I am just from
Nashville, where some dissatisfaction prevails at the action of General Polk in
taking Columbus, Ky. Whether it was altogether politic to take possession I
need not say, but it will be ruinous to order him back. Let him advance his
columns into Kentucky, to Bowling Green and Muldraugh's Hill if necessary, and
I predict he will not leave an enemy behind him south of that place in two
weeks.
In confidence I say
to you the service here needs a general at its head in whom the Army and the
country have unlimited confidence. Albert S. Johnston first, and Buckner and
Gus. W. Smith as officers under him, would give such confidence as would insure
success. I do not even insinuate that any one now in office should be
displaced. I do not think they ought, but that the persons above named should
be added to the list.
The neutrality of
Kentucky has been all the time a cloak to enable the Lincoln party there to
hide their real design to arm the friends of Lincoln and to disarm the Southern
Rights party. We ought to strike now. A step backward would be fatal, in my
opinion. We cannot long avoid a conflict with the paid and bought friends of
Lincoln in Kentucky, and the fight might as well come off now as at any other
time. If it is to be done, it should be done quickly.
No comments:
Post a Comment