New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-06-14
Communicated
Major General Daniel Uilmann.

l
Major General Daniel Uilmann.
EDITOR REPUBLICANS:
Travelling lately IN the North, as is ny
won't, have inquired from time to time, as
l met former comrades Of war days, of the
| whereabouts and doings of members Of
Ullmann's famous brigade, with which 1
am proud to have been associated, and
especially of the Major General himself,
and thinking and believing that some Incl
| dents which have learned Of the Generals
life, since he left Louisiana, will be agreea-
| ole reading to those of his brigade and
! division, officers and men, residing thsre, l
propose to occupy pleasantly. to myself,
some leisure moments l now have, in this
regard. As l feel very sure they have
| interested ne, so do think they will interest
others who were of that branch of the
Army Of the Gulf, The Corps d Afrique.'
| After the war had closed, the General
went abroad, and travelled through Eng
land, France, Switzerland, Italy, and North
AID South Germany. Lingering, during
many seasons, amidst those scenes Of CONT
| mental Europe which are so full Of classical
| and historical associations, he finally re-
| turned, a few years since, to the United
| States, and established his residence not
far from the city of New York, on the banks
of the Hudson. He lives there now, on the
shores of that most picturesque of rivers,
surrounded by some Of the most charming
scenery of America and Withdrawn from
all the giddy eddies OF public life With a
Keen relish to- the simple eDjoyments of the
country, he is content to pass, in the seclu-
sion OF his pleasant home. a life of quiet
and digniied retirement. He finds his oc.
cupation CHIEFLY in his books, and thus graf
flying his lifelong taste. He devotes him
self to his favorite studies-Comparative
philology, comparative history and political
philosophy.
1t must not be supposed, however, that
ne is either an inattentive or uninterested
observer of current events. The quantity
of American and European publica .ions of
all kinds, literary, scientific and historical,
which pours in upon him is something mar
velous, and the extent and variety of his
correspondence is such that, if he keeps
pace with it, the General must be busy
man indeed. He notices with care the
course of public affairs, both in Europe and
America. In fact, few men keep themselves
more closely abreast with the great move
ments which control society, as will be
rea lily recognized by those who have read
his celebrated Grafton on ''The Course of
Empire" pronounced some fifteen years
ago IN the Academy OF Music, New York.
The sensation produced at the time by that
philosophical discourse was great. 1t fore
told with the precision Of prophecy the
catastrophe of the Austrian empire, and is
now, in itself, a key to the Interpretation of
the great changes which have occurred in
Europe during the period which has since
elapsed. Being thus thoroughly informed
on the leading questions which are agitating
mankind, the General is accustomed to di
late with much animation OF the present,
and on the probable future, to those who
have an opportunity Of listening to dis con-
versatiOu.
1t is, we think, to be much regretted that
in these times, SO fruitful Of stirring events,
and which, are, indeed, only the transition
period to great upheavals in society, he
should have, with all his varied knowledge
and experience. and while in the full vigor
OF life, withdrawn himself so much, almost
entirely, from mingling personally in pub.
lie affairs. How fortunate it would have
been tor Louisiana if, after the war, few
such as he had selected it for a residence.
He often speaks of his old brigade, its
officers and men; their thorough discipline
and general good conduct as soldiers In
truth there is 10 other incident of his life
in which the General takes more pride
than the fact that it was he who first
persuaded President Lincoln to direct the
organization Of colored troops, and that he
gave to him the first order ever authCrita-
lively issued by this government to enlist
colOred men as soldiers in the army Of the
United States. He sometimes shows to his
friends this order. which is signed by Sec
rotary Stanton, and bears date January ID,
1868. He dwells with evident satisfaction
upon the circumstances connected with it:
and well he may, for while other men
talked and hesitated he acted, and to sus-
tain his opinions, freely put his life and
reputation in extreme peril, and has there
by inseparably linked his name with the
history of his native land in manner that
will cause it to grow brighter as the ages
advance. The General has not yet had ac-
corded to him an adequate recognition OF
his great service. But it will come. The
Importance of this order can scarcely :be
overestimated. 1t was one of the pivots on
which the war turned. The weakest point
OF the Confederacy was now exposed and
attacked, at least the contest assumed its
real characteristic character which the in
evitable logic Of historical events had
stamped upon ia war for the extinction
of slavery. The initiation Of this policy by |
General Ullmann under the direction OF
President Lincoln and Secretary Stanton
was the complement to the proclamation OF |
practical supplement, |
without which it would have been a mere |
brattena ft4En,en. 1t struck mortal blow at |
the Confederacy from which it never recov-
cred. Its wide spread results have not |
been fully understood or estimated.
Such has been the thorough change, in
deed revolution in public sentiment on this |
question, bothiat the South as well as at the |