The Savannah morning news., 1904-03-13
SIDNEY HERBERT'S LETTER
Facts of Interest to Confederate and Union
Veterans and Others

fers to the memorials to Gen. Nc
Laws and Col" Barlow. In the lat
ter case he falls into a common error,
as Col Francis S. Barlow lives in his
tory as Brig. Gen. Barlow, and there
Is not the slightest sign of a CLOUD
upon his title" to that rank. This is
the unquestioned testimony of the
commander-in-c n-chief of the Confederate
army. The same is true as Lieut..
Gen John B. Gordon, who is often
called major general. The title
OF brigadier general of volunteers in
the Union army is very misleading,
two-thirds of the officers bearing this
title were only colonels during the
civil War, but were given the brevet
OF brigadier general after the surren-
der. In the Confederate army, how
ever, great many colonies who were
acting brigadier generals failed of Just
promotion on account of the sudden
close of the war. This explains, in
part, why there are so many so-called
Union surviving "brigadier generals
ana so few Confederate brigadier gem
erals. Some Union officers were pro-
NOTED after they were killed in bat
tie, the promotion dating from the day
of death.
Old Californians who pass through
taurant'' and the "Pico Block" near
the Atlantic Coast Line depot, wonder
how that venerable California name
became transplanted in Florida. But
they are more surprised when told
that 1T is not a name, but the con-
solidated initials of the "Plant Invest
ment Company" which forms the word
Pico". Now the old Spanish family
of Pico was founded in 1882, by Don
lose Maria Pinn vVb
was Governor of California in 1S45.
Gen. Andres Pico was another distin-
guished member Of this family, =
Capt. John S. Wise has an article OH
Gems. Gordon and Longstreet in the
February issue of the Review of Re-
views, in which he says of Longstreet:
"A young lieutenant in the Mexican
War, he was promoted to the rank of
captain" 1t is true that Longstreet
was given the brevet rank of captain
and major in 1S47, for gallant and
meritorious conduct" in several battles,
but he was not promoted to the rank
OF captain" until December, 1852. He
was promoted to the rank Of major in
the pay department in July, 1858. 1t
was from this position, as 1 have be-
fore stated, that he resigned in June,
1861.
My good critical friend, Col. G. N.
Saussy, who has had some experience
with typographical errors, extends his
sympathy to me in the matter of
Japanese Uriu, whose name is printed
Urin. He also thinks w. B. Riley, in
my last letter, should be William Riley
Boyd, as he wrote on the same SUBJ
ject. I did not see Mr.. Boyd's ar
ticle, but 'W. B. Riley is correct. Mr..
Boyd says the Constitution contains
tho vynrde ffGholl prpSidart -
That may be SO; but when James S.
Boynton, on the death of A. H. Steph-
ems, took the oath of Office he became
Governor of Georgia, for 1 was pres
ent and witnessed the ceremony. /
was also in Buffalo, N. Y, and saw
Theodore Roosevelt, when he came
to take the oath of office as President,
William Mckinley they lying dead in
the Milburn house. There was no
"acting governor and no "acting pres
ident," as the oath of Office clearly
shows. Col. Saussy also refers to the
Fifteenth Amendment to the constitu-
tion, as related to Southern war
claims and pensions of the Civil War.
There is a Southern side to this ques-
ton which shall refer to in some fu-
ture letter. Georgia's last constitu-
tional convention would be amazed to
know that the state gives $870,000 in
Sir Edwin Arnold has a very inter
esting article in the Youths Compan-
ion Of Dec 10, on the "Pastimes' of
the princes of India. Of war in the
Good Old Times" when the prince
Iy life of India took it's chief glow
from the fierce sun of war, he says
every raja was a soldier and led his
levies, few or many, to war; All that,
says Sir Edwin, is over now, but the
cities and places of Central India
everywhere bear signs of the Good
Old Times" Now the point in this
article that struck me most forcibly
was the reason given for this great
change. We are told that God moves
in a mysterious way" and that In
that way his wonders to perform"
Man boasts of his wonderful skill and
heroic Valor in war, and yet it is the
God of Battles who really settles
the great conflicts of the world. Our
civil war was Gods chosen instrument
to abolish slavery and make this the
land of the free as well as the home
of the brave, from ocean to ocean and
from mountain top to sea girt isle.
Japan and Russia have to gone to
war, and it may prove to be because
God has some great plan to be carried
into execution that the sword alone can
make effective. Sir Edwin Arnold
quotes from an old Indian ballad to
show why the old war times in India
have given way to peace:
"Now the swords and spears are still,
God will have it and God knows best"
The Morning News, I think, errs in
claiming that 1--WE try to persuade our
selves that we are not a military peo-
ple." The claim should be that I'VE
are not a warlike people," for we are,
and always have been, a military peo-
ple-citizen soldiers, always ready and
willing to serve our country even to
the death. In time of peace, said
Washington, prepare for war, and later
he followed his own advice when war
with France was threatened. The rec