The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-06-23
plIIEOADING IN EARNEST.
,ur uORK DONE ~ SuPPOhf or THE
tEHIgs DEKfNG IfE var.

s,l mild fngiucerius chat th"'"ctc',cd
At, l. tba,s 81 the Department OF uiiitnry
unitrnnds. aud Contributed very Large
ia 10 the success Of the tnion Armies.
Tn uG IplrOR or THE Sun Sir. We
hawaii l.omc familiar with the saying. that
M. stony of our civil war has not yet pcrn
rr,.n Two presumption Is that VIZ shall
t.,, f1 content ours Ives with a record moro
r.. '-- imperfect and unsatisfactory. until the
.n.rluon which witnessed and took part in
r.f.rHtt stru .gle shall have passed. away. At
te.am, time Il must b. admitted that we have
am, n>celcnt books ON the subject Othis-
nfy rhcrc are not fev. and some Of them
Am tl.ss will hold high place in our national
lt...turs. Biographies AMI memoirs also are
,,.,.r.us. AMI 10 is Impossible 10 estimate too
h.i,y. u.e va,ur and Importance OF some Of
n.a.rontr,hution4 to the general history OF the
period
Y5u will permit me. however, 10 say that ono
,ft., UrrHttmcni- connected with tho Union
,.a, during the hate war has as yet received but
,.,f attention. and even less Justice. NJ tho
b,nasoi those who have written ON the sub
,.t rrf.r to the Department Of Military
p,lrond.. of which, during tho greater part 81
ue wu. hui the honor 10 be Director and
G.n.rl VI lnagor. For reasons which could
oss,iy O., Livcu. were II necessary there Is a
,r.i .lr,l too much OF West Point in all the his
nfa4 ~ tl' war. and in all tho biographies.
i-..u-clplias. and memoirs hitherto pub
r.ncd o., 'aiiu.l to thr struggle. For this not all
r.sr.,.r- are To- Bee held responsible. Most Of
n. histories are written by non military men
,nIby men who. in this particular. at lenst. had
n, motive 10 conceal or msroprcsrnt facts.
Their pages roa' the character Of the do.u-
o.,u,. I'm which they found their material and
from which they drnw their inspiration; and
teuNill agree with me-. think that these docu-
ment- ace iof The most part deeply tingcd with
what should call West Pointism.
with what emphasis and determination the
exclusive spirit of West Point impressed itself
durin; the war IL well known. In the reports
and other documents which since the war have
emanaicl from sources under the influence Of
West Point the same spirit is manifest, and it
IL evident that neither time nor experience has
lowered the pretcnsions of an arrogant. and
Sould.bc superior. and privileged class.
Tomany 1t will seem incredible that depart
nent that during IL comparatively brief eNis-
tenec. expended a sum Of money scarcely un-
dersl3 100000. should hardly. up To the present
time have been noticed by any OF the writer's
VINO have undertaken to give US a record Of the
period OF It's existence. you find not the
slightest evidence in Diapers History 81 the
Civil War II is not mentioned by Swinton in
his Campaigns 81 NJ Army ~ the Potomac
II is once but very indirect manner. al I'd
ell 90 by Losing. and in the self-hudaiory
memoirs 81 Gen. sherman, to whom in his
great campaign IL rendered essential service,
there was DEPARTMENT Of Military Railroads
with an organization VI liz own, and under the
control OF a separate and independent head.
A. said before. these writer's are not equally
blamahe. II IL not wonderful. however. that
such general and persistent neglect should
have proved in the last degree Irritating and
xgNN U belonged
mont and who naturally feel proud ~ the prrt-
Which they played IN the great slruggls. l, y,
perhaps a. little TO he wondered NJ that should
have been repeatedly and urgently importuned
by my old associates and subordinates 70 take
up the neglected cause ana set its claims hc'or"
The world. II have been dilHory IN yle,dins
io this importantly. II has ban because | fat
convinced that ultimately the truth would oe set
forth. In this have not been wholly disap-
pointed. In what believe TO be the latest work
on The gen;ral subject namely, The Battles OF
lrst really honest attenpt YET made To 10 JUS
tee 10 th" much neglected department. Al the
close of one NJ his chapters. Nr. wilson, IN u
concise but comprehensive note, fully and fair
ly recognizes the position. impurtanr", and i-e-
fulnass Of the Department oi Military RAM
il is no disparagement Mr. Wilson says.
either Ia the rank AMI nle, or To their great
H. superior power brought 20 bear upon ~"
South through tho use Of thu railroads. tn
hntl result Of the struggle, II i should npt nave
proved to be- very a fferent might at least have
been long deferred"
Tic ,ruthumcss Of this remark mult be mp
parent To an, ana 'oines nom, WIN " lNluti
ior.o To- every man who shared tne risks ana
ehlutnH tl' harl-hlps ul Wllutry ttl Tlhlli
Al me sumo ,m. y se'I,s thal ~ iu,,c, a,'
That the time h2e come when should foni'r , >, D.
~ NY in.l !" 'hs ils,O l'n' " w. 49, w
he my guy MOI ~ huln on ny, wi .
on account OF tie bfAFH una SCI -Ht'i lil'li =
mn Wl1 We're hSso ldt"l WIN ne. ~ ptr4.h 70
brief statement OF facts regarding mo crort-
nut forth aud the work accom- i-ne'l hy the
irrt.I -..t.. military railroads tluring the
si.n ,. t..irs g. 49,, ,ht,,,gh rho oil
UfN war ISL 1" . W - vi t'-' - \ =.
Known IONt oi itlr play. your fearless tliNiil,
tn~N.p - the right. your dftostatiOn OF irhu'l
ana laIso prafnnsa and vour Wholesome lruuu-
' '' , I'M, 40 t.,,.v,.r f,tind ancnurnt.o
'"'n W WV 80 = w. 's',r + tb'4 Il. va, wi
NJ 3d. N'i' 'htt We 4"N'l N'l"' ~" S"' "'''
u'n ,,,il tho carly nort ~ 1sGo that tn.
r,nr,,i q, 49, tu,r,,.j Ga snt, a~e.unt I'm the eln-
anet ' w.. ,v,,r H.. ne""ssitv "a nm adjunct L.
Ne army in the prosecuting y hosnlities must
Nam ,o,t H., ,o,,rt IL No, All. and il may he
hken fr fr,nt..'i tn,i irr,s i've Of any man
crsai NJ mn ,he rsiirnai sooner or lntorwoull
have nn.n hrouyl,, in,r renuisition rs a war
.nsor sni , 49,, IN. ratlroni although an
uniricd ,.xr.rlmant on this continent, was not
Gnoy4tv In "a .,tiai wnrfnre The railroad had
La4n rirn.1 .. ,on6 n count by tho French M
heir sie,..- III camnai,sns against tho Aus
lrlat- nm is5g and 10 IN is not the less true
however thnt tho actual establishment Of Ia is
Gran,b ~ tI' service i 10 he credited h. the act
IVA Lr,tr az d. n,, ian III Secretary of