the upper part of this State, with no prospects of forming a junction
with Beauregard. President Davis wrote on that day:

"General Beauregard: I have directed General J.E. Johnston to
assume command of the Southern Army and assign you to duty with him.
Together, I feel assured you will beat back Sherman."

To add one man, even if a great commander, would add but little
strength to any army, already exhausted beyond the hope of
recuperation, still "You will beat Sherman back!" the President
writes. I for one cannot see how a General could receive such an order
at such time in any other spirit than ridicule. President Davis, even
after the fall of Richmond and the battle of Bettonville fought, where
Johnston tried once more to "beat back Sherman" and failed--after all
the circumstances and conditions were given to him in detail--said,
"The struggle could be still carried on to a successful issue by
bringing out all our latent resources; that we could even cross the
Mississippi River, join forces with Kirby Smith, and prolong the war
indefinitely." Was there ever such blind faith or dogged tenacity of
purpose? Did Mr. Davis and our Generals really believe there was
still a chance for a successful issue at this late day, or was it the
knowledge of the disposition of the troops whom they knew would rather
suffer death than defeat.

It must, within all reason, have been the latter, for no great
commander cognizant of all the facts could have been so blind.
Even while the Confederate troops were overwhelmed by numbers,
communications cut on all sides, all out posts and the borders hemmed
in one small compass, some of our soldiers entered a publishing house
in Raleigh, destroyed all the type, broke the presses, and demolished
the building--all this because the editor of the paper advised the
giving up of the contest! Did the soldiers of the South believe as yet
that they were beaten? Circumstances and their surly moods say not.
Well might a commander or executive have apprehensions of his personal
safety should he counsel submission as long as there was a soldier
left to raise a rifle or draw a lanyard. I ask again was there ever
before such troops as those of the South? Will there ever be again?

Kershaw's Brigade, now attached to Hardee's Corps, reached Cheraw
about the first of March, but the enemy's advance was at Chesterfield,
causing Hardee to continue his march by Rockinham on to Fayetteville,
N.C., near which pla