the day of the confederacy-第20节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


condition　in　which　Alabama　had　found　herself　in　the　previous
year。　A　great　mobile　army　of　invaders　lay　encamped　on　her　soil。
And　yet　there　was　still　a　state　Government　established　at　the
capital。　Inevitably　the　man　who　thought　of　the　situation　from　the
point　of　view　of　what　we　should　now　call　the　general　staff；　and
the　man　who　thought　of　it　from　the　point　of　view　of　a　citizen　of
the　invaded　State；　suffered　each　an　intensification　of　feeling；
and　each　became　determined　to　solve　the　problem　in　his　own　way。
The　President　of　the　Confederacy　and　the　Governor　of　Georgia
represented　these　incompatible　points　of　view。

The　Governor；　Joseph　E。　Brown；　is　one　of　the　puzzling　figures　of
Confederate　history。　We　have　already　encountered　him　as　a　dogged
opponent　of　the　Administration。　With　the　whole　fabric　of　Southern
life　toppling　about　his　ears；　Brown　argued；　quibbled；　evaded；　and
became　a　rallying…point　of　disaffection。　That　more　eminent
Georgian；　Howell　Cobb；　applied　to　him　very　severe　language；　and
they　became　engaged　in　a　controversy　over　that　provision　of　the
Conscription　Act　which　exempted　state　officials　from　military
service。　While　the　Governor　of　Virginia　was　refusing　certificates
of　exemption　to　the　minor　civil　officers　such　as　justices　of　the
peace；　Brown　by　proclamation　promised　his　〃protection〃　to　the
most　insignificant　civil　servants。　〃Will　even　your　Excellency；〃
demanded　Cobb；　〃certify　that　in　any　county　of　Georgia　twenty
justices　of　the　peace　and　an　equal　number　of　constables　are
necessary　for　the　proper　administration　of　the　state
government？〃　The　Bureau　of　Conscription　estimated　that　Brown
kept　out　of　the　army　approximately　8000　eligible　men。　The　truth
seems　to　be　that　neither　by　education　nor　heredity　was　this
Governor　equipped　to　conceive　large　ideas。　He　never　seemed
conscious　of　the　war　as　a　whole；　or　of　the　Confederacy　as　a
whole。　To　defend　Georgia　and；　if　that　could　not　be　done；　to　make
peace　for　Georgiasuch　in　the　mind　of　Brown　was　the　aim　of　the
war。　His　restless　jealousy　of　the　Administration　finds　its
explanation　in　his　fear　that　it　would　denude　his　State　of　men。
The　seriousness　of　Governor　Brown's　opposition　became　apparent
within　a　week　of　the　fall　of　Atlanta。　Among　Hood's　forces　were
some　10；000　Georgia　militia。　Brown　notified　Hood　that　these
troops　had　been　called　out　solely　with　a　view　to　the　defense　of
Atlanta；　that　since　Atlanta　had　been　lost　they　must　now　be
permitted　〃to　return　to　their　homes　and　look　for　a　time　after
important　interests；〃　and　that　therefore　he　did　〃withdraw　said
organizations〃　from　Hood's　command。　In　other　words；　Brown　was
afraid　that　they　might　be　taken　out　of　the　State。　By　proclamation
he　therefore　gave　the　militia　a　furlough　of　thirty　days。　Previous
to　the　issue　of　this　proclamation；　Seddon　had　written　to　Brown
making　requisition　for　his　10；000　militia　to　assist　in　a　pending
campaign　against　Sherman。　Two　days　after　his　proclamation　had
appeared；　Brown；　in　a　voluminous　letter　full　of　blustering
rhetoric　and　abounding　in　sneers　at　the　President；　demanded
immediate　reinforcements　by　order　of　the　President　and　threatened
that；　if　they　were　not　sent；　he　would　recall　the　Georgia　troops
from　the　army　of　Lee　and　would　command　〃all　the　sons　of　Georgia
to　return　to　their　own　State　and　within　their　own　limits　to　rally
round　her　glorious　flag。〃

So　threatening　was　the　situation　in　Georgia　that　Davis　attempted
to　take　it　into　his　own　hands。　In　a　grim　frame　of　mind　he　left
Richmond　for　the　front。　The　resulting　military　arrangements　do
not　of　course　belong　strictly　to　the　subject　matter　of　this
volume；　but　the　brief　tour　of　speechmaking　which　Davis　made　in
Georgia　and　the　interior　of　South　Carolina　must　be　noticed；　for
his　purpose　seems　to　have　been　to　put　the　military　point　of　view
squarely　before　the　people。　He　meant　them　to　see　how　the　soldier
looked　at　the　situation；　ignoring　all　demands　of　locality；　of
affiliation；　of　hardship；　and　considering　only　how　to　meet　and
beat　the　enemy。　In　his　tense　mood　he　was　not　always　fortunate　in
his　expressions。　At　Augusta；　for　example；　he　described
Beauregard；　whom　he　had　recently　placed　in　general　command　over
Georgia　and　South　Carolina；　as　one　who　would　do　whatever　the
President　told　him　to　do。　But　this　idea　of　military
self…effacement　was　not　happily　worded；　and　the　enemies　of　Davis
seized　on　his　phraseology　as　further　evidence　of　his　instinctive
autocracy。　The　Mercury　compared　him　to　the　Emperor　of　Russia　and
declared　the　tactless　remark　to　be　〃as　insulting　to　General
Beauregard　as　it　is　false　and　presumptuous　in　the　President。〃

Meanwhile　Beauregard　was　negotiating　with　Brown。　　Though　they
came　to　an　understanding　about　the　disposition　of　the　militia；
Brown　still　tried　to　keep　control　of　the　state　troops。　When
Sherman　was　burning　Atlanta　preparatory　to　the　March　to　the　Sea；
Brown　addressed　to　the　Secretary　of　War　another　interminable
epistle；　denouncing　the　Confederate　authorities　and　asserting
his　willingness　to　fight　both　the　South　and　the　North　if　they
did　not　both　cease　invading　his　rights。　But　the　people　of　
Georgia　were　better　balanced　than　their　Governor。　Under　the
leadership　of　such　men　as　Cobb　they　rose　to　the　occasion　and　did
their　part　in　what　proved　a　vain　attempt　to　　conduct　a　〃people's
war。〃　Their　delegation　at　Richmond　sent　out　a　stirring　appeal
assuring　them　that　Davis　was　doing　for　them　all　it　was　possible
to　do。　〃Let　every　man　fly　to　arms；〃　said　the　appeal。　〃Remove
your　negroes；　horses；　cattle；　and　provisions　from　before
Sherman's　army；　and　burn　what　you　cannot　carry。　Burn　all　bridges
and　block　up　the　roads　in　his　route。　Assail　the　invader　in
front；　flank；　and　rear；　by　night　and　by　day。　Let　him　have　no
rest。〃


The　Richmond　Government　was　unable　to　detach　any　considerable
force　from　the　northern　front。　Its　contribution　to　the　forces　in
Georgia　was　accomplished　by　such　pathetic　means　as　a　general
order　calling　to　the　colors　all　soldiers　furloughed　or　in
hospital；　〃except　those　unable　to　travel〃；　by　revoking　all
exemptions　to　farmers；　planters；　and　mechanics；　except　munitions
workers；　and　by　placing　one…fifth　of　the　ordnance　and　mining
bureau　in　the　battle　service。

All　the　world　knows　how　futile　were　these　endeavors　to　stop　the
whirlwind　of　desolation　that　was　Sherman's　march。　He　spent　his
Christmas　Day　in　Savannah。　Then　the　center　of　gravity　shifted
from　Georgia　to　South　Carolina。　Throughout　the　two　desperate
months　that　closed　1864　the　authorities　of　South　Carolina　had
vainly　sought　for　help　from　Richmond。　Twice　the　Governor　made
official　request　for　the　return　to　South　Carolina　of　some　of　her
own　troops　who　were　at　the　front　in　Virginia。　Davis　first　evaded
and　then　refused　the　request。　Lee　had　informed　him　that　if　the
forces　on　the　northern　front　were　reduced；　the　evacuation　of
Richmond　would　become　inevitable。

The　South　Carolina　Government；　in　December；　1864；　seems　to　have
concluded　that　the　State　must　save　itself。　A　State　Conscription
Act　was　passed　placing　all　white　males　between　the　ages　of
sixteen　and　sixty　at　the　disposal　of　the　state　authorities　for
emergency　duty。　An　Exemption　Act　set　forth　a　long　list　of　persons
who　should　not　be　liable　to　conscription　by　the　Confederate
Government。　Still　a　third　act　regulated　the　impressment　of　slaves
for　work　on　fortifications　so　as　to　enable　the　state　authorities
to　hold　a　check　upon　the　Confederate　authorities。　The
significance　of　the　three　statutes　was　interpreted　by　a　South
Carolina　soldier；　General　John　S。　Preston；　in　a　letter　to　the
Secretary　of　War　that　was　a　wail　of　despair。　〃This　legislation
is　an　explicit　declaration　that　this　State　does　not　intend　to
contribute　another　soldier　or　slave　to　the　public　defense；　except
on　such　terms　its　may　be　dictated　by　her　authorities。　The　example
will　speedily　be　followed　by　North　Carolina　and　Georgia；　the
Executives　of　those　States　having　already　assumed　the　position。〃

The　division　between　the　two　parties　in　South　Carolina　had　now
become　bitter。　To　Preston　the　men　behind　the　State　Exemption　Act
appeared　as　〃designing　knaves。〃　The　Mercury；　on　the　other　hand；
was　never　more　relentless　toward　Davis　than　in　the　winter　of
1864…1865。　However；　none　or　almost　none　of　the　anti…Davis　men　in
South　Carolina　made　the　least　suggestion　of　giving　up　the
struggle。　To　fight　to　the　end　but　also　to　act　as　a　check　upon　the
central　Governmentas　the　new　Governor；　Andrew　G。　Magrath；　said
in　his　inaugural　address　in　December；　1864；was　the　aim　of　the
dominant　party　in　South　Carolina。　How　far　the　State　Government
and　the　Confederate　Government　had　drifted　apart　is　shown　by　two
comments　which　were　made　in　January；　1865。　Lee　complained　that
the　South　Carolina　regiments；　〃much　reduced　by　hard　service；〃
were　not　being　recruited　up　to　their　proper　strength　because　of
the　measures　adopted　in　the　southeastern　States　to　retain
conscripts　at　home。　About　the　same　date　the　Mercury　arraigned
Davis　for　leaving　South　Carolina　defenseless　in　the　face　of
Sherman's　coming　offensive；　and　asked　whether　Davis　intended　to
surrender　the　Confederacy。

And　in　the　midst　of　this　critical　period；　the　labor　problem
pushed　to　the　fore　again。　The　revocation