The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-11-25
FIXES THE BLAME
On General Longstreet for Gen. Lees
Repulse at Gettysb re-.
A MOST NOTABLE INCIDENT

A MOST NOTABLE INCIDENT
Recorded in the Book is an Inter
view Which Occurred Be-
tween Gen. Lee and
Gen. jackson.
It is a valuable contribution to the
materials for the future history OF our
civil war that Gen. John B. Goroon
has made in his "reminiscences OF the
Civil War. The contribution is vaIu-
able. not only because the writer has
had it in bis power to furnish a great
deal of first hand testimony concern
ing important events and distinguish
ed commanders, but because the
trustworthiness Of the narrative is
guaranteed by the admirable spirit
that prevades it. Gen. Gordon is one
Of these brave men who sheathed
their tongues when they saeatned
their swords. He is indeed, just as
firmly convinced now as ne was IN
1861, that the seeding States were
constitationally justified in attempt
ing to organize a separate Confeo-
eracy, but be holds that the aroitra-
ment of war has made the question
purely academic, and that, as !o IS
now the duty, so, too, it should be
the happiness, of ex-Confederates and
of their descendants to demonstrate oe
their loyalty to the reconstructed
Union. AS also might have been e2-
pected from a fair-mlnded man, ne
sGudiously refrains from caustlc com
ments on any Of the generals who
took leading parts in the contest on
one side or the other. There is not a
trace of prejudice, much less OF ran
cor. in the book. Even Of Gen. Long
street, whom ne regards as chargeabie
to considerable extent with the de-
feat Of Lees army at Gettysburg, ne
speaks in accents Of regret rather
than of reproach. His references tc
such northern commanders as Nc.
Clellar, Hooker, Meade, Grant and
Sherman, are not only impartial, but
magnanimous; they always show ap-
probation, and are sometimes tlngec
with admiration.
PRAISE FOR GEN. MEADE.
With regard to Gettysburg, Gen.
Gordon concurs in the wellnigh uni
versal opinion that this battle was
the turning point in the south,s for
tunes. He comedies that the-h1gf
water mark Of the Rs5eMon" was
reached when -lPscSett's Nirginians
under Semper, Garnett and Armi'
Stead, 10 their memorable Charge
swept over the rock wall. It is Gen.
Gordan's conviction that to the Union
commander, Gen. George Gordon
Meade, history will accord the honor
Of having handled his army at Gettys
burg with indisputable ability. In
Gen. Gordon's Judgment, the recorc
and the results OF the battle entitle
Meade to a high place among Unior
leaders. ITO him and his able sub.
ordinates and heroic men is due the
credit of having successfully met anc
repelled the Army Of Northern Vir
ginia in the meridian of its hope anc
confidence and power. This mucf
seems secure to him, whether his fail
ure vigorously to follow Gen. Lee ane
force him to another battle is justi
fed or condemned by the military
critics of the future. Gen. Meade:
army halted, it is true after having
achieved a victory. The victory
however, was not Of so decisive
character as to demoralize Lees for
ces." Our author recalls the dictun
Of the great Napoleon that bad a:
may be the condition Of a victoriou:
army after battle it is invariably trut
that the condition of the defeated
army is still worse. The comment or
this dictum is that, if any success
ful commander was ever justified ir
disregarding this truism Of Bona
parties, Gen. Meade was that com
mander, for considerable portion Of
Lees army, probably one-third Of it.
was still in excellent fighting trim
and nearly every man in it would
have responded with alacrity to Lees
call to form a defensive line and de-
liver battle"
LoNGsTREET LOST GETTYSBURG.