The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-05-13


man Grants
The review we elsewhere print Of the sec
ond volume of Sherman's "Memoirs" will give
our readers an idea Of the exact value OF this
recent and remarkable contribution to the
history Of the war 1t is almost too soon for
US to think Of history in connection with our
tremendous strife The echoes Of the war
have hardly died away. All the passions stu
live. There are hundreds Of thousands North
and South to whom the war is still remem-
| brance Of woe and deep personal sorrow. IL
is too soon for us to estimate the exact stature
Of the men who conducted the war or the
statesmen who controlled lis policy. One
solemn figure stands out from the others,
with a fame already as mystical and enduring
as that Of Washington. But it may be
well asked, How stainless would the fame of
Lincoln be had he lived to attempt reconstruc-
ton, and had he not died with some OF the
glories Of martyrdom? Lincoln and Lee and
Stonewall Jackson-with, perhaps, John
Brown-are the figures that have attracted
the worlds widest sympathy and atten-
ton. General Grants position must be
decided by the next generation. Whether
he is a great or simply successful soldier,
whether he has the highest military
genius, whether his victories came from
strategy and knowledge Of war, or from mere
attrition, the larger force rubbing against the
smaller and in time grinding it into pow
der are questions We cannot answer now
General Grant has relation toward us Of too
immediate q character for us to weigh him
fairly. His friends overrate and his enemies
underrate his merit We shall have to wait a
generation before we can decide between the
estimate of enemies or friends
General Sherman is regarded as the greatest
soldier Of our war by foreign critics, or,
rather, he shares that honor with Lee. AT
home his reputation is steadily grow
ing. The country has been hayward in its
treatment Of him. At first he was suspected
Of disloyalty, because he did not take extreme
views Oh the slavery question. Then he was
regarded as a crazy man, because he insisted
upon an army to hold Kentucky Then the
country became rapturously in love vita him,
because Of the capture Of Atlanta and the
march to the sea- Then came another frenzy
Of anger and suspicion and intimations that
be might sell out to jefferson Davis, because
he made truce with Joseph Z. Johnston
with Mr.. Lincoln When the war ended we
came to look upon Sherman as an interesting,
slightly eccentric, brilliant man, who wrote
well and made good speeches, with execu-
tive qualities, and who during the war,
was the brilliant exponent of the sounder
views of the wise and silent Grant. Some in
terest has been attracted to his opinions and
character by the belief that he has become
soured with Washington, the Cabinet and
General Grant There has been an idea that
perhaps ne would be an available candidate
Tor the Presidency on the conservative ticket.
lie has had difficulties with the War Depart
ment, the Secretary Of which was one OF his
colonies in tie Atlanta campaign. Ills retire
ment to St. Louis is understood 70 have been
d desire to withdraw from the malarial social
and political influences Of Washington. All
this time his fame has been growing lie has
not been made responsible for the misior-
tunes and errors Of the administration. he
hos none q the burdens Of politics. Party
acrimony has spared him. In the meantime
the public opinion Of foreign nations has been
throwing new lustre upon his name. With
all Of our independence Of thought we arc
keenly alive to the judgment Of other nations.
Since the war foreign critics have been steadily
advancing HIM to the first place in the roll Of
generals. His Atlanta campaign and his
march to the sea are regarded as among
tile finest conceptions IN modern military his
tory.
The question has often been asked, How
tar does the merit Of these movements belong
to General Sherman? Was the march to the
sea his own conception or that Of Gnntl
The opinion has been steadily iostered that
General Grant conceived the daring plan Of
swinging loose from Atlanta and marching to
the seacoast; that be gave his ideas 70 Cen
eral Sherman at Cincinnati, and that Sherman
in time elaborated tnem into the brilliant
result which followed. Ia the aduIation with
which We are apt 70 surround success this
opinion has taken root, and the friends Of
Grant have sturiily contended that there was
no ground for the extreme praise besto we'd ~
foreigners upon Sherman that the true
honor, after al, belonged 70 the silent
Ulysses II is undoubtedly this opinion that
Las lea General sherman To print during bis
own life his memoirs Of the war. In doing
70 he follows illusrious examples. Csrsar's
Commentaries On his wars arc o military
classic. Frederick the Great wrote about his
campaigns. Napoleon dictated to Las Casas
aud Moniholon the military and political
history of his lilo. General Scott reduced his
exp rIences into book, which has long since
been forgotten. There have been d multi
tude Of books on our war, controversial, mar
rativc, historical for We are 4 writing and a
reading people. But General sherman IS the
only one q The great generals 81 our war VINO