Kansas City daily journal., 1897-02-06
GENERAL YORK's REPORT.
His Views on Patriotism, Immortality,
Etc, and What He Hud Done

| Etc, and What He Had Done.
From the New York Sun.
Lieutenant General Forrest. L. s. A, was
| not the only commander of the civil war
who had lovely time with the English
| language. Forrest enjoyed himself thor
oughly: In his report of the capture OF
| Fort Pillow he wrote: We busted the fort
| at ninerclock and scattered the nigers.
! The men is still acillanem in the wood"
| This last non-dictionaryable word, being
| interpreted. means 'a-killing them"
But to return to the original proposition.
! that others than Forrest enjoyed their
meetings with the English language. Brig
He however. differed from Forrest: he
| used the language tenderly. and evolved Il
style that would put a Complete Letter
on July %. 1864. Brigadier General T. York
he'd got pretty well down to the other
reported to the assistant adjutant general
OF Gordons division, Breckinridges corps,
| in part follows:
Major, l have the honor to report-that
| after having participated in the various en-
| gagements of the Army of Northern Va,
up to the 18th of June & also in the sue
cessful movement up the Roanoke valley
my command lett 'Staunton' on the &th
day Of June, advancing with joyful step
! of gashing with the iron heel of war the
| Enemy's soil, ever inspires with new alac-
rity my decimated but willing command.
No fatigue can overcome, no danger ap-
| pail them, when the hearthstone of the
| vandal foe is the hateful goal
| ADVANCING with eager tread DOWN tn9
great Virginia valley. so adorned & blessed
| by nature and so blasted by the grim hand
| of War, they. found nothing to vary the
| monotony of long marches save the recoI-
| lections of the past.
This valley is for my command classic
ground As they tread its highways the
genius of 'Stonewal Jackson are incar-
nate before them.
immortality. Here Jackson conquered:
there Jackson was victorious With col
ors drooping, arms reversed. and to the
solemn dirge my brave Louisianians filed
past the grave of the dead hero at Lexing-
ton. garlanded by the taper fingers of beau
ty-a very bank of flowers
But standing in this noble valley. the
scene of his labors & his triumphs, no fol-
lower of Jackson could think of him as
cased in narrow walls of earth. As well
put the lightning in a shroud or the hurri-
cane in bonds.
| life of genius. Lousianians revere the great
| Chieftain. still living in his wondrous acts.
And once more moving through this
| classic region under the leadership of one
who enjoyed the confidence of the hero
| gone their eagerness is unabated & the
bright anticipations of the present tip the
golden memories OF the past
1T Is proper to record here that my
sharpshfoootters ote first entered ts the the
to be compelled to call attention to the fact
that my command by no means obtained
their equitable share of the stores cap
General York, as is apparent. has struck
the earth in this last sentence. But he
| doesn't stay long on the mere ground. Pret-
ty soon we meet him in thefaIr. He Is flap
ping the wings of his goosequill pen over
the battle of Monococacy Bridge
My veterans marched under fire with
the precision of automata-
THE spirit of twenty victories burned in
their bosoms & flashed along their faces
No eye quailed and no mind doubted Ev-
cry movement seemed to say with the gal
liant Percy, II will pluck from this nettle
danger, the flower of safety.
In rpDOTtinO heavy casualties (.pUnrgI
York again returns to earth, but presently
scars again:
Moving on towards the capital of the
United States, my command took part in
the investment of that city.
The sight of its domeS &c Notifications
fired anew my men they would have
hailed with joy the command for an as
sault and moved with intrepidity to its
But confiding in the wisdom of their
leader, they withdrew at his bidding & ac-
quiesced in any direction for their zeal.
Everyone will feel glad that the Louisi-
anians of Yorks brigade felt as they did
in this matter. 1t argues fine discipline TO
acquiesce in any direction.
General York names some of the officers
who were killed and then opens his mouth
in a sort of psalm-a song of degrees. per-
Our gallant dead we mourn.
The grave has closed its gloomy portals
above their mortal remains.
But their free spirits clad in the gar
ments of Immortality. still live in the MEM
ory of deeds well done.
ever beside their tombs. -
Its light shall dispel the somber gloom
OF the overhanging cypress.
The works of the dead speak trumpet
tongued to their surviving comrades.
From the bright example of the depart
ed the living shall gather new ardor &c
learn the lessons of duty and of fame.
THE tears that water their graves shall
bring abundant harvest of patriotism, OF
nope and of zeal
Pardon me when 1 presume to add my
opinion to that of my command in saying
that the chivalrous bearing of our revered
Major General in the combat of the Mono
cocacy,' as in all other battles, added new
lustre to his already brilliant career.
His escape was miraculous, his horse be-
ing killed under him at the very front of
his command. where his voice might be
heard above the roar of muSketry."
1t is not quite clear whether II was the
horses voice or that of the revered major
general that could be heard above the roar
of musketry: but 1t doesn't matter now. II
will be noticed by the literary critic that
General York speaks of the roar OF mus
kerry" Convention-bound writer's say al
ways rattle of musketry." but General
York was not bound by conventions.
Having thus tried to soften the asperites
of Mars with the softer accomplishments
of Minerva (as General York himself might
have written), the writer brings his report
81 humbIy trust that their & my efforts
may meet the approval of my Countrymen.
Obdt Servant. u. YORK, Brig. Genl.'
Certainly Very DiscournginE.
"I don't blame the young people for get
ting discouraged" the old gentleman with
white side whiskers remarked. 1T seems
utterly impossible for them to please in
some cases.
I-ar- %I.sv &N,,sG