St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1893-03-11

SdIbP AiVlu tIO UcSo uutlt tIic oh"
of the war.
in common with MANY of the plant
ers of South Carolina, had responded
! to Tie request of Gov. Pickens and
carried to Morris Island forty of nay
negroes for work in constructing bat
teries. Being the owner Of one half
of Chisholm's Island, | plainly saw
that whoever commanded troops
around Charleston harbOr would be
obliged to communicate with his sub
ordinates by means of boats | there
fore rendered to tho Governor my own
and the service of my boatmen, with
the understanding that | should have
military position, so that in the
event of capture should DO regarded
as prisoner of war Beauregard had
arrived in Charleston that very day,
and learning the facts the offer was
promptly accepted, and the planter
thus changed into the soldier.
The new chieftaiu was then forty
three years of age, and though not yet
draped in historic robes, something
about his personality showed him to
be at once 81 model soldier aud fin
islled gentleman. Tho figure, small
but compactly knit together, the couu-
tenance with its broad brow, the
mouth firm and shaded by a heavy
black mustacIIe, tho chin full of cour-
age and resolution, the eyes large,
dark and dreamy, save when the fight
ing Instincts were aroused; the iron
nerve of the man indelibly impressed
upon every feature, the complexion
brunette, almost resembling bronze, all
these characteristics reminded Que of
a French marshal Of the Empire to the
very life. About him was au air of
grave, high bred politeness and court
ly simplicity. He was free from atfec-
tation and assumption. and accessible
to the humblest soldier. Amoug the
privates assembled for duty at the call
of their state were planters and sons
of planters, some of them the wealth.
lest men in South Carolina, diligently
working side by side with their slaves
I here were boys and graybeards, the
heiis Of ancient names who had lived
in luxury from childhood, and the IN
ltttered sons Of toll, students and
plowmen, rosy checked urchins and
grizzled seniors, yet among them all
BeauIcgard moved with Il kindly and
simple bearing that showed him to be
by birth and habit the true gentleman.
FRIENDLY WITH HIS SOLDIERS
Later in the war he made himself
popular among the private soldiers by
with them when not on duty,
with them and lighting his
cigar at their camp fires. In this res
pcct he resembled The officers of the
First Napoleon, who, having establish
Ell this sympathy, knew how to use it
when striking their hardest blows.
The following is an incident in
point: While at Ceutreville private
soldier belonging to a company of cav
airy that served as the Generals body
guard entered Beauregard's apartment
and began writing Il letter, as he sup.
posed, at the desk of Que of the clerks. |
Hearing a step behind him, he turned !
aud saw his chief enter. All at once |
;he truth flashed upon him that he was |
writing at the Generals desk, on the |
Generals paper and with the Generals |
,en. The soldier ATTEMPTED to STAN
ner out an apology, but none was nee
,ssary. sit down and finish YOUR
etter, my friend,> said Bcauregard,
With IL good llumorcd smile "you are
'cry welcome, and can always come
n here when You wish to write" Is
t q wonder that such Il commander
hOuld be personally magnetic in bat
lie, as was the case on the field of the
lanassas fight The Confederate
attallons, broken to pieces, we've
carcely moro than Il crowd of fugi-
yes, yet when Beaurcgard, with lis
yes flaming aud his gaunt face abaze
it'll enthusiasm, dashed among them
I'd Selling the colors of the nearest
glment called upon the men to follow
m, they rallied amid the terrific fire :
I'd swept forward to victory.
REVIEWED Er "JEFE DAYS.
jefferson Davis made his second i'll c
rmal visit to the front in October,
I'll, when the Confederate army was
caInped in the neighbolhood of Fair
K Court House. After holding levee
the little old fashioned farmhou
at constituted headquarters, formal
view OF portion of the army took
ace. L only recall this because it
one OF the lesser incidents of the I
ar that has not passed into history, Z
I'd yet preserves part of the picture
at is fading into obscurity. r
1t was about the hour of noon and t
e immediate divisions under review ):
ere in line. Directly there was a
lrst of music aud then appeared at
Q front a dlgnifed, sodierly figure, c
en eyed, agile, and riding with easy r
acc, his hat raised to every saluta- !
ID, the man on whom tho eyes of the
7llIzed world were fixed as the
Of the Southern people. y
st behind linn in full Confederate o
ltorm OF gray, with head erect and "
ace that seemed nacadamized in its ~
rdness, rode Gen. Joseph L. Jolus-
!. BY his side was Beauregard, to :,
lom the trencbapt Daniel, then IL
Itor Of the Richmond Examiner, ttet
piled the sobriquct "Beauregard to
llx,' because among the Romans dl
1t term signified happy, fortune and
'ored of the gods; Beauregard, the r
% of Fort Sumter; Beauregard tho in
'orb, NIom the boys remembered at dc
nassas but a few months before of
outing in his inspiring voice amid to
dense smoke of the battle field,
salute the Eighth Georgia with my gr
off! History shall never forget Iu
/, ~ TO
lttired in blue, with few or no mill M
y adornments on his person except WI
ed, gold bound cap such as was M
cted at the time by officers from