Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 39.djvu/142

 Southern Historical Society Papers.

DEFENCE OF SPANISH FORT.

Some Comment by the Confederate Commander on Mr. P. D. Stephenson's Article.

By DABNEY H. MAURY, Major=General, Confederate States Army, and Commanding Department of the Qulf.

The narrative of the defense of Spanish Fort, which appeared in a late number of the Philadelphia Weekly Times, July 26th, is a very interesting contribution to the history of the war. It is cleverly written and illustrates well the high character and education of the Confederate private soldier. I hope Mr. Stev- enson will not rest content with this efifort, excellent as it is, but will go on and give us other experience of the busy and arduous campaigns which closed so gloriously at Spanish Fort. Unlike many narrations this is devoid of all traces of egotism.

The defense of Spanish Fort was the last death grapple of the veterans of the Confederate and Federal armies. They brought to it the experience of four years of incessant conflict, and in the attack and defense of that place demonstrated every offensive and defensive art then known to war. It is not too much to say that no position was ever held by Confederate troops with greater hardihood and tenacity, nor evacuated more skil- fully after hope of further defense w^as gone.

AS TO CERTAIN PRECAUTIONS.

'Mv. Stevenson "has been remarkably graphic and accurate in his account of the siege. But he did not know while he was fighting all of those seventeen days and nights that it was never intended that garrison should be lost. That even before the battle began the measures had been taken to withdraw them at