Hide Article Text (OCR)
For the Southern Recorder.fLetter* to a Young Georgian In the Army ofthe Confederate atatea.\ No. XXIV.An iuteival of several months has elapsed since I promised to furnish you injr i houghts on the elective franchise,—to what Vxtem it had been limited in the States of Euroj a, a:. ?or far under the Constitution of 1796 it was r*.- ..i nod in Georgia by a pitrperty (feature, until it was repealed in 16.14. I also intended to give iny opinions on the necessity of seme regulation by which a heaitby tone could be imparted to Govern meat, in .contradistinction to the run-mad foreign Democracy which has been the favorite erst d of politicians both North aad South for the Inst twenty years, when a sow lease of power was to issue from the ballot-box. But circumstances have since inclined me to substitute another topic as more interesting, at least during !}« present war vicissitudes.I am not at all discouraged by the gloom over Atlanta, nor by the late reverses o.'Gon. Early in the ^ alley of Virginia. There is something soon to result in our favor which will compensate the Southern mind for all its anxiety in regard to the military failures which have conn*, upon us at a moment when we least expected them. The enemy will be expelied from Georgia before he can establish his power to carry the State at the Presi-denlial election in November, on the one tenth principle which Lincoln has declared sufficient. It is mortifying enough that the Abolition invader has penetrated the heart of the Empire State of the South. From £hattai»uoga to Savannah the distance by Railroad ig 430 r iles, on which *Gen. Sherman has advanced 133 mile* to Atlanta*, w hence he will have 104 iniics to Macon, and 190 to Savannah, before he cAu reach those points. If he deems Milledgoville worthy of a visit, he can find it by an air line of 9f miles or thareabout, or 140 by way of Macon, a little diverging from the Savannah route. Possibly Gen. Sherman may conclude to send a column down the Georgia road 170 miles from Atlanta to Augusta, to unite on Savannah as his water base, and thence strike Charleston in the rear. No doubt this idea has been entertained by the Federal commander, and be will do his best to accompiinh it, on condition that his supplies are permitted to accumulate iu Atlanta so as to authorise this forw ard movement wifh an adequate subsistence train.This view is submitted as a plausible theory with which Gen. Sherman may solace himself, apd the field correspondents of Yankee papers tnay inflate their descriptions to stimulate Northern hopes of conquest. But after all it is merely speculative, though on the war map it looks within the range possibility. To subsist an army of 00,1)00 men in the interior would require a wageu service, and a force to collect r.nd guard provisions, w hich would be utterly impracticable. His rear broken, and no power to ln»;d the Railroads in front, by which a rapid transit to Savannah might be accomplished, Gen. Sherman would realize difficulties which ho would be loth to encounter, and (lie very conception of which will deter him from the experiment.But, I will not pursue this line of thought farther, lest I should be suspected of attaching some value to my crude military notions. Kven were I to exhibit this vanity, I should not beat r^Jl singular, as it is well*known that many civilians and carpet knights have bee* forward iu criticising the management of the war, h; which Generals Bragg, Johnston and Hood have had their plans revised, and th«*ir conduct praistd or condemned at pleasure. While my opinions, wish** and feelings have been influenced by events, I have never ariaigued the competency of our chilt;-ftaiis, and set up my judgment, nthome, as lik-Sy to be more cor-rect than that of commanders who v. atch the enemy in the field, and know what movements are requisite to thwart his ingenuity. Tli-idorel leave Gen. Johnston's retreat from Dalton to Atlanta, and the failure of Gen. Hood to h-dd the city, to the arbitrament of history, when all contracted or par-tizan views shall give way to better information.I have lately performed a sort of pilgrimage on which Iliad long decided, but which circumstnu-ces did not earlier permit ino to accomplish. After an absence of thirty year*, I have once more visited «»id friends aud old places w hicli wore dear to my boyhood. The reception I met from the few sunivors was indeed gratifying, and their hospitality cordial and refreshing. Most of the companions of my youth, onco so biithe and gay, were transformed into grandfathers and grandmothers. I was truly in the midnl of a new generation, though I did not feel like a stranger. The faces of children beamed on me with a pleasant curiosity, much as to say, “We know all about you.” They rambled with me through the Gelds and orchards, always presenting me the choicest fruit, and the little girls displayed their skill in twining boquets of w ild flowers for my acceptance* My heart was deeply touched by these simple offerings. Who does not enjoy the artless friendship of childhood, and feel his heart softened aud improved by its pure manifestations !I wandered among the graveyards and tnused sadly over the sleeping dust of early friends. In some cases the father and mother whose bridal 1 attended in a capacity most flattering to the party selected, were reposing side by side, while near by were the remains cf a gallant son who had fallen in'Virginia or in Florida, vindicating the rights of the youth. I was particularly impressed with such an instance, where the young mau,W. H. C , exactly of your age, was killed in the brittle of Ocean Pond, Florida. His parents were old neighbors and friend* of miue, and the hero sou w as a special favorite.1 could extend this letter, in giving you many interesting particulars of my visit which are sacred in memory. The period of thirty years, intervening between young manhood aud old age, is the golden chapter of life, and the record w hich it furnishes is all that is left of a tnau'a character to determine his value in society,—a fact which 1 wish you to keep particularly in mind; as the chapter with you is now progressing Be active, resolute, kind and hopeful, and put your trust in Heaven.Your country has had your service* from thebeginning of the war, with--’ Regimenton the coast of Carolina, to Virginia where you shared ia the battles near Richmond, and iu the victorious campaigns of Stonewall Jackson Continue to strike bravely for the South until our independence is established, i he graves of yt ur kindred are alone worthy of all maaly efforts to protect-from Yankee description. Besides tins holy task, you have the noblest country on earth to defend, and I know your patriotism and courage too wcll,*!o tmagiue that any cloud of despondency rests over your vision. The South ia destined to triumph, and tho bright future will amply compensate for all sacrifices in our cause. Fare-11i2!rt1r
Newspaper Details
Milledgeville Southern Recorder
Milledgeville, Georgia, US
Tue, Oct 04, 1864
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Gettysburg C.
PA, USA 11 Apr 2019
Other Publications Near Milledgeville, Georgia
Milledgeville Union Recorder
Milledgeville Union and Recorder
Milledgeville Federal Union
Milledgeville Confederate Union
Milledgeville News
