THOMAS JEWETT GOREE

Since the battle of Manassas an apathy seems to have rested upon our people. We ... have considered one Southerner as a match for five Yankees. We have thought that the Yankees would always take to their heels after a few rounds. But while these reverses have proved to us that our foes are not such cowards as we have heretofore taken them for, it has also disclosed the very disagreeable fact that our forces are not the invincible heroes which we thought them to be.

We are more than all crippled by an unfortunate misunderstanding which unhappily exists between Pres. Davis and the leading generals of this army.... Mr. Davis’ motto seems to be: ‘Rule or Ruin.’ Mr. Davis is undoubtedly a great man, but he has his faults, his whims, and his unbounded prejudices. I have nearly lost all the admiration I ever had for him as an honest man and a patriot.

Since the battle of Manassas an apathy seems to have rested upon our people. We ... have considered one Southerner as a match for five Yankees. We have thought that the Yankees would always take to their heels after a few rounds. But while these reverses have proved to us that our foes are not such cowards as we have heretofore taken them for, it has also disclosed the very disagreeable fact that our forces are not the invincible heroes which we thought them to be.

We are more than all crippled by an unfortunate misunderstanding which unhappily exists between Pres. Davis and the leading generals of this army.... Mr. Davis’ motto seems to be: ‘Rule or Ruin.’ Mr. Davis is undoubtedly a great man, but he has his faults, his whims, and his unbounded prejudices. I have nearly lost all the admiration I ever had for him as an honest man and a patriot.