Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1897-09-22

- -
way, of the disparity in numbers
between Gen. Lees "army of North
ern Virginia" and the Fedora.
''army of the Potomac" that al
examination of the records, as fal
as he had progressed, showed what
all of US of that army had claimed,
that We were greatly outnumbered,
and that If these facts were borne
out to the END they would demon
strate that the army Of Northern
Virginia was the most splendid
body of soldiers that ever took the
field.
What was true Of the army of
Northern Virginia was true of all
the armies of the Confederacy.
We had very few foreigners or
sliens in our ranks. We were all
OF nearly oil native Americans,
deeply imbued with the love of
home and country, fighting without
bounty or the hope of bounty, but
purely for that love of home and
country. Moreover, our rank and
file was, as fule, composed of men
of intelligence and patriotic ardor.
It is sad, almost pathetic, to real
ize that such men, such soldiers,
such patriots should fail of a tri-
umphant accomplishment of their
object. But 30 it was decreed, and
We must submit.
1t is gratifying to note how Sec
tional asperities and bitter resent
ments have given place to just,
fair and honorable criticism. Lee
and Johnston and Bragg and
Beauregard on our side, are no
longer denounced as TRAITORS" and
"rebels." Nor do we now hear
Grant and Meade and Hancock
and Thomas on the other, berated
as vandals and ruthless invaders.
Their rank as American soldiers
is recognized and proper considera-
ton bestowed upon them in the
general make up of history. This
comports rightly with the spirit
of enlightenment in this modern
age of civilization and that mag
unanimous sentiment which should
always control a chivalric, high
mettled people.
We, as Confederates, have moth
ing to gain by detracting from the
prowess and soldierlY qualities of
our opponents, and they have moth.
ing to make by depreciating us.
AS rule they outnu n bered US two
to one, and in arms, equipments
and supplies always had the ad-
vantage, except when we would
break into their ordnance commits
sary and quarter master stores and
fill up depleted supplies.
Bnt they had in some of their
armies as good fighting soldiers as
we had. I don't think they were
as ably led in many instances, but
they had their full share of Amori-
Can pluck and were "foemen quite
worthy of our STEEL"
The war was q terrible scourge
while it lasted, and more terrible
to US in many respects in it's con-
not an unmiKed evil. True it fur
nished opportunity for the gratif-
cation of many bad qualities and
passions, as wars always do. At
the same time it developed the
highest qualities of Americon man
hood, and obscure men became
great characters, the pride of fu-
ture generations. who would never
have risen above the horizon of
common events, but for the occa-
sion and opportunities. Not only
is this true of the soldiers who
bore the brunt of the fighting and
conducted the stupendous military
operations Of the period, but of the
statesmen as we'll in the conduct
of the civil affairs of the two gov
ernments. The State papers on
both sides will rank among the
ablest of any age, and the legisla.
tive and diplomatic records will
stand out es the most brilliant in
our whole history.
In addition to this, prior to the
war the people of the two sections
did not know or appreciate each
other. Heated and resentful, often
misleading, editorials in partisan
newspapers, and in many cases
wild and e1travagant speeches by
political leaders on each side cul-
tiyated and stimulated feelings of
such intense bitterness that the
people formed entirely erroneous
opinions of each other.
You may recall the current talk
of the day at the North, that the
Southerner, reared under the inlu-
ences of the institution of slavery,
was an excitable, domineering,
| indolent sort of man, who would
fight spasmodically, but without
staying qualities, that he would
not submit to discipline and the
self-denial necessary for soldiers
life, and that seventy-fve thous-
and men could put down the re-
bellion, as they called it, in ninety
days. The first passage at arms
dispelled this delusion, and IN
stead of seventy-fve thousand men
and ninety days it required nearly
three millions of men and about
fourteen hundred and sixty days
! Tl. .oo- J;coouoro6 that the