The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1891-04-09


treason made odious." Chow could 8
gentleman write such letter as that af
ter the war was over? ?" said I. Genp.al
Johnston smiled and said: "Well, do
not know could not have written it,
and my opinion is that he did not, and
that he never saw it. He referred your
letter to some subordinate or secretary,
and told him to order the release and
give you a proper lecture, and that is all
he knew about it. But still, it is fact
that the longer soldier fights for peo-
pie or cause the deeper are his sympa-
thies enlisted on that side. No doubt but
that General Thomas had come to the
conclusion that our separation was rebel
lion and rebellion was treason, and your
little tableau was great indignity."
During the evening the general alluded
to his removal from command by Mr..
Davis. He showed no resentment, and
remarked that Mr.. Davis was sorely beset
by civilians who knew nothing of the arts
of war, and that his removal was forced
by two prominent gentlemen in Georgia
who demanded it of Mr.. Davis. He
named the men, and then said: "But
Mr.. Davis is a soldier, very superior
one, and should not have submitted to
the pressure. 1t wss suicidal. I have
differed with Mr.. Davis and suffered hui
initiation from him, but he is true man
Notwithstanding his conceit and preju-
dices."
I thought of all this when I read what
Colonel Livingston Minis said-"Davis
was great man, and good man, and so
was General Johnston, aud the proof of it
is they both had mutual friends notwith.
standing their differences"
Yes, they were both great and noble
men. I have some letters from Old Joe
that I get out some times and read
for comfort. I have one before me now
that was written in 1866, about the death
of his friend, General Martin Luther
Smith, who died in Rome. It is as tender
and loving as if a woman had written it.
A father could not have written more
lovingly about the death of an only son.
Martin Luther was his pet, his fondliDg,
his protege.
Old Joe had great heart and strong
emotions. There is no stain upon his
honor, his humanity or his patriotism.
He came of proud old Virginia stock.
Patrick Henry's father was his great
grandfather, and he married noble
woman, the daughter of Louis McLane,
who was United States Senator for many
years, and also our minister to England.
What pity that such an union has left
no issue. But this is common misfor-
tune to the great. It takes US common
folks to keep the world agoing. Johnston
vas Virginien of the Virginians. He
would not have accepted the supreme
command of the northern army if ten.
dered him at the beginning of the war.
But Thomas had no such ancestry no
such State pride. he was cross from
Welch and French parents, and his face
in Appleton is as hard as flint rock.
BE was great soldier, and that was all.
Just as General Loring went over to
Egypt and fought for the Khedive's
money, go would Thomas have fought
anywhere.
But they are all congregating on the
other side of the dark river-Davis and
Grant and Sherman and Lee and Lincoln
and the Johnstons. 1t is curious
thought. What are they doing, and how
are they getting along. If there is an in
termediate state one can imagine that all
the great and good men have made
friends and would send an angel back to
us If they could, and say, "Be loving, be
kind, be forgiying, for there is no good in
war"
OAN- HAN'A