
to defend 1t while respecting the consti-
tutional rights and liberties Of all; those
who regarded the principles OF free labor
as the essential basis Of u free and demo-
cratic society saw at last man Of their
choice regularly invested with the insig-
mia of the chief magistracy; those who.
notwithstanding their affinities with
Shareholders, considered the mainte-
nance of the Union as the first article OF
political faith for every good citizen.
could rally around him without fear.
1t Is rarely that foreigners, even the
ablest of them, take pains to study
American events with so much diligence
and candor as displayed by this young
prince while fighting our battles as for
eign ally. GEORGE l.. kiLAER.
Only His Slater.