It Was My Fortune, Or Misfortune, To

Oh, I Am Heartily Tired Of Hearing About What Lee Is Going To Do. Some Of You Always Seem To Think He Is Suddenly Going To Turn A Double Somersault, And Land In Our Rear And On Both Of Our Flanks At The Same Time. Go Back To Your Command, And Try To Think What Are We Going To Do Ourselves, Instead Of What Lee Is Going To Do.

Everyone Has His Superstitions. One Of Mine Has Always Been When I Started To Go Anywhere, Accomplished.

The Distant Rear Of An Army Engaged In Battle Is Not The Best Place From Which To Judge Correctly What Is Going On In Front.

The Natural Disposition Of Most People Is To Clothe A Commander Of A Large Army Whom They Do Not Know, With Almost Superhuman Abilities. A Large Part Of The National Army, For Instance, And Most Of The Press Of The Country, Clothed General Lee With Just Such Qualities, But I Had Known Him Personally, And Knew That He Was Mortal; And It Was Just As Well That I Felt This.

The Will Of The People Is The Best Law.