The National tribune., 1906-04-19

cuced demorailZlng effect. Gen. Frank
Blair, whose corps was engaged in the
| battle around Atlanta on the 22d of
July, 1864, when my friend and class
mate, Gen. Mcpherson, was killed,
states in letter TO a prominent officer
of the Army of Tennessee that the Con-
federate troops, on that day, did not
fight with the spirit they should have
displayed. 1t was nevertheless report
ed to me, at the time of this engage
ment, that they had fought with gal
lantry, and / so telegraphed to the au
thorities at Richmond The truth is,
no troops handled as these had been
from Dalton to Atlanta could have at
tackled with extraordinary Vigor, and
do assert that $4,000 men of the Lee
and Jackson school will always prove
equal to $4,000 of the Johnston school;
moreover, that the small army / COM
n1anded at Franklin was equal to that
which was turned over TO me at Allan
ia, although it numbered only about
one-half in effective strength, for the
simple reason that a forward march of
about 1S0 miles, together with a diff
ferent mode of handling it, had con-
tributed to the improvement of its NOR
ale and the restoration of its pristine
spirit. These conclusions / have reach
ed after a long and careful considera-
ton of the subject. 1t has been my
fortune to serve, during the war, in
tNtIy SIdu6 iIOIl tIIdl VI FIISI 1Iltu-
tenant to that of Commander-in-Chief
Having therefore been under fire with
! both small and large bodies of men,
and having carefully observed the eff
| feet of such fire upon troops with and
without breastworks, the principles
which / have endeavored to elucidate
will. in my opinion, stand the test of
| time.
Bad Influence of Intrenchments.
| In January, 1874, addressed the fol-
lowing communication TO Lieut.-Gen.
Stephen ID. Lee, who served long
period in Virginia, and subsequently in
| the Army of Tennessee:
| New Orleans, Jan. II, 1874.
General: Your position during the
! late war, and experience throughout
different campaigns in Virginia, doubt
/ less enabled you TO observe and form
| an opinion of the general effect Of in
Itrenchments upon an army. Since the
close of the revolution / have conversed
with many officers Of the Army of
Northern Virginia upon this subject
! and have been informed that when Gen
| Lee was forced, as a dernier resort to
use breastworks around Petersburg, 1t
had depressing effect even upon the
stern veterans who made UP that grand
old army; that 1t could easily be dis
cerned when the troops were called
uron to leave the trenches, and again
give battle in the open field. During
| three years service in the Virginia
army, as regimental, brigade and di-
| vision commander, under the orders of
Gems. Lee, Jackson and Longstreet, 1
was never required TO throw up even
| temporary breastworks for the protec-
tion of my troops. The battles Of
Gaines's Mills. Second Manassas, Fred
ericksburg, Sharpsburg, Chancellors-
Vile and Gettysburg were all fought by
the Confederates without the aid of
such defenses. The officers and soldiers,
who served in the Virginia army, know
of the great self-reliance and spirit of
invincibility which pervaded its ranks,
and how correct the appreciation of
Gen. Lee when he said, There were
never such men in an army before;
| they Will go anywhere, and do anything
| ii properly led Those who come after
| US will seek the cause of the extraordi-
nary results accomplished by the Army
of Northern Virginia in comparison
with other armies of the South. The
personnel of all the Confederate armies
being about the same, the question must
arise. and will be discussed, as to
whether there was not something in the
handling of the troops or in the STRAIT
egy and tactics adopted and carried out
by the distinguished leaders of Virginia,
which produced soldiers equal to twice
the number of the enemy.
| II. of course, admit the necessity of
| fortifications for the protection of GER
tain harbors, depots and important CEN
ters, which should, however, never be
| allowed to become pitfalls for large
bodies, but be well provisioned, and
garrisoned only by sufficient number
Of men to stand siege, If requisite:
and whilst / also admit the necessity Of
iintrencnmentS under such circumstances