Confederate Military History. Jabez Lamar Monroe Curry

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СКАЧАТЬ of West Virginia he has given much time and pains to the collection of data in a field peculiarly unfavorable for the preservation of records, and his work will doubtless remain the authoritative statement of the Confederate history of that region.

      Almost the last work of the lamented Major Jed Hotchkiss, of Staunton, Va., was the completion of his history of Virginia. Very soon after he laid down the pen with which he traced the record of the war in Virginia, and of the great army which was led by Robert E. Lee, he was called to the rest of the soldier and Christian. As topographer and staff officer under Garnett, Lee, Jackson, Ewell and Early, he was undoubtedly more familiar with the battlefields of Virginia than any other man, and it is fortunate for the students of to-day and of future generations that his account of the war in that region should be here preserved. Particularly in regard to the Valley campaigns of Stonewall Jackson and Early, and the campaigns of the Second corps of the army of Northern Virginia, he was an historical authority. Much of what he has written for this work is from his personal records and recollection, and the work is also indebted to him, originally, for many of the maps which are reproduced from the War Records.

      Prof. D. H. Hill, author of the North Carolina history, bears a name familiar to the readers of this work, that of his gallant father, Lieut.-Gen. Daniel H. Hill. His mother, a sister of the wife of Lieut.-Gen. Thomas J. Jackson, is a daughter of Rev. Dr. Morrison, of North Carolina, who was a relative of the distinguished Illinois congressman, William Morrison. Professor Hill has devoted his life to the work of education, beginning his career, after his graduation at Davidson college, North Carolina, as professor of English in the Georgia military and agricultural college, at Milledgeville, under the presidency of his father, and afterward. In 1889 he was appointed to the position he now holds, the chair of English in the Agricultural and Mechanical college of North Carolina.

      Gen. Ellison Capers, whose task it has been to present the important part taken by South Carolina in the great war, is well equipped for the duty by his birthright as a descendant of one of the earliest families of that State, and his patriotic service with her troops. He was identified with the military operations in the State, mainly the defense of Charleston and the railroad communications of the city, until the situation became dangerous in the West. Thereafter he was a participant in the great campaigns for the defense of the heart of the Confederacy, until he fell, severely wounded, before the Federal works at Franklin, Tenn. One of the most gallant affairs of the war in that important mountain region south of Chattanooga, was his memorable defense of Ship's gap, covering Hood's retreat from North Georgia in the fall of 1864. Entering the ministry of the Protestant Episcopal church, after the war, he is now bishop of the diocese of South Carolina.

      Prof. Joseph T. Derry, author of the military history of Georgia, is a native of Milledgeville, of that State, was graduated at Emory college in 1860, and in January, 1861, enlisted in the Oglethorpe infantry, a famous military company, that served throughout the war. Mr. Derry was on duty in Virginia, Tennessee, on the Georgia coast and in the Atlanta campaign of 1864, his service being terminated by capture on the skirmish line at Kenesaw Mountain, June 27th, after which he was a prisoner of war at Camp Douglas, Chicago, for about one year. Since his return to Georgia his life has been devoted to educational work. For several years he was professor of languages at the Wesleyan Female college at Macon, Ga. He is the author of a “School history of the United States,” “The story of the Confederate States,” and has contributed articles to the Century and other magazines.

      Col. J. J. Dickison, major-general commanding the United Confederate Veterans of Florida, is the author of the war history of that State. He is a native of Virginia, was educated in South Carolina, and became a citizen of Florida in 1856. He was identified with the organization of troops for Confederate service from the beginning, and soon becoming distinguished for ability as a cavalry leader, was entrusted with the defense of the eastern part of the State from the incursions of the enemy who held the seaports. Fighting for Florida from the opening to the close of the war, he was the Marion of his State, and achieved fame throughout the Confederacy.

      Gen. Joseph Wheeler, of Alabama, who has prepared for this work an account of the part taken by his State and her people in the great conflict of 1861-65, is beloved by all the people of the South, as he has been since his days of gallant leadership as one of the great cavalry generals of the Confederacy. His laurels were won, and his rank of lieutenant-general attained, before he had reached the age of thirty years. The middle period of his life was given to the civil interests, the restoration of the prosperity, and the re-establishment of the political status of his people, whom he has continuously represented in the United States Congress. In the past year, and just after he had prepared the Alabama war history for this work, he renewed his military reputation as major-general of United States volunteers, commanding the cavalry in the Santiago campaign of the war with Spain, and attracted to himself, in addition to the love of the South, the admiration and pride of fellow-citizenship of the people in all parts of the united nation.

      Col. Charles E. Hooker, of Jackson, Miss., author of the military history of that State, entered the Confederate service in 1861 as a volunteer in the First Mississippi regular artillery, and was captain of his company during the siege of Vicksburg, when he lost his left arm. He was surrendered with the army under General Pemberton, and upon being exchanged was promoted to colonel and assigned to duty as a member of the military court for the army of Mississippi. He was leading counsel in the defense of President Jefferson Davis during the trial at Richmond; was selected as the orator for the reunion of the United Confederate veterans at Atlanta, July, 1898, and as a citizen of Mississippi since the war has had honorable prominence as attorney-general for two terms, and member of Congress for sixteen years.

      Hon. James D. Porter, author of the military history of Tennessee, entered the Confederate States service in 1861 as adjutant-general, with the rank of captain, on the staff of Gen. B. F. Cheatham, and with promotion to major he was on duty during the course of the war, either as a staff officer or as acting lieutenant-colonel of a regiment. His association with the army of Tennessee peculiarly qualifies him to give a correct account of its operations. His career since the war has been one of prominence. He was a member of the constitutional convention of 1870, judge of the western circuit of the State, governor of Tennessee from January, 1875, to January, 1879, assistant secretary of State of the United States during Cleveland's first administration, and minister to Chili in 1892-96.

      Col. J. Stoddard Johnston, of Louisville, author of the history of Kentucky for this work, is a native of New Orleans, was reared in Kentucky, and educated at Yale college and the Louisville law school. His service during the war as a staff officer with Generals Bragg, Buckner, Breckinridge and Echols, with the army of Tennessee and in the department of East Tennessee, where the Confederate soldiers of Kentucky were mainly engaged, enables him to follow their record through the four years with intelligence and just appreciation. Since the war period Colonel Johnston has held the offices of adjutant-general and secretary of state of Kentucky.

      The preparation of a military history of Missouri was entrusted to Col. John C. Moore, of Kansas City, and his finished work may be confidently submitted to the verdict of the reader. Colonel Moore is well known as an accomplished writer, and for this work he is specially fitted by his Confederate service as a staff officer with Generals Marmaduke and Magruder, and as colonel commanding a regiment with Gen. Jo Shelby. The years that he has given to historical studies bearing on the general Confederate subject, and his complete sympathy with Southern ideas and ideals, have further equipped him for this faithful presentation of Missouri's part in the great conflict.

      Col. John M. Harrell, of Hot Springs, Ark., has brought to the preparation of the war history of his State memories of four years service in her defense, and the ripened intellectual powers of a life devoted to the profession of law, in which he yet maintains a high rank. As a staff officer with Generals Holmes and Breckinridge he had opportunities for gaining valuable information regarding the operations which he now describes. As colonel of cavalry, also, and as commander of Cabell's brigade in the latter part of the war, he took a conspicuous part in the campaigns in Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas and Indian Territory. The important СКАЧАТЬ