The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1866-03-22
GEMS. GRANT AND SHERMAN
HIGHLY INTERESTING REMI-
NISCENCES-AL LETTER FROM
PROFESSOR MAHAN.

PROFESSOR MAHAN.
To Editors " Y. Ecenimg Post:
AS Professor Coppee, in his life OF
Lieutenant-Ge Grant, has given
some of his "reminiscences of the cadet
life of the General when they were both
pupils in the military academy togeth-
er, have thought that it might while
away an idle moment at the tireside of
some of your evening readers to learn
in what point of view this celebrated
person, and his equally celebrated friend
Gen. Sherman, were regarded by one OF
their old professors at this school.
Larochefoucauld, or Voltaire, both
profound judges of French nature, has
said that emo man is hero to his ualet
de chdmbre," and suppose it is no easy
matter for an old teacher to look up to,
as Il great man, a person whose every
mental weakness he had probed as a
boy. Most OF your readers may recall
the anecdote Of the famous old English
pedagogue, who, upon one of his pupils
being named before him as having
achieved great name, chuckled with
satisfaction over the recollection that he
had been under his ferule literally; so
| suppose there is something of this
spirit in pedagogues generally.
Now | can truly say that, not having
met Gen. Grant from the time he grad
uated, i'll 1S43, until he visited the Acad-
emy, in June, 1865, and Gen. Sherman
only twice, at long intervals, from his
graduation, in 1910, until the same
time, l felt when | saw them in this last
visit that l was in the presence of two
remarkable men. The feeling was not
Simply that which DR.. Johnson some
| where describes as what every person
instinctively feels who enters the pres
ence Of an admiral or general who has
encountered the perils of battle, nor
that which causes me instinctively to
uncover when | approach either of those
octogenarian Nestors of our old army,
Lieut.. Gen. Scott, or General Thayer.
Alas how few are left,
Rari nantes in gurgite vasto,
t but what all must feel who see for the
first time men who have done deeds
that have called forth the plaudits of
nations, and have won for themselves
the respect and gratitude of their coun-
try.
OF the student-life of each of these
men during their last year at the acad-
emy [ have a distinct recollection
Brought under my supervision very fire.
quently in daily recitations, and for
about three months, three hours daily
working under my eye, my opportuni
ties for gaining an insight into their
characteristics were pasSably good
Professor Coppee describes Grant as a
middle man" IA phrase new to me-
He was what we termed first section
man in his scientific studies; that is,
one who accomplishes the full course
He always showed himself clear
thinker and steady worker He be-
longed to the class of compactly strong
men, who went at their work at once,
and kept at it until finished, never be-
ing seen, like the slack-twisted class,
yawning, lolling on their elbows over
their work, and looking as if just ready
to sink down from mental inanity.
Sherman was the reverse of this in
manner. Eager, impetuous, restless, he
always worked with a will. Being one
Of those Of whom Byron says,
Quiet to quick souls is a hell"
If he wasn't at work he was i'll for mis-
chief. If while explaining something
to his class at the blackboard, l heard
any slight disturbance, denOting some
fun, l was seldom wrong, i'll turning
round, and holding up my finger to Mr..
Sherman. But one was more than re-
paid for any slight annoyance of this
kind by his irrepressible good nature,
and by the clear thought and energy he
threw into his work.
That he should accomplish something
great [ was prepared to learn. But not
so in Grant, whose round, CHEEKY, boy
ish face, though marked with character
and quiet manner, gave none of that
evidence of what he has since shown he
possesses.
Grants mental machine is of the pow
erful low pressure class, which conden-
ses its own steam and consumes its own
ward and drives all obstacles before it.
class, which lets off both with puff
and cloud, and dashes at it's work with
resistless vigor, the result of a sound
boiler and plenty of fuel.
The question is often put to me
whether | look upon Grant and Sher-
man as great men. To this there is but
one reply. Posterity alone, when the
clouds raised by passion, prejudice, and
partlsansh1p, shall have been dlsslpated
and truth revealed in all her distictness,
will be competent to pronounce upon
this point. But, if great deeds, the re-
suits Of high mental and moral powers
of magnanimity and generosity toward
public and private enemies are charac-
teristics of greatness, then cannot the
need of this ennobling patent be with
held, in our own day, from either of
these men.
In the selection of subordinates to
carry out their plans, and in discrimina-
ton of character, the faculty without
which no man can become successful
leader in anything, both have shown
themselves equally happy. And of that
other faculty, directness of purpose,
equally essential to success, which keeps
the mind intent on the great object be-
fore it, and rejects all side issues, how
ever tempting, that might divert it from
this object, each has furnished striking
examples.