The New York herald., 1875-08-26
OUR CIVIL WAR
A French Officers Opinion of
American Strategy.
The Comte de Paris and
His Campaigns.
INTERESTING SUMMARY OF EVENTS,

shNSioh1u. ioAhca LII ct ". niSnS' ~S'S
frores 1875.
These bulky octave volumes OF about 700 pages each
are continuation OF the perspcuous and admirable his
lory OF civil war; Of which tho nrst insalmcnt OF
two volumes published last year and received win
tokens Of esteem and appreciation b. European crtcS
As each pair of volumes carries the history forward
about year. and the last two years OF tho war were
less full OF than the hrst two, the completed
work Is likely 70 consist Of eight volumes II Is
the NEST ambitious and elaborate and promises
70 no the most complete and instructive narrative tho
events OF those four momentous years that has been
yet attempted on eithor side OF tho Atlantic IL
great deal than lucid recital OF tho military op
sraons of tho period II explores their Causes
their consequences places them in correlation, to
reject light upon one another disposes them in n
nocted picture with due gh. and shadc and puts them
In frame cadrc which them forth in their full
Significance The first volume particularly rich In
comprehensive surveys intended render tho history
lntelligble, such, for example, the detailed account
n the organization Of the American army, exhibiting
lhe nature Of tho instruments with which tho military
results were accomplished; tho careful typographical
descriptions, which show under what very different
conditions is conducted in Europe and in country
VI vast distances and immense OF Forest the
our political institutions the bearing OF slavery this
contest and various other topics which handled
with tho breadth Of statesman, tho detailed accuracy
Of satiscian and the insight of philosopher. These
preliminary discussions, which gave favorable i'm
preston OF the scope force and cearness OF the
thors intellect give place. in the subsequent volumes,
TO narrations OF tho actual operations OF the in
style OF transparent clcarness and singular elegance
which show with how much profit the Comtc do Paris
has studied the beautiful models OF historical writing OF
which his nation has furnished many within the last
half century This work is likely to be the from
which a majority of intelligent Europeans will draw
their knowledge of our civil for long period to
come
Whether this interesting and voluminous history will
permanently hold its place standard authority may,
perhaps admit of doubt It is probably too carly for
comprehensive and classical history of civil
which will stand the tests TO which the pubca
ton of original memoirs like those of General Sherman
and the private correspondence of actors will expose it,
The Come de Paris has, indeed, advantages which no
other contemporary writer is likely to possess for OBJ
tanning full and accurate materials His ilustrious rank
the chvalry with which he initiated the example of
Lafayette and the pleasing impression he made upon all
who met him while he in this country unlock for
him the memories of all the distinguished actors to
whom he might apply doubtful points for
no American would refuse him the courtesy of
such assistance But his modesy and his
confidence in published materials may have prevented
him from making much of this resource There
is another important source of information which is
accessible to the Comte de Paris and will not
be to anybody in this generation. Our civil
watched with deep interest by foreign governments
and its result often trembed in the balance of their
Intentions. Their diplomatic agents constantly
supplying them with secret information gathered in
confidential Conversations and the intercourse and
sutations Of those governments with another on
the question of intervention must be also of consider
able historical value The OF secret Information
buried in the archives of foreign governments will be
jcalousy guarded for long period because tends
compromise the actors and revive old animosities We
therefore conclude that all the histories of our civil
war written during this generation will be finally sup
planted, and that a permanent place in literature
will be held only by the personal memoirs
OF actors and eyo-witnesscs, like General John
ston's Narratve OF Military Operations" published
last year. and General Sherman's recent interesting
volumes But the work Of the Comte do Paris has a
combination of merits which will to outast all
The experienced historians that have preceded it, and
make the general history Of tho civil that
likely TO appear in our time.
II would be interesting to test the accuracy OF the
Comte dc Paris narrative on minor points by tracing
rorrespondcnccs discrepancies between it and that
Of General Sherman where they relate to tho
events If we had larger materials of comparison than
arc afforded in these volumes. But the fourth volume
,f the Comte do Paris ends with the events OF 1862
md up to that time General Shermans opportunities of
personal knowledge werc quito limited Up to that
period the conformity tocraby close which might be
accounted for by supposng the Comte de Paris
peruscd General Sherman's memoirs IL there were not
n few marked discrepancies which not easily recon
ccd with the suppostion. 1t certain however that
these two volumes were announced ready for pub
caton about the time that the 'Memoirs' appeared
and that there has been unexplained delay of six
seven weeks This might be explained by supposng
the author OF the history to have kept back the
volumes to whether he needed to revise them in tho
light of General Sherman's recolcctions. II this is
the there are some points upon which he continues
TO rely his first information although it is con-
tradctcd by General Sherman. The differences relate
mainly to General Shermans unsuccessful assault on
Vicksburg at the close of the year 1862 We will
translate passage of the history, which has peculiar
Interest expressing the opinion of the author that
General Sherman the abest OF great soldiers and
aiterward point tho contradictions between il and
the "Memoirs:"-
Tho check OF Sherman had TOO serious for him to
hazard new assauiI The nature Of the ground pre-
cluded the concentration Of forces necessary To give
such attempt chances OF success the tedcras had
learned, at th:r expense that the cncmys works
stronger, better armoI and defended by troops
than they had believed IL necessary profit by
this experiment. which Sherman comprchendcd and
MS be learned Blairs failure he couneranded
every other movement for that day. On tho morrow
December 20 after night in which the fell in tor
rents the situation OF his army was still lie had
been able 10 measure his losses which amounted to 115
killed $50 wounded and 7I3 qrsoncrA No message
had been received from Grant, but alarming
rnmors respecting him current The news Of tho
CAPTURE of Holly Springs hal reached vcksburg, and
the few inhabitants Of tho country with whom the
fe-icras found themselves contact took pleasure In
giving them the reports with all the exagscraticbs
usual in These ramcrs were Ia The cycs OF
sherman additional reason for not abandoning his
POST long IT presented the Aghtcst chance o
rcss; indeHS tho difficult tho situation OF Grant
the &c felt tho importance OF eStrcatng him by
drawing upon himself all the hostile forces He accord
Ingy remained in his position during tho whole day or
thc 3lst inenacing Pembcrton IN appearance with y
attack aud preparing movement to turn tho
obstacles which bo could not surinount in front
Omuting tho details OF thcce preparations wc pass
on 70 the general comments Shcrman's failure at
Vicsburg in which criticisa is almost lost in the cfu
gcncc Of culogy founded on shcrmans subsequent ca
rccr:-