The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1899-03-03

run LOST Iause, January iSaQ
Deeds of heroism" in the so.,,.
Army were of such Common 'as.
renee that to mention one Womb v'a'
volve the misleading implicatioa 10
IL was exceptional. Hundreds Of , tas'
could he enumerated, anyone Of vs Sese
would make the actors name immaa
tai II it stood alone. In our
situation was peculiar, ana ,ha 's
and strains severe, and the mon
failed to meet them were the s, wy"
tions. Our condition and surrnnss
Ings, the great stake which was :
sue and the odds we fought agajs,
bred heroes by the Thousand !, y
branches OF the military ss,r,'4
Some, of course. became moro navy.
than Others; but in their mos, wv
splcuous acts Of daring they had
host OF rivals whose names wouia a.
this book.
My most interesting "remini,ca,.,,
OF the war relates to the Ssmho..
soldier, not as an individual. bm,
type, representing the body Of I'M
Southern troops. 1t is CONNECTED xi,s
that stage Of the struggle after VIII,
burg had fallen and Gettysburv ~.
lost, land especially after IIooa,
Tennessee campaign had ended i
disaster, and all reasonable pro,nd
for nope was gone. 1t vas then th,,
qualities were developed in the soldis,
or the South never before or since Nh.
served. in like degree. in any o,bo,
soldier known to history. II he haa
not made all sacrifices cheerfuIy. On.
dured all hardships unmurmurinplv |
and staked his life freely for the cans,
he had eSpoused so long as the hmn
OF success remained, he would ha,.
belied his nature and disappointed I'M
world. All this was expected Of him |
by all those who knew him. NOles
would have cnmported with hi, IN. |
stincts, his training, or the teachings |
and example of the great men Of hs
section, whose services in peace and
war had laid the foundations Of tbs
country's greatness and glory.
But when hope had fled, and The
chances for the establishment Of SEP |
arate Southern independence amouut. |
ed to more than the vaguest POSSIBLE.
ty to the Southern soldier: even ia
that dark hour. stood by his coaB
and his cause as faithfully, enduring
his growing liardships as uncOmplain.
ingly, bore himself as proudly, and
faced death as fearleSSly as when he
believed success would crown his ef.
forts and reward his sutTerings, pre-.
Sents Il phase Of consistency and devO.
tiOn and OF genuine chivalric Nnti.
ment which mo other historic clarae |
ter So strikingly illustrates. The men
he stands for in history fought as well
to save Hoods broken column. altef
all had been lost ut Nashville, as they /
had done at Shiloh. when victory, as
they believed. would establish the
Southern Cunfedcracy. They strug'
glcd as desperately in those last
days" nf Lees army-dayS Of hope.
lcssness and gloom-as they had ever
done in tile time Of that great leaders
proude>t trumphs. At BcntOnylle
when it was not dOuhte1 that lileh-
mond, in a few weeks. if not before
the battle ended, would be 10 Tie
hands Of the FederalS, they met Inc
enemy as braycly and cheeriuIly as
they had done at Manassas or Muir
frecsb0rO.
In all this | see something unequai
ed and unriyaled in the hlstoryOl WI
in any agc-something that cllalleneo
the admiration and wins the hOaasc
Of mankind. Whatever IT IS, ahu
whatever else it shows, it proves AZ
least, sincerity Of motive. contlnu'V
OF purpose, self-sacriicing adherens
to a cherished sentiment, and sel'sa
conviction which deled despair a'a
il Is to men Of such attributes, NOW
by such incentives, and capaoc y
such deeds, that the South uhu'
changed conditions, owes her posl.S.
of honor and equality in the uu"
to-day.
The New York World says thas