Congress, yesterday.
The most interesting portion of the proceedings of Congress, yesterday, was that crucified in the reading of the touchingly appropriate message of
President Davis to the two Houses on the great victory in
Tennessee.
We publish below the message in full, and deem it entirely unnecessary to present any comments.
Indeed, any such would be ill-timed and out of place.
The message is a document that does honor to the head that conceived and the heart that prompted it:
To the Senate and House of Representatives of the Confederate States of America:
The great importance of the news just received from
Tennessee inducts me to depart from established usage, and to make to you this communication in advance of official reports.
From telegraphic dispatches received from official sources, I am able to announce to you, with entire confidence, that it has pleased Almighty God to crown the
Confederate arms with a glorious and decisive victory over our invaders.
On the morning of the 6th instant the converging columns of our army were combined by its
Commander-in-Chief, General A.
S. Johnston, in an assault on the
Federal army, then encamped near
Pittsburg, on the
Tennessee river.
After a hard fought battle of ten hours, the enemy was driven in disorder from his position and pursued to the
Tennessee river, where, under cover of his gunboats, be was, at the last accounts, endeavoring to effect his retreat by aid of his transports.
The details of this great battle are yet too few and incomplete to enable me to distinguish with merited praise all of those who may have conspicuously earned the right to such distinction; and I prefer to delay my own gratification in recommending them to your special notice, rather than incur the risk of wounding the feelings of any by failing to include them in the list.
Where such a history has been won, over troops as bumros; as well disciplined, armed, and appointed, is those which have just been so signally we may well conclude that one common spirit of unflinching bravery and devotion to our country's cause must have animated every breast, froms that of the
Commanding General to that of the humblest patriot who served in the ranks.
There is enough in the continued presence of invaders on our soil to chasten our exultation over this brilliant success, and to remind us of the grave duty of conflated exertion until we shall extort from a proud and vainglorious enemy the reluctant acknowledgment of our right to self-government.
But an all-wise Creator has been pleased, while vouchsafing to us. His countenance in battle, to effect us with a severe dispensation to which we must bow in humble submission.
The last lingering hope has disappeared, and it is but too true that
General Albert Sidney Johnston is no more.
The fate of his death is simply pattered in a dispatch just received from
Colonel William Preston, in the following words:
‘
"
General Johnston fell yesterday, at half-past 2 o'clock, while leading a successful charge, turning the enemy's right and gaining a brilliant victory.
A Minnie ball out the artery of his leg, but he rode on till from loss of blood he fell exhausted, and died without pain in a few moments.
His body has been intrusted to moby
General Beauregard, to be taken to New Orleans and remain until directions are received from his family."
’
My long and close friendship with this departed chieftain and patifot, forbid the to trust myself in giving vent to the feeling which this sad intelligence has evoked.--Without doing injustice to the living, it may safely be asserted that our loss is irreparable, and that among the shining hos of the great and the good who now cluster around the banner of our country, there exists no purer spirit, no more heroic soul, than that of the illustrious man whose death I join you in lamenting.
In his death he has illustrated the character for which through life he was conspicuous — that of singleness of purpose and devotion to duty.
With his whole energies bent on attaining the victory which he deemed essential to his country's cause, he rods on to the accomplishment of his object, forgetful of self while his very life-blood was fast robbing away.
His last breath cheered his comrades to victory.
The last sound he heard was their shout of triumph.
His last thought was his country's, and long and deeply will his country mourn his loss.
