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for such reinforcements as additional arms could enable him to give.’1
These are sweeping assumptions, and such as only men who think themselves certain of impunity would venture.
Unfortunately for Mr. Davis, this is not the case with him. Can he really believe that because he was President of the Confederate States, his mere allegations, resting, as they do, only upon his memory of what occurred twenty years ago, will counterbalance and even outweigh a document, carefully prepared and signed and vouched for, by three such generals as Johnston, Beauregard, and Smith, his peers in gentlemanly attainments, his superiors—especially two of them—in military merit; men of unstained character, enjoying, now as then, the entire confidence of their people; and who have, to-day, something more tangible than words to fall back upon, in support of their statements?
No unbiassed reader will believe that this document contains aught but the truth.
For, on the one hand, three men of honor certify to its truth, and do so four months after the occurrence it refers to; while, on the other hand, Mr. Davis alone, without note or memorandum to assist him, and after twenty years have elapsed, comes forward and says: My version of the circumstances of the case is not in accord with yours.
You are wrong, though you committed to writing the entire conference; I am right, though my memory, frail and treacherous as it may be, is my only voucher to justify me in controverting the positions you have taken.
With regard to the ‘inconsistencies’ complained of by Mr. Davis, which he would have his readers believe were so easily detected in the written memorandum now before us, we do not hesitate to say that they exist in his imagination only.
Let the reader carefully examine the paper we have submitted to him, and see if he can discover the ‘inconsistencies,’ so obvious, according to Mr. Davis, as to make it a downright ‘absurdity.’2 However strong Mr. Davis's arguments may appear in the absence of the document which he interprets to suit his fancy, they fall to the ground and burst as bubbles when confronted with the true facts of the case.
The object of the conference, as we know, was to urge upon the President the necessity of an offensive campaign; to accomplish
1883. Harper. New York.
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