The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-04-21
e1oNFy HERBERT'S LETTER.
on MILITARY MEN AND
NVi MILITARY MATTERS.

some Errors Noted ana o'ners oor-
.d--souvenir Pamphlets Which
MARKS of Haste-The story
Dtsbanding of the Confed-
.rote Army-John A. Oampoeii NOT
tstant Secretary OF war Dur
.be Entire Life of the Con-
ocv-COmments of the APP
.mpnt OF Col. st. George n.
,.,..h,ah-The Feeling Against
con. Logan in His Congregational
~,,-.rtct--Other Matters of General
interest
a,. crest villa, Maitland, Fla, April
an, very much afraid the compiler
~ 2 w. Wrenn's Confederate Sou
.ir pamphlet for the first annual con-
item ,f the U. C. ", at Chattanooga,
49,. 800 made mistakes inside as well
side the covers. On the third page,
.,raction with a fine picture of Gen.
~ counted on old Traveller" is this
...rnont. Three days after Virginia
4S.rev from the Union, Lieut.. Col.
,ahart e, Lee resigned his commission
:. ,bs United States Army" AS Gen.
u,as colonel of the First Cavalry
Non he resigned, April Is, 1861, the above
s+atement is not correct.
NH, only lieutenant colonies who resign
- enter the Confederate service were
1ient Gen. VIM. ]. Hardee, (t1rst CaVal-
~ Mai Gen. Geo. B. Crittenden mount
-. - rIAemen). and Brig. Gen. Gabriel j.
Minis (Fifth Infantry, as 1olloWs' ddt-
~ Ian 81. 1851; Crittenden, June 10;
~, INV RI: Brig. Gen. Joseph E. john
H"i,'7 ouartermaster general, was the
So in rank of those who resigned
tnsl % 1Ss1). and Col and Brevet Brig.
cs Alhert Sidney Johnston, Second Cav
~, MAY 81, was next. Samuel cooper
StsNeu, York;. Matthew NJ. Payne (Vao,
~, w T,oring. IN c., and Thomas I.
,0IllntIerov Va), were the only colonies,
.,oont lee. who resigned to enter the
confederate service.
Another error in this souvenir pamphlet
and one worthy of notice, is the state
80 that Captain James Longstreet re-
signed his commission in the United
states army June l, 1861, and entered the
Confederate service" Now the facts are
tbese. CAPTAIN Longstreet resigned from
,be Eighth Infantry on July 10, 1853, to
became A paymaster in the army with the
ranl of major, and as such resigned on
tha date first above mentioned. In
instice to Mr.. w w. Mackall of Savan-
nah. l should state that his distinguished
father Gen VIM. w. MackaI, who was
n brAvet major in the adjutant generals
department when he resigned, July 8,
1851 had declined the appointment OF lieu
tenant -colonel end assistant adjutantt
general to date from May IL, 1861, which
explains why his name does not appear
IN above list of Observation-Disclosures. Maj.
MackaH was one of the most accomplish
ed officers in the old regular army.
While the Souvenir pamphlet was a
hastily prepared publication, as all such
generally are, and therefore liable to err
rors. the same fault has been discovered
IN history (so-called), some written by
well known Georgians. Historian Rodg-
ers Of the Atlanta Camps of U. c. ", has
recently pointed out glaring errors and
omissions in these so-called histories. 1t
Is one thing to be a newspaper or maya
zine writer, but it is quite another thing
to be a historian. No book that is not
truthful and reliable can properly be call
ed a history-for history is truth, cold,
cold facts.
- "Disbanding of the Confederate Army"
by Ida NJ. Tarbell, in the April Issue of
McClures Magazine, is a very pathetic
narrative, and one that will moisten
many an eye and sadden many heart.
The Illustrations are more pathetic than
the sad story Of disaster in the field and
long and weary march back to a desc
late home. But there is, thank God a
silver lining to this dark cloud. The des-
olsted home has been rebuilt and made
cheerful with many comforts, and the
old neglected farm is again fruitful. All
over the South there is prosperity and
peace, With new industrial development
born OF the issues settled by the war.
copy of the annual address of Com
mander Allen c. Blackwell of the famous
Lafayette Post, G.. A. R., of New York
CITY mas been sent me, and l see from 1t
-tnat Georgia and Florida have been fav-
ored In its donations of flags. A hand
some nag was sent to Dorchester Acad-
envy at Mcintosh, Ga, and another to U.
g Grant Post G. A. R., of Orlando, Fla.
rags were also donated to schools in
IeAes and other Southern states quite
cheerfully.
historian Charles Edgeworth Jones of
augusta, Ca, is in error as to John A.
campbell being Assistant Secretary of
war curing the entire life of the Confed-
eracy' as he filed that office only during
le Iast years of its existence. (Rev.
DI) Albert T. Bledsoe, West Pointer
was Assistant Secretary of War in 1862,
having been promoted from chief of bu-
Eau OF war. Robert Ould was also for a
9not time Assistant Secretary of War.
b,,sa oe was succeeded as chief of the
bureau OF war by r. G. H. Kean. DR..
90 Isoe and Justice Campbell were men
thorough culture, and capable of filing
once in the gift of the Confederacy.
o. IN my recent reference to swear
generals did not include Lieut.-Cen
s5 wheeler, who Is devoted Christian
b wv nor given to cursing. mention this
poauSe the chaplain of Rooseven's
c. sn riders, In magazine article, says
S Tn Wheeler, at Santiago, cried out;
M manned Yankees are running"
o. II may be true that Gen. Wheeler
ksoa" excitement may have said yam
"NSa lOf SOaniardc h.rt m. .,,uo ~