The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-05-29
SHERMAN And THE War.
What General Thomas Did
in the West.
THE OLD FOURTEENTH ARMY CORPS
A Chapter from the History Of the
Rebellion.

TO THE EDITOR or THE HERALD;-
That General sherman nas made some serious
mistakes in his "Memoirsn Is unquestionaole, ana
even his most enthusiastic friends must regret
tnat ne has written he has Of Logan, Blair.
HOOKER Thomas aud others. That he could have
vindicated what he claims 70 be the truth Of the
history or his own times without casting renec-
lions on his comrades in arms no one can deny,
especially when, as IN tile case Of two OF them. ne
presunes TO SIT in Judgment on the reasons that
controlled them during the war. VITA that Cen
eTal she gman, as an historian, mas nothing What-
ever TO do, and the severe manner ia when MT.
MONTGOMERY Blair counters on him in that re-
Bpect is nc least pardonable. None OF the or1cers
upon whom he reflects ever ialed signally in
military capacity while under his command, and
nothing that General Sherman can say WILL con.
vince his old soldiers that "Black Jack Logan"
was influenced more oy personal glory than pat
riotism, tnat Booker went 10 the rear from At
lanta for personal reasons ana that his lighting
capacities were exaggerated, or that General
Thomas was 20 slow and cautious that ne con.
stanly required the spur or the more active mind
OF General sherman.
Mr.. Blair however falls into q serious blunder
when ne charges General sherman with 'constt
tutional timidity,u and it Will require good deal
more proof than he adduces 20 convince the coun-
try That General Sherman Is so selfish and greedy
for monopoly Of credit mat ne deliberately ana
for purpose ignored the services OF worIhy
onIcers With All his faults General sherman IS
brave honest m n ana soldler who has con.
ferred distinction on the American name: and as
he had much 70 lose and nothing 70 gain BY the
publication OF his 'Memors,n all limitations or
suggestions that he had some Interior object In
view are entirely gratuitous and unjust.
NY special OBJECT, however, writing Is 70 call al
tentlon to some tniags wnlcn the "Memorsn have
TO say in regard to General Thomas and tue Four
teentn Army corps-a corps originally commanded
ana fashioned by MIN and 10 which had the honor
TO belong At the time General Sherman joined US
ut Chattanooga it was potarlously a fact that be
became deeply impressed with the superiority or
his own command, when ne had so long and
brilliantly directed. Neither can he be greatly
blamed for feeling so az the time, for more gal
liant body OF men never marched TO action and
their great were always cneerfully recog-
nlzed by their comrades Of the Army OF the Cum
perland. Recognizing hat tact and recognizing
also the propriety Of standing oy his own especial
command the men Of me Army OF the Cumberland
made due allowance for his appropriation Of the
lions snare Of the at the battle OF Mission
airy Ridge and pardoned the reflections on Gen.
eral Thomas, then Tor the urst time accused OF
slowness and q failure to attack on time. sher.
mans nght on our lett was a grand one, but II was
grandly supplemented by the attack OF Thomas
when, IN the afternoon, ne moved straight on
the centre, carrying the ridge and capturing
nearly all the field artillery OF the enemy. As the
whole battle was fought under the personal
SUBDIVISION u General Grant the delay the part
Of Tuomas 70 attack, il II occurred at al, is charge
able 10 General Grant himseli. When, however,
Genera! Sherman assumed command 81 the COM
bined armies Of West ne should have risen
70 the full height OF the OCCASION and preference
shown a prejudice formed wniie corps COM
manner was entirely OF place IN the COM
mander ora great army. DO no. wish IL 10 be
Understood that General Sherman In his Atlanta
campaign spared his former command or that he
had formed an unconquerable prejudice TO the
command OF Thomas, bot the truth Is, and his
memoirs" sustain the assertion that he was
never fully able 70 divest himself OF the
opinion formed at Chattanooga we md
hun aterward saying that the Fourteenth corps
partook largely or the character Of General
Thomas, that 1T was slow and sure, = admirable
on the defensive but SLOW move act on the
offensive" IL is a very equlyocal compliment at
best, for watch the Fourteenth corps is not at
all grateful, and it Is not sustained by the facts
During the Atlanta campaign the Fourteenth
Twentieth and Fourth corps formed the Army or
the Cumberland, and, generally, was the centre
or the army. The Fourteenth corps was COM
manded by General JOIN NJ. Palmer, afterward
Governor OF the State OF Illinois. II 10 true that
ne had not the olstlng uisBed honor Of being
gracua-e or West Point, misfortune tnat was
common 10 the volunteer oiicers; out be was
nevertheless, an educated gentleman and a gal
liant, earnest, painstaking soldier. IL u also
true that ne had fought his way up to
tue command OF the corps under many difficulties,
and as ne was not q professional soldier,n ne
was, Suppose, open 70 the same Suspicion that
attached 10 Logan Blair and tue rest OF the volun
teer orncsrs, VIZ, that he was 10 the service for
personal glorincation with an eye to future po-
nucal preferment. however that may be, ne
commanded the corps creditaDy all the way down
10 Atlanta; and, while personally 1 think it was
q mistake for General Palmer 10 raise the ques-
ton Of rank with General Schoaeld under the
circumstances, ne lett u without having lost our
onndence or respect and was succeeded by Gen.
eral yen 9. Davis General sherman, in writing
or the difficulty between General Palmer and Cen
eral Scnoheld, says that the former was not zen.
terpusIngn and that the Fourteenth corps "haa
sustained fewer knocks than any otner In the
army, and that ne was anxious 70 give It
cnance" Just what may be meant in . military
sense by the word ''enterprisng,n when
used by so active ana nervous q quantity as GEN
eral Sherman, / cannot say; out General Sher-
mans own figures dsprove his assertion that the
Fourteenth CORPS ''nad received fewer Knocks
than the others. or that it was deficient in enter
Prise. IL had saficlenl enterprise TO assault at
Resaca (made necessary oY the lailure 81 McPher-
son ar snake creek Gap) aud Its INABILITY 70 "act
on the orenslver cost 1t very dearly in officers
and men, VINO dashed themselves IN vain against
the strong WORKS; and, VIVA. i little singular,
tue Memoirs never menaon the Fourteenth
corps in cOnnec ion with Resaca aud ignore the act
mat portion OF II assaulted aud was BADLY re-
pulsed. IL was active enough 70 follow closely on
the heels or the man column Of retreat, forcing
II q turn and defend itself every foot OF
the way 10 Kenesaw Mountain; and when We
reached that formi able position tnis corps,
shat could not 'act on tho offensive" furnished
one Of the two origades wnicn, under the lamented
CnarIes HarKer and Dan McC0oE, made the prin-
cipal attack on the centre Of the fortified lne-one
Of the most desperate, hopeless useless and
bloody assaults Of the war. Even the rIRhtui
II. a n