Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 12.djvu/279

Rh the legal force and political worth of the Constitution of the United States; the Union of all States under the great instrument which formed it has been demonstrated to be better than a division of sections, and the Constitution to be worth fighting for against those who would subvert it. American military and naval skill was proved to the world's nations. The Confederacy proudly presented to fame Albert Sidney Johnston, Robert E. Lee, Joseph E. Johnston, P. T. Beauregard among its generals in chief command, and Wheeler, Forrest, Stuart, Hampton as cavalry chieftains; while Stonewall Jackson led all in those rare, unique capacities of his own whose work was arrested by death. In its navy, Buchanan and Semmes made fame without resources, and the necessity which stimulates invention induced naval construction with devices for war with ships, that ushered a new era in naval warfare. The general fighting qualities of American soldiers, such as steadiness, celerity, courage and intelligent obedience to orders, were made apparent to all nations, and in a word, the power of the American Union of States was developed.