io6 CONFEDERATE PORTRAITS
In the midst of a great deal of vague and unwarranted attribution of motive the Louisiana soldier does, indeed, make one good point, though it is something in the nature of a boomerang. If Bull Run had been a defeat, he says, does any one suppose that General Johnston would have been so eager to claim the command? We all know he would not. But, then, neither would Beauregard.
And both of them, in slapping back and forth at each other, assume that they have no personal motive, but only desire to establish the truth of history. Oh, the truth of history ! How many crimes have been committed in that name ! Surely the truth of history is of infinitely less importance than brotherly love. At any rate, it would be far better if history should confuse the leadership of a battle and be able to record that heroic souls lived free from petty carping and ungenerous complaint. It will, indeed, be urged that precisely the truth of history is lead- ing me to unveil these weaknesses. But, at least, it is the truth of history, and not sore pride masking in an odious disguise.
It should, however, be said that during the actual course of the war Beauregard does not seem to have allowed himself to be greatly affected by prejudice or irritability. Later, under the influence of disappointment and criticism and flatterers, his vanity, his dreams of what might have been, grew into an obsession, and made him say things that should never have been said. But while he was actually fighting for the Confederacy, he, for the
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