Editorial paragraph.
W. W. Corcoran, Esq., our Vice-President for the District of Columbia, has again shown his appreciation for our work in a way which the following correspondence will explain:The Constitution is beautifully engrossed on parchment, and has on it the autograph signatures of the members then composing the Provisional Congress, and the certificate of the clerk as to its genuineness.
It is indeed an interesting and valuable addition to the priceless collection of the Southern Historical Society, and makes another strong argument for giving the Society fire-proof quarters at the earliest possible day.
renewals were never more ‘in order’ than at the present, and we beg again that our many friends who are in arrears will promptly forward the amount due us.
an appeal that should be Heeded comes to us in the following, which we cordially publish, and most heartily endorse. We are glad to learn that responses are coming in very handsomely from every quarter, and that, with an expected appropriation from the Virginia Legislature, the scheme promises to be a splendid success:
the ‘Mercer cavalry,’ from Spotsylvania county, Virginia, commanded by Lieutenant Waller, and not the ‘Mercer county Cavalry,’ commanded by ‘Lieutenant Walker,’ as it was by some oversight put in Captain Frayser's account of Stuart's ‘Ride Around McClellan,’ was the company which charged with the Essex Dragoons when the lamented Latane fell.
We are indebted for this correction to our gallant friend Captain Willie Campbell, of Essex.
corrections in the Roster of the army of Northern Virginia, which we published in our January-February number, have come from several sources, and we solicit others, if errors are found.
General N. H. Harris writes as follows:
In Memoriam.
Our readers will remember the name of Mrs. Waller in connection with our report of the Reunion of Morgan's men last July. The following announces her death:In the recent death of Ex-Governor John Letcher, at his residence in Lexington, Virginia, there has passed away one of the ablest, most fearless and most incorruptible of the Confederate ‘War Governors.’
He carried through life the soubriquet he won in the old United States Congress—‘Honest John Letcher, the watch-dog of the treasury,’ and in his death Virginia has lost one of her ablest statesmen-one of her purest patriots.
‘Peace to his ashes!’
General J. F. Gilmer, the able and accomplished Chief of Engineers of the Confederacy, died at Savannah several weeks ago; and we have been waiting for a promised sketch of his distinguished services, which we regret has not come in time for this issue.
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Literary Notices.
‘secret service of the Confederate. States in Eu-rope.’ By Captain James D. Bullock. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons. Two volumes. Price $6.We have received this book (through Carlton McCarthy & Co., Richmond) and have only space to say now that it is of thrilling interest, and great historic value, and as the edition is limited we would advise all desiring a copy to procure it at once. We propose hereafter a full review.
We are indebted to Mrs. De Renne, of Savannah, for a really superb edition of Major Daniel's address at the unveiling of the Lee figure at Lexington. Following the example of her distinguished husband, Mrs. De Renne has had an edition of one hundred copies gotten up in the highest style of the book-maker's art, with beautiful engravings, fine binding, etc.
‘contributions to A history of the Richmond how-Itzers. Pamphlet No. 2,’ is a worthy successor to No. 1, which we would advise all to secure by ordering at once from Carlton McCarthy & Co., Richmond, Va. We have not room to say more now.
The military operations of General Beauregard in the war between the States, 1861 to 1865, including A brief personal sketch and A narrative of his services in the war with Mexico, 1846-8. By Alfred Ro-man, formerly Colonel of the Eighteenth Louisiana Volunteers, afterwards Aide-de-Camp and Inspector-General on the Staff of General Beauregard. In two volumes, Volumes I. and II. New York: Harper & Brothers. 1884. Sold only by subscription.
We have received our copy through Rev. 1. T. Wallace, Agent, Richmond, Va.
We have not yet had time to give this book, as we propose doing, a careful reading, and we must reserve until then any full notice or review of it. But we may say now that no narrative of the ‘Military Operations of General Beauregard,’ even fairly well written, could fail to be of interest, while one written by the facile pen of Judge Roman, aided by General Beauregard's personal supervision, as well as by his papers, in its preparation, could not fail to be of absorbing interest and great historical value.
A gallant soldier and accomplished engineer in the old United States army, one of the brightest of the galaxy of young officers who so gallantly distinguished themselves in the Mexican war, and certainly among the most accomplished soldiers which the late war produced, General Beauregard's contribution to our history has been eagerly looked for, and will be widely read.
There will be, of course, honest differences of opinion as to some things which the book contains, and regret on the part of some of his warmest admirers that certain things had not been left unsaid; but General Beauregard is entitled to a hearing at the bar of history, and the book will find a place in Libraries generally, which pretend to anything like fullness in their historic collections.
The Harpers have gotten up the book in their usual beautiful style, and it is, in paper, type and binding, a fine specimen of the book-maker's art.