The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-02-03

, like Bragg It is said the only men ever
shot by court martial, for offense against
order In camp in the life of the army IN
Virginia. were two executed by ms APP
prova1. They were men OF Wheats new
Orleans Tigers, who left camp to walk
into the surrounding country about Ma
nassas, and resisted an officer VINO at
tempted to arrest them on their return:
Many deserters were shot by order OF
General Johnston in the Dalton Atlanta
campaign. | well remember his order re-
prieving thirteen of this class condemned
to be shot at one time. petition In
camp was gotten up and presented TO
him in their favor. He made in writing
AN eloquent reply, consenting for the
sake of the petitioners, who were true
and who promised to make better sol
d.ers of the condemned. HIS firm gov
eminent of his staff resulted in the better
feeding of his army and in the easier
marching. The effect upon the rank and
file was a supreme confidence In the
commander of the machine. He knew
what he wanted to do and how to do it.
He was always in full uniform, because
the uniform was the soldiers right. He
rode a we'll groomed horse all the time;
rode ordinarily along his lines at long
gallop and sat the saddle like centaur.
Some citizen visitor remarked to the
General upon the rather peculiar gait at
father kept hounds and had taught him
to ride after them. Doubtless much OF
the success of this commander In the
field was due to his power of physical
endurance. The night to him was almost
as the day for work. He said he felt no
inconvenience from forty-eiglt hours or
more without rest in recumbent posi-
ton If he might once day lose con-
seriousness for a minute in a nod In his
chair. The couriers would say they
could wake General Johnston at mid
night in his bed and he would spring up
at the call with his mind as clear as
bell
President Davis heard at Montgomery
of the resignation OF General Johnston
from the old army, and of his arrival at
Richmond and of his assignment by Vir-
ginia to position in the state troops, sec
ond to Lee. The President was very
pleased. He knew the man and had the
West Point feeling of comradeship with
the soldier. Without delay he tele-
graphed to Johnston, inviting him to
come Immediately to the Confederate
capital. The message was delayed in de-
livery for a few hours and receiving,
under this circumstance, no reply, an
other was sent of like import.
Arrived at Montgomery. General john
ston was most cordially received by Mr..
| Davis, secretary OF war IOpt w dihCi
and all the officers Of the government.
He was welcomed as the strongest indi-
vidual acquisition to the army yet Sc
cured. He was Immediately ordered to
take command at Harper's Ferry. This
was considered the most important out
post of the Confederacy. The United
States arsenal was there with the ma
chinery.
Mr.. Lincoln had already sent General
Patterson with the largest force yet
mustered by him to that vicinity for the
purpose of invading Virginia. Johnston
found Col. It. ]. Jackson, 'Stonewall,"
in command and superseded him.
A little later General Beauregard col
lected an army near Manassas Junction.
on the little stream Bull Run, and was
confronted by the enemy under General
Mcdowell. The understanding was that
Johnston and Beauregard should watch
Patterson and Mcdowell If one or the
other invader should offer battle, then
the two Confederate armies would unite
to present a single front, for united they
would be hardly stronger than either of
the foe.
Col. ]. e. B. Stuart had some cavalry
under Johnston and with skillful use of
them he utterly deceived Patterson. Pat
terson called hastily on Washington for
re- endorsements. Johnston, he said, had
an overwhelming force, making rapid
Scott replied that Patterson would find
Johnston gone to Beauregard before he
knew 1t, and insisted on an immediate
advance upon the rebels.
Johnston evacuated Harper's Ferry be-
cause the position, from military stand
point, was untenable in itself, and be-
cause it was too far away from Beaure
gard. In this early experience he learned
to appreciate the strategy of concentra-
ton by the weaker combatant to compel
the stronger to desist from a plan of war
he had already started out upon, namely,
threatening the Confederacy at so many
points along the defensive line that none
could be made safe. General Scott thor
oughly well understood the true war pol
icy of the north the policy of invasion
of the south from many widely separated
points. The Confederate government
never allowed its generals to meet this
wise policy of the great Scott with the
only scientific or possible resistance
concentration and counter invasion
General Johnston acted with conspic-
uous personal gallantry in the battle Of
Manassas. July q, 1861
Practically Beauregard commanded the
field by Johnston's request. The rout of
the enemy was complete. Dr. Hunter Ma
guire records that he heard General
Stcnewall Jackson say to President
Davis, late in the afternoon as the Pres
ident rode on the field: "They ran like
sheep. Give me 10000 men and tomorrow
morning 1 will have Washington" Jack
son seems to have been alone in appre-
citation of the opportunity. The President.
General Johnston in command and Cen
eraI Beauregard, the victor have written
much in explanation. but the facts do
not justify the failure of the Confeder-
ates to cross the Potomac Immediately.
IF the military advantages of the occa-
sion had been used by the victors and
John c. Breckinridge had been set up in
Washington as the legally chosen Pres
ident in the election of 1860, very large
part of the north and the government of
western Europe might have been ex-
pected to accept him in that capacity.
Every electoral vote cast for Mr.. Lin
coin. except the eight from California and
Oregon. was by states long in open and
boastful notification of the laws. the
constitution and the courts of the Union.
Every electoral vote cast for BreckinridEs