The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-05-24
SHERMAN'S MEMOIRS.
A Letter from Montgom-
cry Blair.
HE DEFENDS HIS BROTHER, THE GENERAL.
The First Shot in Reply to
Sherman.


was expected, the demand was very great. The
full review published in the HERALD seemed to ex-
cite the curiosity OF the large number OF army and
naval officers resident in Washington, as well as
the host OF friends of General Sherman In private
life. on1cals do not care to speak plainly until
they have carefully read the two volumes, now
the subject OF comment throughout the length and
breadth or the land. Detached parts, they say,
are not enough to warrant unqualified con-
domination or what the General mas printed,
but from the Secretary of War down to the
lower grade or the army there Is but one opinion,
and that Is that General Sherman has avaIled him
self OF the privilege OF publishing his censures ana
structures to crafty himself and make others mser
able General Heintzelman said in speaking OF
the book, that he had nothing particularly harsh
TO say about It, He did not deny he did some hard
swearing at the Bull Run battle but the state
ment did not hurt his feelings. He was rather
glad, in fact praised General Sherman for publish
ing his Memoirs at this early day. he thought 1t
would stimulate investigation, revive the memory
ofimportant historical data. and enable the next
historian to do better work for future generations
to ponder.
Yet in the preparation or this book, which has
occupied General Sherman many, many months,
your correspondent was informed that the Gen.
eral had extraordinary facilities. In the first
place. his headquarters were In the midst OF the
War Department. archives, which have been care
fully arranged TO enable the custodian TO md
IN few minutes the least OF the thousands and
tens or thousands OF orders filed away In the
building Then sherman was surrounded by
members or his stan, and from time to time all OF
them were engaged In compiling and collating
material Tor the Generals supervision, VINO, with
untiring industry, did the finishing strokes.
General Logan, who was here for a few days,
antd he NJ MIR ha had
read the book dispassionately. and then he didn't
know what he would say or write. There is one,
however who is too i'll anu feeble, TO reply, and
the opinion Il generally expressed among army
on1cers that II General Frank p. Blair was not an
invalid his treatment by General Sherman woul
have been far different. His brother Montgomery
Blair, however, has come to the defence or the
General. called upon him yesterday to hear what
he might say IN regard TO his brothers. treatment
and was informed that he had been requested
TO write q magazine article and speak his
mind plainly. IL Is not generally known that
Montgomery Blair Is a graduate OF Vest Point,
and served with distinction In number OF en-
ga2ements during the Indian wars, while Frank
never had military education. Mr.. Blair, too,
has known General Sherman for forty years, and
he was married in Mr.. Blar's house, opposite the
war Department. the defence, then, which he
takes occasion to make in courteously thanking
the magazine publisher for his request, may be
regarded as the beginning OF the hostile IRE which
General Sherman will come under for his course.
The letter Is as iolows:-
WILLIAM II. BROWNE, Esq. Editor OF the Southern
Magazine, Baltimore, Md. s.
DEAR SIR thank you for your kind o1er or
yesterday 70 publish any reply I may desire TO
make to Sherman's reflections on my brother in
your magazine. But | cannot now command the
anita R.ia Ia tor
magazine, nor do / think II necessary The people
OF this country viii weigh what General Sherman
says only at It's worth, ana properly estimate him
and my brother. All VINO know sherman know that
he Is OF an envious nature, and his book would be
unlike anything else he had done II it
did not reveal this. / recollect no gener-
Gus eulogy by him OF any comrade,
and the extracts published In the HERALD
from his book are thoroughly Shermanic. the
purpose with which be gives Halleck the credit OF
the Tennessee campaign does not make Il neces-
sary 20 qualify this criticism for that thrust
at Grant, to whom Sherman owes everything, and
whom HallecK superseded In the act OF following
mp mis- blow &C Donelson by the capture or Nash
vile, and so rendered mis- victory fruitless.
Whatever may have been the opinion OF my
brothers. military capacity, sherman, under whom
he served, aud whom he succeeded In the COM
mand OF the Fifteenth army corps, IL the first 20
impute 20 him q selfish purpose In joining the
army. Being the recognized leader OF
the military organization which projected
the st. Louis arsenal from seizure BY the state
authorities during the winter OF 1860 and 1861 ana
the man who took all the responsibility and shared
in all the danger OF the capture OF Camp Jackson,
which was the first blow struck for the
Union, ne was offered by Mr.. Lincoln, on GEN.
eral scott's recommendation, the first briga-
peremptoriy, and insisted that IL should be
given 70 Captain Lyon, the regular oflcsr whose
aid he had succeeded Ia obtaining to command
the troops on that occasion. after applying to
Sherman and failing to obtain his services, who
declined on the ground that he had no confidence
In volunteer troops, principle 10 which he
steadily adhered, taking good care never TO volun-
teer any service TO the government or lift finger
for IL TIL commissioned as a colonel in the regular
army.
Nor did my brother ever seek military pro-
motion. Il was only In response TO the urgent
and personal appeal OF Mr. stanton. after the
second Bull Run battle, when great discourage
ment was felt, and recruiting had come 10
stand stiI and II was necessary for the Govern
ment to avail itself OF the popularity OF some or
the public men in Congress- that ne and
other republican leaders left their seats to recruit
in their districts lie succeeded in recruiting
seven regiments within very short time, ana it
was with brigade from part Of this force that In
1862, he stormed the works at Chlckasaw Bluffs
which protected vIcksburg, and which he failed
TO hold only because Sherman failed to support
him.
/ recall TWO other signal occasions when the
force under my brothers. command Jailed TO
secure the fruits or well fought fields, by reason
OF sherman's timldity. One was az Chattan ooga.
Having crossed the river and beaten the
enemy In 'front.' OF them, the Fifteenth
corps was in position to lntercept BraRg's
army in full retreat before Grant. but sherman or
dered the corps 70 be Withdrawn and let Bragg
escape. Again, at Bentonvile wnere, while John
ston was attempting and failed to crush slocum,
my brothers. corps By rapid marching IN the al
rection OF the firing, was enabled TO get into his
rear, so as 10 nave erectualy cut or his
retreat, the division commanded BY Mower
being actually in the camp which Johnston had
Ien 10 attack glocum. he was Obliged bv gher.