Memphis Daily Appeal

THE EVACUATION OF COLUMBUS.

The Federal press are quite jubilant over this event, which occurred the first of the present month. They pretend that all sorts of stores fell into their possession—guns, ammunition, quartermaster's commissary supplies, and other property of large amount.

Unfortunately, the memories of northern editors are short, or their pens, like the tongues of their politicians, are forked. At one time they represent the southern army as clothed in rags, poorly armed, and almost famished. At another, whenever we happen to abandon a position, they pretend they have arms in possession of untold wealth and supplies. One statement or the other must be false. We are disposed to think both are.

But the reader must not be disturbed by the extravagant assertions of northern romancers. The evacuation of Columbus was executed by Gen. Polk and the officers under him, and was conducted with great skill and success. It was undertaken after deliberate consideration, and was carried out in a manner that left but little if anything to be desired. The stores and other property lost, might make some shrewd, "whittling" editor feel quite rich, but the ragged, half-starved regiments of "Dixie" can well afford to lose all that was left behind—which was just about nothing at all.