The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-02-25

iSN "'' ''c'' and %" 10"
in acknowledgement Of salute. At
this the regimen, would riyc Il,
lusty. ringing. yelling cheer. rhs
President would wheel 10 righ, and
proceed down along hc line. .rhe.,
icrmalities were strictly, heartily and
joyousi% adhered To-. without break ar
intermissiun, until my regiment was
passed.
Troops Refuse 20 Cheer.
ON our Immediate ief, were two
Florida regiments. When the Prcsi-
dent and escort reached the FIRST of
these the formula OF iniiitary suiu,e
was. Of course, strictly observed and
carried out. Tho President faced The
command and clearly and distinctly
rang out the order. Present arms"
Ihe co!ors sank low in salute: the
President salutcd. but instead OF tho
found as midnight now in "a national
cemetery. rcisncd saw the rresi.
dent turn quickly and say something to
General Bragg. Ills hat went OH and
his wheeling To right was done u lit
Tie more quickly than formerly. All Of
same was repeated at the next stur
In front Of the other Florida command.
ihesc regiments paSScd, the cheering
rang on, again aloris down the line. ON
Inquiry learned that The refusal to
cheer was intended to rcbrkc in re-
sentiment, the failure On the mart OF
the government TO protect or defend
some puint or port OF Florida: some
denial or neglect OF that states i'm
| agined rights and dues.
Thus did | witness. In surprise and
regret. the silent but un,n!staltabic
ccnsurc and rcbuke publicly and
poihiedly. Of the iilustrious President
of the southern confcderacy. tho com
inhndcr-in- chief OF the Confcdcra, TO
armies and navy. BY section of his
troops in the field on review.
Bnd Policy.
now question in my mind If such
conduct az on that occasion on the
volunteer citizen soldory of the
southcrnernmost State OF the Confed-
eracy, was not suggestive and some
what illustrative OF the fiery. resent
tul and revolutionary spirit with
which our govcrEinent--had we sue
ceedcd-would have had 10 contend
and against the eruptivc manifcsta-
lions OF which 10 provide. ana which
1t would have been necessary 10 sub
due In the maintenance of supremacy
of power and preservation OF lnsolu-
bility as a government OF Confederate
States?
opine that from the Palmetto
State. long ere this date, there would
have -issued--promptcd hy some Crom-
well-like statesman OF her soil--a
flaming manifcstato charging infringe
incnt and violation OF certain inaIicu-
able rights guaranteed her. and that
whereas now fully convinced OF the
wisdom OF the policy OF iinperium In
tmperio, and trustinE in the justice OF
our adoption OF said policy. orr vast
and ample resources, our indomitahlc
strength and absolute security by rea
son Of our sca-giri shore and noun
tain ranges or east. north and south.
lined with our invulnerahlc forts and
batteries and our line Of boundary and
defense west, alonE the iutrcucncd
and fortified hanks Of tho broad and
torpehoed- mined--our side NJ the Sa
vanuah Riycr--owinc TO ana because
OF all % aforesaid and same we hereby
hid defiance to the civilized and all
other quarters or TIE world. and do
declare the sovereign State an indie
pendent and incompa rablc republic
with design and intent OF ultimate
transformation into exclusive and
celcstia empire. our motto and slo-
gan, Divide CT impera.
lest and nppancy aside. In my
opinion that spirit OF eaotislr. in
subordinate independence of properly
constituted authority, desire for self
fication. prompting disobedience Of
orders and failure In the prompt and
hearty discharge of duty on the part
of many OF the officers or rank In our
army losing us bloody battles. cost
ing us precious victims, contributing
TO the causes of our downfall and
Fastening nnai defeat. am support
ed by instances and instances and
facts abudant.
Def
overwhelmed at Missionary Ridge
and Look tout Mountain. we fell back
across the Chicisama,lga River, the
enemy closely pursuing. AT Ringgoid.
about twenty miles southeast OF
Chattanooga. General Cieburne re-
ceived orders. Take strong position
In the gorge of The mountain and at :
tempt to check pursuit of enemy. He
must he punished until our trains and
the rear Of -ur troops get we'll adj
vanced." Clchurnc. with his usual
CELEBRITY. took position and checked the
advance of the enemy until about ,
o'clock T.. NJ. when he received orders
to retire. The enemy showed no dis
position TO pursue or again attack. we
now proceeded leisnreiy to Dalton. Ga,
where about December l we Went into
winter quarters Here we spent our
Christmas. On the 27th OF December
General Joseph u. Johnston assumed
command OF the Western army.
or our winters stay and life at
Dalton ! have written in 81 former
article. We had for several drcary
winter months Il peaceful, quiet time.
orly guarding our lines of communi-
alton. transportation and defenc"
flushed was the lannon's roar and the
ringing. crashing fire or carbine and
rifle stilled the din OF battle. But 1t
was as the stiffness that precedes and
prosages the approaching blasting
whitening. devastating storm We soon
felt it's lightning blasts and thundered
bolts at Resacca. New Hope Church
kennesaw Mountain. Cassvii1c. Atlanta
Franklin and Nashville. realizing in
narrowing, awful experience the dcpth
and truth and intensity of General
Sherman's terse declaration tina, war
Ia hell"
NO MORE R. {. LEE
hItlfCHEV ll