James Chestnut: Sticking up for the boss
From The New-York Times September 22, 1861:
INACTIVITY OF THE SOUTHERN ARMY.
A letter in the Savannah (Ga.) News, dated Aug. 27, says:
“The chief topic of conversation here is the inactivity of the Army. Much criticism has been passed upon Gen. BEAUREGARD, and those who are believed to direct the movements of the Army, more particularly respecting his failure to occupy or destroy Alexandria and Washington City. Congress called for information on this point, and the President referred the inquiry to Gen. BEAUREGARD, who, in his answer, placed the blame where it really belonged. He had been for weeks, almost, beseeching the War Department to supply him with the material needful to carry on the war — men, ammunition, provisions, wagons –but the Quartermaster’s and Commissariat Departments being in incompetent hands, the day of battle came, and found our Generals without the means of carrying the Army forward. Quite an acrimonious debate sprung up in the House, upon the reading of this answer, in which Messrs. MILES and CHESNUT, of South Carolina, who had been on the Staff of Gen. BEAUREGARD at Manassas, and had supported him in a most gallant manner during that eventful day, found it necessary to vindicate their great chief from the aspersions which certain members were disposed to throw out against his military reputation. Since the 21st July, many circumstances have combined to keep our troops in a stationary position. Rain has fallen in great quantities, and almost incessantly, rendering the roads impassable for heavy wagon transportation, and the marching of large bodies of troops, and there has been a great deal of sickness among our soldiers –probably 20 per cent. are at this time unfit for duty. Our Generals, however, have been strengthened by new accessions almost every day, and the railroads continue to transport regiment after regiment.”
James Chesnut, Jr. was indeed serving in the Confederate Congress and as an aide-de-camp to General Beauregard at this time.
William Porcher Miles was a fire-eater who also represented South Carolina in the CSA Congress.
