The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-08-18
Personal Recollections Of
the War.
AFLOAT AND ASHORE.
Sparkling Champagne-Its Inven-
tors and Consumers.
POETRY. NOVELS AND CHIT-CHAT.
LEAVES FROM A LAWYERS LIFE.

II
"Lcaves From Lawyers Life Aaaat and Ashore"
is the title of unassuming little volume by
Charles Cowley, of Lowell, Mass. who served on Ad.
miral Dahlgren's staff during that late war. Mr..
Cowboys book is made up from notes taken at the
time, and tho record OF an eyewitness has pc
culiar value in the literature of tho civil The
hope INDUCED in by the writer is that his book may
"secure to tho old South Atlantic Blockading Squad
ron its proper place in the history OF the war;" and
we think that his hope will find realization. AL
though a Northern man and writing from North
ern mans standpoint, he does not abuse his enc
mics but ON the contrary treats them with all fair
ness. Mr.. Cowley seems to think that the navy has
been sighted by all historians Of the except the
Count de Paris. In speaking Of the capture
of the rebel schooner Savannah, the first
of tho South Atlantic prizes. he mentions
federal authorities threatened to treat the
officers and plrates though he doubts
whether "the sunny hearted Lincoln or his astute
Secretary of State seriously contemplated the
execution of tho threat. Later he writes, II
in Boston when Mason and Slidell brought to
Fort Warren prisoners of war; when the great
banquet was given to Captain Wilkes: when Gov
crnor Andrew stopped ovcr,' he had done before
when he kissed the gun in the Senate Chamber. and
when even tho learned Chief Justice Bgelow the
first last and only time in his soled the
ermne by using it I'D captandam vulgIs with opinions
which his sober second thought disahrmed.' 1t is
needless to say after this that Mr. Cowley was not
one Of those who applauded Wilkes. In writing Of
the descent on Morris Island he says 1.-THE histo-
rians of tho war trace. less accurately.
the progress of the descent Morris
Island. henceforth famous in history; but none Of
them have caught sight of the striking and pic
turesque figure OF the youthful General Strong
springing upon the lower forts with the agility of
troops Come on brigade!' In jumping i'm
patiently from the launch into the surf beating
upon the beach his high topped cavalry boots were
filled with water and his clothes wet through. There
upon he threw off his coat and hat and sat down
upon the bank while his faithful negro boy made
bootjack of himself and removed the membranes.
Time then too precious. to waste on hose, SO
General Strong led the charge of July 10 in his
stockings. getting his feet repeatedly cut by oyster
shells at different points along the beach, Painters
of historical pictures make central figure Of the
General leading charge gayly dressed waving his
sword aloft from tho back of prancing steed, but
how much oftener the truth is like that
General Strong's case. The history of the attack
Fort Wagner, says Mr.. Cowley, has not yet been
written by anybody with satisfactory fulness and
accuracy. Such OF the facts have been preserved
he says "have been embroidered with curious and
absurd Actions. Mr.. Greeley. for example. say that
after advancing few hundred yards. under a ran
dom fire from two or three great guns. the Fifty
fourth halted for half an hour during which it was
addressed by General Strong and its Colonel!"
The fact is, according to Mr. Cowey. that the Fifty
fourth did not arrive until tho brigades had been
formed for this assault. The only address" given
at this time was Forward, the Fifty-fourth Tho
best account of this assault was. says this writer.
that of "Personne'' in the Charleston Courier.
Next to Admiral Dahlsren in Mr.. Cowley's regard
comes General W. L. Sherman. who spent night Of
planning for the capture Of Savannah on the Admit
rails ship the Harvest Moon. Says this historian -:
The General and the Admiral at once became per-
sonal friends and faithful and indefatigable coadju
tors and continued to the ond The seventies of
the service and the loss OF his had told heavily
upon the Admiral. but from the day when he caught
the light of Sherman's bright eyes he stepped
board the flagship in Wassaw Sound he seemed to
The affection which the Admiral bore toward
General sherman was warmly reciprocated No
doubt. no suspicion, ever started on either side;
their hearts guileless they were brave,
and they were incapable OF envy or jealousy. Most
tit it that. hve years later. when the Admiral
died suddenly upon his lounge in Washington the
frst that viewed his feless form outside OF his
family was the illustrious General sherman, whom
he met on that memorable day in Wassaw Sound.
Mr.. Cowley testifics to General Sherman's amabil-
ity of disposition. and says that the only time he
ever saw him show anger was "when he received
the news of the manner in which Butler crawfshed
of las Sherman expressed it, after landing ut Fort
Fisher" Mr.. Cowley pays glowing tribute to
Admiral Dahgrcn, OF whom he says, IA moro in
trcpid spirit walked the earth 1T is worthy
of mention here" says our historian. shat he
Dahlgren obtained the idea Of the formation of his
unrivalled gun from observing the formation of a
soda water botte-this he told me himsclf-and q
moments inspection will demonstrate that In the
bottle. as in the gun, the weight OF tho metal Is
thrown into the breech."
h, nv In Nv 1ayso
book is made up of entertaining well valuable
material. published by the Penhallow Printing
Company. Lowell Mass.)