The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1911-03-02
rived from the study of the battle OF the

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Wilderness that interest its author. In
deed, he modestly disclaims any special
aptitude for such discussions. 1t is rather
the spirit of both armies and the personality
of officers on both sides that awaken his
enthusiasm; and his generous eulogy OF
those against whom he fought as a mere
youth six and forty years ago tells we'll for
the genial nature of the author. 1t is the
men who hurled themselves against one
another in that wild tangle of forest, and
it is incidents of a personal nature reveal
ing character that dwell in his memory and
give charm to his pages. In fact, it is
gossipy book about the battle and all that
lead up to it, rather than a history of it.
But it makes pleasant reading.
It's best contribution to the question as to
the relative merits of the opposing COM
manders on that 9TH of May is the following
comparisons:
"Lee had some advantage over Grant
that afternoon. Grant was a stranger to
his army. Lee knew his, and his army
knew him; Lee was where he could see
the field, Grant where he could not; Lee
knew the country we'll, Grant had never
before entered it's fateful labyrinth
That afternoon was to be followed by a
day of desperate fighting. Longstreet
came up; Hancock and Warren were driven
back, Sedgwick was routed, the baggage
trains were seeking safety beyond the Rap
idan, the Federal cavalry was drawn back,
and the Federal Army was face to face
with disaster.
But Grant did not retreat. He left the
breastworks behind which his stricken
army lay and moved on to Spottsylvania,
and there, and later, at Cold Harbor, the
two armies we're again in furious conflict.
The book abounds in amusing anecdotes,
affecting "reminiscences and striking
sketches of individuals, and the authors
memories include the dogwood blooms, the
huckleberry bells, the violets, azeleas,
houstonas and primroses of those May
days of 1864 in the bloodstained forest, as
we'll as the thunder of battle and the strain
of anxiety in the hearts and minds of great
commanders. 1t is a human contribution
to the story of battle.
It's compass does not include the pictur-
esque incidents of the deadly fighting at
the Bloody Angle and that second cry OF
"Lee to the rear!'' nor the tale of those
twelve days at Spottsylvania, when Grant
hammered so terribly and lost so fright
fully. The battle, not the campaign, OF
the Wilderness is its subject.
FROM OVER OUR GREAT STATE.
Elks at Alexandria wifi build a s25, GOO
home. ->.s-
Lake Charles has adopted the design for
a city hall costing $4,000.
City health officers in New Orleans Mon
day destroyed about 5000 pounds of pork
in cold storage.
February bank clearings in New Orleans
show large increase over those of the
same month last year.
/ In twelve months Baton Rouge milk
shipments to New Orleans have increased
from nothing to $4,000.
The Riceland Company, capitalized al
81, 100000, has purchased $4,000 acres Of
land in Calcasieu Parish.
Fire in the business section of Donald.
sonville Wednesday of last week destroyed
property worth more than S250,0OO.
Fifty-four farm buyers were brought tc
Louisiana by the Payne Investment Com.
pan in what constituted the fifth excursion
A great sperm whale on exhibition or
board power boat was viewed by large
crowds who visited the vessel in New Or.
leans Monday.
The February issue of Worlds Worl
contains an article on the army which
merits careful consideration of all who are
interested in the nations welfare. Thu
writer shows that the system of having
small posts scattered over the country, a
locations determined by the amount of in
fluence brought to bear at Washington, il
detrimental to the training of the standing