The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1895-11-23
REDHOT JOURNALISM
TRIALS OF A CONFEDERATE NEWS
PAPER DURING THE WAR.

Heary wastsrsoa Wa Kditer IN CA,se
Hin Meeting with General Rrass-
he Papers Career Was Clessd.
The story Of The Rebel in its wander
ings over the south is one Of interest. |
. Survivors Of the Army Of Tennessee e.
pecially remember the little sheet that
found its way to the camps daily and
inspired the boys to renewed energy and
hope for the cause they deemed the |
right. Like the loved and inspiring |
Dixie" The Rebel fred the southern |
heart by its very name.
The Rebel first saw the light Aug. l. /
1860. in Chattanooga. II was a four
column folio. published by Franc N.
Paul Thousands Of copies were sent to
Braeg's army at Tullahoma, Tenn. and
often the supply was inadequate to the
demand, owing to the fact that the pub
fishers press. drum cylinder, could
not print them fast enough. Often the
press was kept going all day to supply
the demand from the army suffers
So popular did The Rebel become in
. few weeks that the publisher in Octo-
Der. 1869, engaged the young but versa.
tile and rising journalist. Henry Wat
terson. to edit the paper. Mr.. Paul
brought to the assistance Of Mr.. Waiter
son Mr.. Albert Roberts. . vigorous writ
er and trained journalist Of Nashville.
He was q humorous writer. using the
nom de plume Of John Happy"
Watterson and Roberts kept The Rebel
at white heat. and the paper grew in
| importance and size, being made FIVE
column paper shortly after the publica-
ton began. Well does the writer re-
member the eagerness Of the army for
the only highly priced paper. The boys
! in camp could not rest until its arrival
every morning ON the train from Chat
tanooga.
| When General Bragg began his retro
grade movement in the spring Of 1858
to Chattanooga. The Rebel was supplied
to the army with much difficulty. When
the army arrived there, the paper was
in still greater demand In the summer
Of that year, however, it became evil
dent that the Federals were coming to
Chattanooga for the purpose Of captur
ing that important point. And then il
was The Rebel began its meanderings
over the south.
The paper was removed to Marietta,
Ga, Messrs. Watterson and Roberts
staying in Chattanooga for few days
after the plant had been shipped The
Smelling Of Chattanooga in that month
soon convinced the editors that they.
too, must 60 il they would avoid cap
ture by the Federal army. and they left
to join the paper. Editor In Chief Wat
terson had been sharply criticising Gen.
eral Bragg while the paper was in Chat
tanooga- One evening he visited gen
tleman's house in that town, and il
happened that General Bragg was also
a visitor. The two gentlemen had never
met, and while waiting for the host to
appear, after being ushered into the
parlor by servant, Watterson and
Bragg began a casual conversation which
soon turned upon the war. Although he
knew he was in the presence Of an Off
Ger Of high rank, watterson little sus-
pected it was the commander in chief
Of the army. He INDUCED in some crit
icisms of General Bragg as he had been
doing in The Rebel The general listen
ed for awhile in almost speeches. won
der, but controlled himself till his fiery
critic had abused him for some minutes
when he arose, and addressing Mr.. Wat
terson asked;
do you know who I am, sir"
, The editor replied that he had no,
!. that honor.
MY name is Bragg. sir, said tht
now fully aroused commander.
OF course Watterson was somewhat
taken aback. but in his most courtly
. and chivalrous manner assured Genera
Bragg that he had not meant TO be Of
, fcnsive, but that his criticisms wers
a made in good faith and from motives Of
A sincere desire to promote the welfare Of
). the Confederacy. But apologies wers
q not asked or given.
:. General Bragg, however. never forgo
y nor forgave his critic. After the battle
!. Of Chickamauga, while the paper wa:
at Marietta, Watterson continued his at
A tacks on General Bragg. who informed
!, the publisher Of The Rebel that unless
!. the irate editor were discharged the pa
per could rot come into his lines Mr.
n Watterson then realized that he mus
. seek other friends, for he was not tn.
, man to retract a word nor to be dictated
!. to. As editor in chief he would write
q his sentiments despite any one, so h,
, made arrangements to become one O
|. the staff Of Lieutenant General Leonida
Il Polk. After serving a short time in tina
!. capacity Watterson resigned and becam'
!, editor Of one Of the papers published il
!. Atlanta.
I'm for awhile the approach Of the Fed
eral army to Atlanta in July Of tba
year warned the publisher that he mus
move on il he would keep The Rebe
G. sfoat and save his scalp, so it was takeI
II to Selma, Ala, that fall.
'e Here 1t was that the eventful pape
10 came to an untimely end with the Con
y tederacy it had so long and faithful,
al upheld. 1t was in the latter part O
D. April, 1865, that Selma was taken b,
y General Wilson. The Federals knew O
ID the existence Of The Rebel, and one O
Ut the first things they did to appease tbei
j. wrath was to fire its Office, which wa
g. in q building beside the river and bull
al partly over 1t. The Yankees printed
D. small sheet, in which they announces
IN their victory over the "rebs' and prob
y ably the general orders from head
81 quarters" announcing the surrender o
% tie armies Of the southern Confederacy
10 They then threw the materials in tn
TO river and burned all the files they coul
- find -Rratnn Herald