The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-09-09
LITERARY NOTES.

Chicago, w. b. Conkey Company, Cloth.
Pages. 1896.
This is a narrative of the personal adj
ventures and service of Confederate Of
ficer in the war between the States. The
author, John N. Opie, is now lawyer and
a resident of Staunton, Va, and a MEM
Der of the present legislature of Virginia.
1t is written in pleasant, conversational
style, and relates not merely the individ-
ual experience of the writer, but describes
many incidents of the war of interest and
value historically. For example, in de-
scribing the action Of Jacksons Brigade at
First Manassas, he mentions, with a
humor that frequently appears in the
book, that ait the time of General Lees
famous exclamation, There stands Jack
son and his men like a stone WALL" the
men were Lying fiat on the ground"
page 3D. He asserts, too, what is not
generally known, that Jackson's Brigade
was driven from its first position (page
33), the men, as he thinks, falling back Of
their own account, being subjected to a
front and flank fire.
The author was then but II, and his
hrSt service was with the infantry, from
which he was detached in January, 1862,
and ordered to the Virginia Military In
stitute. In June, 1862, he rejoined the
army as a mounted man. but for time
was a sort of freelance and rather in
subordinate, having enlisted in no partic-
ular organization. Indeed, rowing pro-
pensity seems to have followed him
throughout his career to greater or less
extent, and he was, by his own confess
sion, something of a scapegrace, a char
acteristic-one might say almost an es-
sential-of many of our best soldiers,
especially cavalrymen-the more eXcus-
able, perhaps, when combined, as in this
instance, with courage and devotion, as
at that time there. was but little discip-
line in the army. Eventually he joined
the Clarke Company of the Sixth Vir-
ginia Cavalry, with which he served dur
ing the remainder of the war, and of
which it is inferred from mere alluson,
that he became captain. 1t is an omission
that no mention is made of his promotions
or transfers. He.wa finally captured in
Clarke Company in January, 1865, when on
one of his daring scouts, and remained a
prisoner CT war until nearly the end Of the
war being confined most of the time at
what has been appropriately called Hell
mira" N. Y. The ruse by which he eff
fected his exchange, or release, or parole,
at time when exchanges were not being
made, was characteristic and of a piece
with much else in his career. The descrip-
tion Of the treatment and condition of the
prisoners by a fellow sufferer, and of the
conduct ETC., of the prisoners themselves,
is we'll worthy of careful attention.
The accounts of the daily life of a SOL
der, its many phases and vicissitudes,
are well told, and in many ways the book
gives Nevidence of considerable thought
as we'll as study of the several campaigns
and their parallels in history, ancient and
modern. The analyses of the characters
of "Stonewall" Jackson and Gen. j. E. B.
Stuart are excellent. This writer, how
ever, cannot agree in the estimate that
Stuart was the ablest Of the generals Of
cavalry developed by the war. That place
was easily won by Bedford Forrest, who,
without Stuart's advantages of education,
surpassed him in achievements; nor must
this be considered as derogatory to Stuart
or as belittling in any way his splendid
career and services. The criticisms of bat
ties are usually good, that of Winchester
in September, 1864, especially so. in which
EARLY, by dividing his troops in face of
and defeat. The same was true of Bragg,
when, by dispatching Longstreet on his
fruitless errand to Knoxville, he weak
ened his army before Grants powerful
force and made Missionary Ridge possible.
Mr.. Opie makes some irrors as to Get
tysburg The action of the first day there
was not fought by Ewell's corps alone, as
he implies. A. p. Hill was largely and
10,
and it was Heth's Division of Hills corps
that opened and brought on the fright.
page 164) Nor was the charge of
Pickett" as it is incorrectly called, "un-
supported" on the third day. page 164.)
Heth's Division, under Pettigrew. except
Brockenborough' Brigade. advanced in
line with Pickett and was supported by
Lanes and Scales Brigades, under Gen
eral Trimble. Pickett was supported
directly by Wilcox's Brigade only, instead
of by the rest OF Longstreets Corps, as
was intended. The losses of Pettigrew
and Trimbe were much greater than those
of Pickett
The title of Rebel" Cavalryman, and
the frequent use of that opprobrious term
in the book are in very questionable taste,
TO say the least; are erroneous, and create
a wrong impression. The use of the word
is to admit the correctness of the Federal
view Of the very point at issue, and the
term civil war; is even more inapplicable
and incorrect. The author uses also
habitually the Northern name "Antiet-
am, in mention of THE Maryland cam
paign of 1852 instead of the Southern
term "Sharpsburg," and several times re-
fers to the then Virginia Central Rail
road as the Chesapeake and Ohio it's
present name. Greater care as to such
matters would not be amiss, while the
table of contents is very defective,
whether by omission or otherwise does not
appear. There are seventy-sevep chap
ters in the book, and in the Contents"
only thirty-siX are mentioned or briefed.
Some of the chapters are very short, en-
bracing but single incident, convenient
arrangement, but they do not seem to fol-
low one another chronologically.
In chapter I4XXI page sol, the author
pays manly tribute to the humane treat
ment received by himself and others at
the hands of General Clusters troopers,
when wounded at the battle of Trevelian' s
Station in limo and in cha