The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-10-23
on DANGEROUS GROUND.
Gen. LOngstreet Attacks Lee in His
Book, soon to Appear.
From the New York world.


From the New York World.
Gen. James Longstreet has just been
on a visit TO Philadelphia to see his pub
fishers about his new book, which will
soon appear He expects that the records
which he has collected will create great
deal of hard feeling in the south, for he
has criticised msparingly some of the
most famous confederate leaders, men
whose names are held as almost sacred
by the cOnfederates.
In fact" said Gen. Longstreet to a
World correspondent. II think that some
Of the Nirginians believe that when they
que they VIII go to Gen. Lee, but my
DOCK VIII SHOW very plainly that Lee,
thoushs now regarded by all southerners
as the most able of leaders was but a
poor commander. and that the whole of
ms military history is full of mistakes
II am confident that had the manage
ment OF the troops been given to john
ston the south would have won the con-
met. one OF the greatest errors that Lee
ever made was a the battle of Gettvs-
burg, when Meade outwitted him on every
SIDE. II has been said that Lee had the dis
advantage OF being in such a position that
MS men mad terrible obstacles to over
come, but If the union forces possessed
such me position on the nights above
Mhle Lees men were below in the Devils
Den, 1t was due to the fact that Meade
OutSeneraIled Lee and secured such an
advantage by his superior tactics.
- Lee had Just the same chance to get
the nights that Meade had, but he did
not, and his men had TO climb up hills
ana nght in the face of what was "a
natural citadel, where Meade was lodged
Johnston was the superior of Lee in
every way, but he was hampered bv hav
ing incurred the displeasure of President
DAVIS Inc hneness of Johnston's judg-
ment is shown by the fact that he was
anxious to march Immediately on WASH
lngton Just after the victory at Manassas
put u . reason he did not do so, so John
aAWaVS said hot h.
ed 70 obey Davis orders, which prevent
ed his making what would have been the
coup detat of the conflict and have
Drought speedy success to the southern
arms. Had Johnston marched on WASH.
lngton, ii would have fallen The south
would nave secured the key to the situa-
ton.
Il was with the army when the surren-.
DER took place at AppomattoX When Lee
Iounu that we were cut off he sent for me
ana toId me that he could not get away
lie said that it was impossible TO escape
and wanted to know what plan of action /
would propose. told him that, as he stat
eu the matter 1t was its own answer He
then sent for Gen. Malone and made the
same statements to him, and Malone adj
Xlsed him to see Gen. Grant about matters.
Lee approved of this advice, got on his
horse and rode out to find Grant
Whlle he was gone 1 heard a report
Which led me TO believe that it was pos
slple 10 cut our way out of the union lines
that were hemming us in, and | decided
TO stop Lee on his errand to Grant Lee
had considerable start, but l sent for the
neetest courier in the army to race after
him and bring him back from his mission
Yet the condition of the men and horses
was such that it seemed impossible to get
a fresh courier for the Grand
1T happened that Col Haskell of Soutb
carolina, had fine blooded mare that had
been brought from Petersburg. 1t was
fresh and spirited, and Haskell offered to
render whatever service he could l told
MN at once to get on the mare and ride
after Lee; l told him not to spare the
mare 10 XII It II necessary, but find Lee
at all events before he reached Gen Grant
Haskell set out at laundering gate but
When ne got to Lee ii was too late / after
wards discovered that the report which
had reached me was false so il was we'll
enough that Haskell had not succeeded
IN catching Lee before he had communal
Gated with Grant.
Gen. Malone was a good soldiar and a
good worker. In January 1863 | was he
lore Petersburg, and left to 20 down to
Sunoik, but before leaving 1 laid out
my lines extending them from Peters.
burg almost to Charlottesville, as l sup
posed that the enemy might come around
ana make an attack on my left. l wished
to defend my line at the crossing of the
river and at the plank road, hence / put
all the troops to work. Whenever / made
a tour OF inspection l always found Ma
hone at his post, which is more than 1
can say for some of the other officers
Malone was fine engineer.
Mahone's appropriately in Virginia
was due to his politics. They attacked
MIN in the Senate because he helped to
organize the Senate under the reDubIi-
cans. But he did more for the state than
any other man has done for many a day
think he was patriotic and sincere in
all his political life, and if he was dis
liked at the last it was because Virgin
ians did not like his belonging to the Re-
publican party.
Il commenced to write my book on the
war about seven years ago. At that
time l collected some data and had some
maps drawn, but my house caught fire
and burned to the ground, destroying a
ed, and my health becoming very bad
about that time l abandoned the idea of
writing a book. In two or three years
from that time, however, my health be-
came very much Improved. and so I took
up writing again, collected the data over
and have worked on 1T since. The pub
fishers expect to have the book out in a
months time.
Cup to the time I commenced writing
I had no idea of writing anything about
the war, for l supposed there were so
many other people writing about it that
there wag no use of my saying anything.
I thought my record as it was, would
tell what had done. However, so many
Of the people who did write books wrote
so strongly against me that was forced
to say something in my own behalf and
defense. / have told the whole story"
Gen. Longstreet is rather feeble and
his hair falls white about a face well
marked by the passing of time. He is
quite deaf, and IS obliged to carry on
conversation by means of an ear-trum-
pet. Longstreet is an ardent republican,
has accepted the results of his defeat
philosophlcally and says now that the
best thing that ever happened to the
south was her defeat, for nothing but
interminable confusion would have fol-
lowed her victory"
-Taior-when you delivered Mr.. Slow
boys suit, did you call his attention 10
the fact that it was there when prom
Used?
Boy-Yes, sir
Tailor-What did he say?
10 q If 9 rOTIIt
ranaN NnlI for what Won had dnna for