The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1904-12-16
THE OUTBREAK OF THE WAR.


who presented the little flag witt
the big motto, "No Retreat. =" i
must be found 10 the depth Of til,
conviction that our cause was lust
From great leaders and constitu
tional expounders from school,
and colleges from debates in Con
gress in the convention that adopt
ed the Constitution and from dis
cussion on the hustings we haC
learned the lessons of the soyer
eighty of the States. We had i'm
bibed these political principles
from our childhood, we were
therefore prepared to defend
them, ready to die for them and
it was impossible ut the beginning
for Us to believe that they would
be seriously and forcibly assailed.
But we must return to our trip to
Montgomery. They reached that
city at night to find it in hubbub
over the arrival Of enthusiastic
shouting volunteers. The hotels
and homes we're crowded with
visiting Statesmen and the private
citizens gathered by a common
impulse around the cradle of the
newborn Confederacy. There
was determined look on every
face, q fervid prayer on every lip
and bounding hope in every
heart. There was rumbling Of
wagons distributing arms and am
munition at every camp and the
trampling Of freshly enlisted men
on every street. There was a roar
Of cannon on the hills and around
the Capitol booming welcome to
the incoming patriots and all na
ture seemed palpitating in sym
pathy with the intensity Of popu-
lar excitement. 1t fell to the lot
Of the Raccoon Roughs to be as.
signed to the Ninth Alabama Regi-
ment, and contrary to my wishes
and most unexpectedly to me |
was unanimously elected Major.
When bis company of noun
taineers reached Montgomery the
Provisional Government of the
Confederate State Of America had
been organized. At first it was
only Of six States, South Carolina,
Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Mis-
sissippi and Louisiana. The States
OF Texas, Virginia, Arkansas,
Tennessee and North Carolina
were admitted into the Southern
Union in the order, | believe in
which have named them. Thus
was launched the new Republic
with only eleven States on its ban
ner, but It Nss@ y its chart the
same old American Constitution
or one SO nearly like it that it con
tinued the same limitation upon
Federal power-the same guaran-
tees Of the rights Of the States,
the same minutes Of public and
personal liberty. The historian
of the future who attempts to
chronicle the events Of this period
and analyze the thoughts and pur
poses Of the people will find far
greater unanimity at the South
than ut the North. This division
at the North did not last long, but
it existed in a marked degree for
some time after the secession
movement began and after twenty
or more United States forts, ar
senals and barracks had been seiz-
ed by State authorities and even
after the Steamer Star Of the
West had been fred upon by |
State troops and driven back from
the entrance Of Charleston Harbor. |
AT the South the action Of each
State in withdrawing from the
Union was the end practically Of
all the division within the borders
Of suchsState and the roar Of the
opening battle At Fort Sumter in
South Carolina was the signal for
practical unanimity at the North.
Prior TO actual secession there was
even at the South more Or less
division Of sentiment not as to
principle but as to policy, Scarce
n a man could be found ID al the
Southern States who doubted the
constitutional right Of a State to