The National tribune., 1898-04-07

pJilsive part Of the institution. and / have
always observed they invariably shirlI
using ii themselves. They speak Of their
servant, their boy, or their negroes, but
never OF their slaves. They address u
negro as boy or girl or uncle or aunty.
la the evening / asked Gen. Johnston
what prospect he thought there was Of
carly operations, and he told me that at
present he was too weak to do any good
and he was unable To give me any definite
idea as TO when he might be strong enough
TO attack Grant.
! therefore made up my mind to be of in
a day or two unless something turned up.
as ] could not afford 10 wait for events. ]
have still so much To see. Gen. Johnston
IL a very wcil-Tead man, and agreeable TO
converse with He told me that ne CON
sidered Marlborough a greater General than
Wellington All Americans have an in
tense admiration for Napoleon; they sell
dom scruple 10 express their regret that he
was beaten at Waterloo.
iRen2arklng upon the extreme prevalence
al military titles, Gen. Johnston SAID:
You must he astonisled to find how fond
all Americans are Of titles. though they
are republicans; and rs they can get any
other sort they all take military ones"
Whilst seated around the campfire in the
evening. one al the officers remarked TO
me: can assure you. Colonel. that nine
men out ci 70 III The South would sooner
become subjects Of Queen kictera than
return 10 the Union.
Nine men out o. fO." said Gen. Johnston
So out Of q hundred | consider hat few
people in the world can be more fortunate
in their Government than the British colo
mics of North America.
But the effect Of these compliments was
rather Spoilt when someone else said they
would prefer 10 serve under the Emperor Of
the French or The Emperor Of Japan to
returning To- the dominion Of Uncle Abe ;
and IL was still more DAMAGED when an
other officer alluded in an undertone Ia the
internal regions as 4 more agreeable alter
native than reunion with the Yankees.
Nay 22-Ihc bombardment at iickS-
burg was very heavy and continuous ths
morning.
I had long conversation til Gen. John
sion, who told me that the principal evils
which a Confederate General had 10 con
tend against consisted n the difficulty of
making combinations. ow nc 10 uncertainty
alb at the me which the troops would
take TO march a certain distance on ac-
count Of Their struggling prOpensitics.
But from what have seen and heard as
yet. IL appears 10 me that The Confeder-
ateS possess certain great qualities as
soldiers. such as individual brave and
naiu al aptitude in The use of firearms,
strong, determined patriotism, and bound
less confidence in their favorite Generals,
and in themselves.
They are sob 7 Of necessity. as there is
sufficient good sense 10 know hat a GER
tain amount of discipline is absolutely
necessary; and believe that instances Of
INSTRUMENTATION are extremely rare. They
possess The great ADVANTAGE of being led by
men Of talent ard education as soldiers
who thoroughly understand tllc people they
have 10 lead, as well those they have
TO beat.
These Generals such as Lee, Johnston.
BeauTcgard, or LOngstreet they would fol
low anywhere and obey implicitly. But,
ON the other hand, many of their officers,
looking forward 10 fu ure political advance
ment owing 10 their present military rank
Will not punish their men or are afraid Of
making themselves obnoxious by enlorc-
ing rigid discipline.
The men are constantly in the habit Of
throwing away their knap~acks and
blankets on Il tonc march, il not carried
tof them. and often not be got
10 consider their obligations rs sol
diers. In the carly part of the war they
were often, when victorious, nearly as dis
organized as the beaten, and many would
coolly walk off home, under The impress
sion that they had performed their share
But they are becoming better i'm these re
spects as the war goes on. All this would
account for the trifling benefits derived bv
the Confederates from their numerous vic
tories.
Gen Johnston told me that Grant had
displayed more yigor than he had expected
by crossing the river below Vicksburp
seIzing 5ackson by vastly superior force,
ana, alter cutting of communications, in