themselves into a great and powerful army, with Peter Beauregard, the French gentleman of whom I have before spoken, for its commander.  This gentleman was somewhat eccentric, and much given to saying things, the true meaning of which he did not understand.  A waggish friend of mine once told me that this Mr. Beauregard was educated for an apothecary at West Point, a place where young gentlemen are instructed in the various ways of getting a living honestly.  Being very skillful in the use of mortars, he was held by Mr. Davis as a most proper person to command a southern army, inasmuch as he could give the Yankees all the physic they wanted in the shortest time.  And as it is always expected that a great general will say a great many things that are neither sensible nor wise, and which afford politicians an excellent opportunity of picking them to pieces, he is a wise general who issues his orders and keeps his lips sealed on politics.  I say this, my son, because it is popularly understood that a general who knows his business bears the same relations to a politician that pepper does to the stomach.

And it came to pass that the people of the North and the people of the West became seriously alarmed at the capers Mr. Beauregard and his men were cutting at Manassas.  Indeed, many false reports were circulated concerning the great power of this Mr. Beauregard; and our people began to give way to their fears, and to declare that he might enter the capital any dark night and capture or send the Government on a traveling expedition.  The aged gentlemen at the head of our Government shook their heads discouragingly, and declared there was no safety in going to bed at night while Mr. Beauregard was so near a neighbor.  The honest farmers in the country round about were also very much alarmed at the unruly conduct of Mr. Beauregard’s men, who carried off their pigs and chickens, and eat up all their vegetables.  They also made a great noise, and planted guns on all the adjacent hills, a proceeding the honest farmers did not fully comprehend.  Then these unruly men became very defiant, felt like fighting the world, and, in the honest belief that they could do it, invited all the rest of the nation to come out and get whipped.  Yes, my son, and to show what confidence they had in themselves, they said we might bring “five for one;” and for that matter, all Germany and all Ireland.  It was considered wisdom with them to say nothing about England and France.  Those two peaceably inclined nations might, at some future day, be disposed to step in and help them out—­in a quiet way.  It was not so much humanity as a matter of profitable trade with these two great nations, and if things should take a successful turn, they might see the confederacy in a strong light, and give it material as well as moral help, notwithstanding it had slavery for its foundation.  In short, these Southern gentlemen acted on the wise axiom, that it will not do to make enemies in a direction where you may need friends and assistance.