The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-10-19
Longstreet Taken to Task.

y
when General Longstreet gave the
crowning credit of that victory at Get
tysburg to General Sickles to be pro-
claimed before his old command, the
Third Army Corps, for this inferrentially
heaVen-sent consummation. There be
some who were Whereabouts about that
identical time, who have ever since
opined that such an admission on the
part of the Confederate Corps comman-
der to the corps commander in the blue
coat, is excessively generous and mag
unanimous. Or TO be more precise and
to the point, that the laudator on the
occasion is more entitled to that dis
tinction than all of the opposing gentry,
generals and G.. A. RS put together.
Let no injustice be done him; it was
only want of alacrity to start at most
critical juncture in obeying orders, when
minutes were priceless. He knows it,,
as every man in that army thought it
at the time. A fig for cloak or sense
less sentimentality. Senility and gar
rulity incident must have its claims al
lowed but even these have their legiti
mate limit There be some who do not go
into paroxysms of unctuous ferVor over
the results Of that fight whether general
this or general that was the superla-
tive hero of the occasion, matters little
or nothing. Old man curb your ecstatics,
or in common justice, cease to pose ON
grand army days as typical or South
ern sentiment. There are a few old boys
vet left, who if they did not reach your
height of climb or depth of fall, WOULD
blush to eXult over the issue of that
i
built the same way, God be praised. As
an humble subaltern whose heart anc
soul was absorbed in the issue of that
mighty struggle, raise my pulling voice
in earnest protest against your being
the exponent of my sentiments. Not fol
all your honest fame, smmounted by
equivocal honor later on, would / sing
peans OF eXultation over the graves OF
the matchless heroes who made their
cause the most glorious of any fought
for by sterling men.
most pathetic sight it must have
been, those two antequated gentlemen
in loving hand-grasp, scratching each
others backs whilst posing for photo
graph for the delectation of the peri
patetic multitude!
But were you not just little bit
oblivious of previous utterance, mon
General, in giving all the credit to your
one-legged friend on occasion referred to?
/ have a vague recollection that you had
previously saddled the responsibility for
our defeat, and of course victory for the
other side upon your superior officer,
in not following your suggestions, or to
put it plain declining to map out the
r1la IF hattie for him mr. words ~ Ia
effect. Am | correct? Did you ever
pen and print anything constructively of
that ilk? Unless mistaken it was a
standing gibe with old Bobs boys at
the time, that he. one of the worlds
recognized six great captains of history,
who was never behind time or other
wise remiss in duty. should at that
stpendous point of time, have been so
obtuse or bullheaded as not to recognize
your superior qualifications for such
work and have dismounted and helped
you into the saddle of command, you
his heaven-ordmained lieutenant, who
later on was to show his capacity fer
winning battles at Knoxville, and SUI.
folk and Gettysburg in the mighty flank
movement day in future Had he had
the perspicacity to discovery your Won
deTful latent gifts for winning battles
a page of history might have been re-
versed, and you spared the sickenine
spectacle of yourself before an army of
plethoric and pretentious pensioners,
riralliug in oll-call'' that of the Per-
sian before he bridged the Hellespont.
although six and thirty years have come
and gone since the last hostile cartridge
was burnt in bagging the chief of the
lost. or rather the eternal cause, involv
ing the inherent rights of man. Apropos,
Some of your old soldiers were won't to
hatter themselves that a few of your
now found friends had found soldiers
graves during 1.-The late unpleasant
ness" A fragrant delusion that, as is
shown by the aforesaid muster roll,
ever on the increase with each recurring
of the Grand Army of Pen
sioners, which already more than
doubles the aggregate of all the Con-
federate armies. when at their fullest,
and in the zenith and full sweep OF their
matchless victories. You show COM
mendable discretion. General, in keeping
such unpalatable histories as these in
the background, whilst beslabbering the
pensioned patriots with such effusional
and disgusting gush as that you, one OF
General Lees three ranking lieutenants
exult and rejoice that you got whipped,
through no fault Of his, as we may infer
by failure OF repetition of antecedent
blame.
Inevitable conclusion: General Lee was
net the leader of men that he was
thought to be, or his men were not the
shooters that they were thought to be,
or as ultimate alternative, their foemen
were possessed of the proberbial feline
trait of longevity and tenacity of life.
Yours, etc,
w. j. GREEN.