Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1866-04-25

named before him as having achieved great
name chuckled with satisfaction over the rec
objection that he had been under his ferule !
literally; so suppose there is something of
this spirit 10 pedagogues generally.
Now can truly say that, not having met
General Grant from the time he graduated, in
lS43, until ne visited the Academy, in June,
1864, and General Sherman only twice, at
long lutervals, from his graduation, in 1S4O,
until toe same time, l felt. when | saw them
In this last visit, tdat was in the presence of
two remarkable men. The feeling was not
simply that which DR.. johnson somewhere
describes az what every person lnstlnctlvely
feels who enters the presence oil an Admiral
or General who has encountered the perils of
battle nor that which causes me instructive
ly to uncover when | approach either of those
two uctogenarian nestors of old army,
Lleutenan. General Scott, or General Thayer
Alas how few are left,
Aar nantes in gurgite yasto
but what all mus. feel who see for the first
time, men who have done deeds that have
called forth the piaudlts OF nations, and have
won for themselves the respect and gratitude
OF their country.
OF the student-life OF each of these men dur
ing their last year at the Academy | have a
distinct recollection. Brought under my
p ;rvision frequently in daily rectations, and
working under my eye, my opportunities for
gaming an insight to their characteristics
were passably good. Professor Coppee de-
scrIOes Grant g middle man, phrase
new To ne. He was what We termed first
section man in all his scientific studies that
is, one who accomp plishes the full course. He
always showed himself clear thinker and a
ST, ady worker. He belonged to the class OF
compactly strong men who went at their task
tray.r al HFtI- A.1
being seen, like the sack-twisIed class, yawn
Ing, loliins ON their elbows over their work,
and looking ii just ready 10 sink down from
mental lnanIty.
Sherman was lhe reverse of this in manner.
Eiger, impetuous, restless, he always worked
with a will Being one OF those of whom By
ron says,
''Qu.ei - quick souls is HE'LL
III lie was 4 [ at work he was in for IN schet
Ii, while explaining something TO his class at
the blackboard, | heard any slight disturb
ance, denotlng some fun, was seldom wrong,
in turning round, IN holding up my finger to
MIR. Sherman. But one was more than re-
paid Tor any slight annoyance ot this kind, by
ms irsepressIble good nature, and by the clear
thought and energy he threw into his WORK
Tnat ne should accomplish something great,
| was prepared TO learn. But not SO IN Grant,
whose round, cheery, boyIsh 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 powerful
low pressure class, which condenses It's own
steam and consumes Its own smoke, and
" which pushes steadily forward ana drives all
obstacles before IT. Slerman's belongs To the
hiEn pressure class, winch lets of both with q
puff and = CT I'D, and dashes at It's work with
resistiess vlgOr, the result OF a sound boiler
ana plenty OF fuel.
The question often put to me whether
look upon Grant AMI sherman az great men.
To tins there Is Dut one reply. Posterlty
alone, when The cioujs, raised by passion
prejudice and partlsanshIp, shall have beer
dlsslpated, anu truth revealed IN all her dis
tinctness, wln oc competent to pronounce upon
tnia point. Bus, Ii great deeds, the results o
high mental and moral powers, of magnanIm
iJy and generosity towards pubic and private
enemies are character lstlcs ot greatness, tueI
cannot need of this ennobllng patent b'
withheld, IN our own day, from either Of thest
men.
In the selection oi sub0rdlnates to carry out
their plaus aud in dIscrlmIna non ot character
+ The faculty without winch no man can bee mt
successful leader IN any thing, both hav'
shown themselves equally happy. And OF tina
other faculty, directnees of purpose, equally
essential to success, which Keeps the mind IN
| tent on the great object before II, and REJECT
ali side ISSUES, however tempting, that mlgh
dI. ert It from this object, each mas furnished
| striking examples.
Their place 10 the classes OF Generals ma,
perhaps Oe settled more readily now for EheI
professional acts fully before the puoll
as they pJssiLly ever wall De. Grant viii tax
a Conspicuous place hstory-In that one e
! which W IliIam of Orange, Iurenne- treder
lex of Prussia, Washington, Massenna, W Ell
| ilngtOn and SCOT DeioD5. Sherman, II oelo"
not lar from thai galaxy, brilliant with tn
| sclntlllat,Uns OF genius, IN which Alexander
| Hann.5aI, Caesar and Napoleon are found.
Wherever placed, they Ylil 90 down to al
time ~ names dear 10 and honored BY tn
! Ameiic n heart, q connected with the lnteg
| rIty 0i the republic
There Is but one prayer that now, thel
old Instructor, wound form for them, an
that Is, that, having passed through 50 man
pe-is Of the battlefield, ana OF pestilentla
! climate, they may also get, scatheless, throug
| that truly American ordeal, the cunnlngly
| wrought mesh work OF unscrupulous pollt
cIans. As the opauIards say, lluien sa6e
Let as hope. that having borne themselvt
50 inodestiy and equabiy, under such proius
| showers OF public adulation, with the exam
Pies OF the vltuperatlon poured upon Scot
Lincoln and johnson immedia tely under thei
ington looming up i'll the past, they will ne
require the warning of Scripture against tt
temptings of ambition in the words addresse
to the Prophet. :. Is thy servant dog, tina
he should 30 this great thing
Ol all the incidents IN the lives OF these tw
illustrious men, nothing, perhaps, was mo-
characteristic of them, and none probably WI
be longer remembered by them with pleasur
than lheIr visit to their alma mater at W e
Point in June, 1865. More fortunate tha
mortals generally, the lines of Byron do no
in all, apply to them;
Green and unfading blooms that schooboy spot,
Which meier forget though we are there forgot
: Ia a room IN which the examination II
graduation, to which they had also been su
jected, was going on, the faculty before who
| they had passed their ordeal still sitting 10
i Young class of their comrades present, al
; | crowded with eager enthusiastic asseI
blage of ladies and many distinguished me
Grant first appeared, leaning on the arm
the superintendent, shrinkIn Z aud half ORA
ing ack az, with almost feminine tImidI
: depicted on his face, he was led forward,
be presented to his old professors. Sherma
, /, day or two alter. passed through the sal
ordeal. With equal modesty, but with IN
: selfassertion of manner that has become
/ habit with him. he greeted all around, and
, few moments war busy turning over t
specimens Of the cadets drawings that we
pl2ce0 side on a table, comparing the prese
with the past. Happy alma mater, in havi
such sons 10 present TO the republic MC
happy that the characteristics oil her hoe
thus far, are personal integrity and devotl
to the public Interests entrusted to them.
Very truly yours, ID. ID. MAHAN