The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1894-06-25

ter. 1t is my purpose to show the vaIor
of the American soldier. his endurance his
Intelligence and his fidelity to trust I'M
posed"
How Army Officers Received the News
of Secession.
After talking entertainingly Of his early
life in the army. his part in the Mexican
war. and the dull routine of a soldiers life
up to 1858. General LOngStreet said:
'In 1858 1 vas appointed major and pay
master and served at Fort Leavenworth
until the fall of 1859. when L was ordered
TO Albuquerque, New Mexico, and remain
ed there until the war between the states.
1.-THE violent political and sectional con-
troversy which disturbed the states was
watched with intense anxiety by officers
OF the army. who naturally felt the deepest
interest in the result. Whilst there were,
doubtless, many officers, especially those
whose tastes had led them to read mucn
OF the political history of the government,
who believed in the right of a state. as Q
last resort for the redress of grievances,
to secede. there were probably none in the
summer and autumn of 1860 VINO We're
known as SeceSSioniStS and there We're
many who went with their seeding states
who did not believe that there was sufhclent
cause for violent action, nor was there,
perhaps more than dozen II so many,
officers in the army who were aboliuonlStS.
All felt more or less sympathy with their
respective sections. All were in sympathy
with the south. The officers of northern
birth generally believed that the people of
the south had just cause of complaint
against encroachment in respect to their
slave property, guaranteed by the supreme
law of the land And this feeling prevailed
until southern batteries were opened on
their flag at Sumter.
During the winter of 1860 and 1864, we
on the frontier were in most painful sus-
0t1r ear a intervals
md so irregularly that were often with
nut information of the progress of events
weeks at time. We often assembled on
the top of the quartermasters Of
the post, and watched hours to-
esther for the column of dust which
at that season rose as the mail coach rolled
over the arid roads, which could be seen
miles away. Every mail brought the same
dark troubl0us signs yet the feeling was
hopeful and the remark often made The
man for the occasion will yet show MINI
self and all Will be Well.
las time passed the anxiety increased,
and most of my time was passed in restless
srd anxious thought 1t seemed Il terrible
fate that those of us who had lcng served,
formed strong ties of friendship and periled
our lives in fostering care for the nation,
should be called upon to sever all ties OF
friendship. professional pride and lifetime
sspirations abandon it through quarre!s at
the will OF ambitious sectional politicians.
At the same time the feeling was that We
belonged to the states that h al given us
rcstion in the profession. Impending war
became the absorbing tOpic in our families,
as well as amongst all clf 5seS of acquant-
pnceS \ number of officers, nOrthernerS,
Knowing that / was about to offer my resig
ration came and tried to persuade me to
retain my commission IL the union army.
CAPTAIN Alfred Gibbs. of the Rifles did
most of the talking on the OCCASION After
a long talk [ asked Gibbs What he would
do If his state Should leave the union and
call him home? Would he hold his COM
mis- sion in the army and draw his sword
against his own state" He confessed that
he would return to his state. My time at
home was passed il. anxious walk about
INV quarters or office. On one occasion my
wife who had taken the same impressions
as our politicians that there could be no
war in one of our talks repeated, as was
her custom, There will be no war This