Page:Confederate Portraits.djvu/52

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CONFEDERATE PORTRAITS

were within cannon-shot, or south of Bull Run, when the victory was 'complete' as well as 'assured,' and no opportunity left for the influence of ' his name and bear- ing.'" 60 "As good-natured weakness was never attrib- uted to Mr. Davis as a fault, it is not easy to reconcile the assertions and tone of this letter with his official course toward me." 61 " I was unable then, as now, to imagine any military object for which this letter could have been written, especially by one whose time was sup- posed to be devoted to the most important concerns of the Government. ... As I had much better means of information on the subjects of this paper than its author, it could not have been written for my instruction." 62

"Oh, lago, the pity of it, Iago!" Even the non-com- mittal and considerate Lee "instanced Joe Johnston's sensitiveness and how wrong and unwise it was," 63 while Mr. Rhodes says, "Had Johnston been less sensitive to an affront to his personal dignity, had he been in temper like Lee, and had Davis shown such abnegation of self as did Lincoln in his dealings with his generals, blame and recrimination would not have been written on every page of Southern history." 64

"No man was ever written down except by himself," said Dr. Johnson. Johnston wrote his book to clear his fame, and behold, it condemns him. One sentence of large forgiveness in face of calamity, one word of recognition that Davis and Seddon, however misguided, however erring, had done their best to serve the same great