第 20 节
作者:水王      更新:2021-02-24 22:03      字数:9322
  condition in which Alabama had found herself in the previous
  year。 A great mobile army of invaders lay encamped on her soil。
  And yet there was still a state Government established at the
  capital。 Inevitably the man who thought of the situation from the
  point of view of what we should now call the general staff; and
  the man who thought of it from the point of view of a citizen of
  the invaded State; suffered each an intensification of feeling;
  and each became determined to solve the problem in his own way。
  The President of the Confederacy and the Governor of Georgia
  represented these incompatible points of view。
  The Governor; Joseph E。 Brown; is one of the puzzling figures of
  Confederate history。 We have already encountered him as a dogged
  opponent of the Administration。 With the whole fabric of Southern
  life toppling about his ears; Brown argued; quibbled; evaded; and
  became a rallying…point of disaffection。 That more eminent
  Georgian; Howell Cobb; applied to him very severe language; and
  they became engaged in a controversy over that provision of the
  Conscription Act which exempted state officials from military
  service。 While the Governor of Virginia was refusing certificates
  of exemption to the minor civil officers such as justices of the
  peace; Brown by proclamation promised his 〃protection〃 to the
  most insignificant civil servants。 〃Will even your Excellency;〃
  demanded Cobb; 〃certify that in any county of Georgia twenty
  justices of the peace and an equal number of constables are
  necessary for the proper administration of the state
  government?〃 The Bureau of Conscription estimated that Brown
  kept out of the army approximately 8000 eligible men。 The truth
  seems to be that neither by education nor heredity was this
  Governor equipped to conceive large ideas。 He never seemed
  conscious of the war as a whole; or of the Confederacy as a
  whole。 To defend Georgia and; if that could not be done; to make
  peace for Georgiasuch in the mind of Brown was the aim of the
  war。 His restless jealousy of the Administration finds its
  explanation in his fear that it would denude his State of men。
  The seriousness of Governor Brown's opposition became apparent
  within a week of the fall of Atlanta。 Among Hood's forces were
  some 10;000 Georgia militia。 Brown notified Hood that these
  troops had been called out solely with a view to the defense of
  Atlanta; that since Atlanta had been lost they must now be
  permitted 〃to return to their homes and look for a time after
  important interests;〃 and that therefore he did 〃withdraw said
  organizations〃 from Hood's command。 In other words; Brown was
  afraid that they might be taken out of the State。 By proclamation
  he therefore gave the militia a furlough of thirty days。 Previous
  to the issue of this proclamation; Seddon had written to Brown
  making requisition for his 10;000 militia to assist in a pending
  campaign against Sherman。 Two days after his proclamation had
  appeared; Brown; in a voluminous letter full of blustering
  rhetoric and abounding in sneers at the President; demanded
  immediate reinforcements by order of the President and threatened
  that; if they were not sent; he would recall the Georgia troops
  from the army of Lee and would command 〃all the sons of Georgia
  to return to their own State and within their own limits to rally
  round her glorious flag。〃
  So threatening was the situation in Georgia that Davis attempted
  to take it into his own hands。 In a grim frame of mind he left
  Richmond for the front。 The resulting military arrangements do
  not of course belong strictly to the subject matter of this
  volume; but the brief tour of speechmaking which Davis made in
  Georgia and the interior of South Carolina must be noticed; for
  his purpose seems to have been to put the military point of view
  squarely before the people。 He meant them to see how the soldier
  looked at the situation; ignoring all demands of locality; of
  affiliation; of hardship; and considering only how to meet and
  beat the enemy。 In his tense mood he was not always fortunate in
  his expressions。 At Augusta; for example; he described
  Beauregard; whom he had recently placed in general command over
  Georgia and South Carolina; as one who would do whatever the
  President told him to do。 But this idea of military
  self…effacement was not happily worded; and the enemies of Davis
  seized on his phraseology as further evidence of his instinctive
  autocracy。 The Mercury compared him to the Emperor of Russia and
  declared the tactless remark to be 〃as insulting to General
  Beauregard as it is false and presumptuous in the President。〃
  Meanwhile Beauregard was negotiating with Brown。  Though they
  came to an understanding about the disposition of the militia;
  Brown still tried to keep control of the state troops。 When
  Sherman was burning Atlanta preparatory to the March to the Sea;
  Brown addressed to the Secretary of War another interminable
  epistle; denouncing the Confederate authorities and asserting
  his willingness to fight both the South and the North if they
  did not both cease invading his rights。 But the people of
  Georgia were better balanced than their Governor。 Under the
  leadership of such men as Cobb they rose to the occasion and did
  their part in what proved a vain attempt to  conduct a 〃people's
  war。〃 Their delegation at Richmond sent out a stirring appeal
  assuring them that Davis was doing for them all it was possible
  to do。 〃Let every man fly to arms;〃 said the appeal。 〃Remove
  your negroes; horses; cattle; and provisions from before
  Sherman's army; and burn what you cannot carry。 Burn all bridges
  and block up the roads in his route。 Assail the invader in
  front; flank; and rear; by night and by day。 Let him have no
  rest。〃
  The Richmond Government was unable to detach any considerable
  force from the northern front。 Its contribution to the forces in
  Georgia was accomplished by such pathetic means as a general
  order calling to the colors all soldiers furloughed or in
  hospital; 〃except those unable to travel〃; by revoking all
  exemptions to farmers; planters; and mechanics; except munitions
  workers; and by placing one…fifth of the ordnance and mining
  bureau in the battle service。
  All the world knows how futile were these endeavors to stop the
  whirlwind of desolation that was Sherman's march。 He spent his
  Christmas Day in Savannah。 Then the center of gravity shifted
  from Georgia to South Carolina。 Throughout the two desperate
  months that closed 1864 the authorities of South Carolina had
  vainly sought for help from Richmond。 Twice the Governor made
  official request for the return to South Carolina of some of her
  own troops who were at the front in Virginia。 Davis first evaded
  and then refused the request。 Lee had informed him that if the
  forces on the northern front were reduced; the evacuation of
  Richmond would become inevitable。
  The South Carolina Government; in December; 1864; seems to have
  concluded that the State must save itself。 A State Conscription
  Act was passed placing all white males between the ages of
  sixteen and sixty at the disposal of the state authorities for
  emergency duty。 An Exemption Act set forth a long list of persons
  who should not be liable to conscription by the Confederate
  Government。 Still a third act regulated the impressment of slaves
  for work on fortifications so as to enable the state authorities
  to hold a check upon the Confederate authorities。 The
  significance of the three statutes was interpreted by a South
  Carolina soldier; General John S。 Preston; in a letter to the
  Secretary of War that was a wail of despair。 〃This legislation
  is an explicit declaration that this State does not intend to
  contribute another soldier or slave to the public defense; except
  on such terms its may be dictated by her authorities。 The example
  will speedily be followed by North Carolina and Georgia; the
  Executives of those States having already assumed the position。〃
  The division between the two parties in South Carolina had now
  become bitter。 To Preston the men behind the State Exemption Act
  appeared as 〃designing knaves。〃 The Mercury; on the other hand;
  was never more relentless toward Davis than in the winter of
  1864…1865。 However; none or almost none of the anti…Davis men in
  South Carolina made the least suggestion of giving up the
  struggle。 To fight to the end but also to act as a check upon the
  central Governmentas the new Governor; Andrew G。 Magrath; said
  in his inaugural address in December; 1864;was the aim of the
  dominant party in South Carolina。 How far the State Government
  and the Confederate Government had drifted apart is shown by two
  comments which were made in January; 1865。 Lee complained that
  the South Carolina regiments; 〃much reduced by hard service;〃
  were not being recruited up to their proper strength because of
  the measures adopted in the southeastern States to retain
  conscripts at home。 About the same date the Mercury arraigned
  Davis for leaving South Carolina defenseless in the face of
  Sherman's coming offensive; and asked whether Davis intended to
  surrender the Confederacy。
  And in the midst of this critical period; the labor problem
  pushed to the fore again。 The revocation