The sun., 1881-06-26

lnss services or In ignorant OF the facts. appeal
to Gen. Sherman. q. NJ. Dodge. Logan. Gresham.
or even to Grant himself. Tho exact part taken
by tho nominal chief OF staff" as he Is called
by our author. In each net OF Gen. Grants mill
tary careor. can never become known. for al
though he had decided views in reference to all
matters which concerned tho army he was too
busy with his Immediate duties. md too much
absorbed in tho higher questions OF military aud
civil policy continually thrust upon him by his
position. to koop up regular or systematic
account OF what he thought. heard. and saw.
He Is known. however to havo had tho habit
OF writing to his wfo and trusted friends in ro-
gard to whatever he regarded as important
either in tho history OF the country or in that OF
conspicuous individuals. Anumber OF such lot
ters arc known to bo In existence. but it is sup
posed that after his death the most valuable OF
them were destroyed by those who should have
kept them. while others wcro sold or given by
his wife to n brilliant but somewhat unscrupu-
lous officer Col. Hillyer. who was also attached
at one time to Grants staff. But Hillyer and
Mrs. Rawlins died shortly after Rawlins. and 1t
is not known what became OF their effects. Tho
future historian will do we'll. however. to mako
n careful search for whatever was written by
Gen. Rawlins. as woll as by his principal as
sistant. Col. Theodore s. Bowers. who. it will
be remembered was killed by a railroad train at
Garrisons just after tho close OF the war.
These two officers held tho most intimate and
confidential relations with each other and with
Grant. They followed him etep by step
through all the grades and all the triumphs
OF his career. serving him Loyalty. not
because no was Grant. tho successful GEN
eral. nor because he was their friend. but
because they were patriotic soldiers OF tho
republic. loving tho Union better than their
lives. and believing that their chief was capa-
Bile Of leading our armies to victory. They
wore truo representatives OF that loyalty and
devotion which animated both troops and off,
GERS: and each in his own way had a decided
influence. not only upon Grant. but upon the
events in which he took part. But thoy wero not
blind adorers who could see no defect in their
chief. They knew his strength as we'll as his
weakness. and never failed to applaud the ono
or to rebuke or point out the other. They wore
true friends. but they were more: they were
brave soldiers and ncorruptible patriots. Bow
ers was the son OF poor Lutheran missionary
minister. who settled in southern Illinois in the
rough days OF its early history. lie was dimn-
utive in stature. modest and retiring in dispo-
sition, but honest. pure. unsclnsh. and brave to
degree never surpassed by tho most favored
sons OF earth. He was self educated in coun-
try printing office and tho story OF his patient,
toilsome. and sef-sacriiicing youth. his ldel-
ity to his widowed mother aud his older but
less resolute brothers. his struggle for the sup
port OF the one and the education OF the 9TH
ers. his enlistment and service as n private
soldier. his detail as clerk at Grants headQuar-
ters. his disappearance from headquarters.
and his temperance in tho ranks OF his own
company. armed with musket nearly as large
and heavy as himself his gallant partici-
patton for three days and nights in
the siege. assault. and capture OF
Donelson. and his quiet and unobtrusive
return after the victory to his duties as clerk.
his promotion on the field toLeuenant for brav-
cry. his persistent and unremittipg toll as IN
Assistant Adiutant- General. rising step by step
into tho places made vacant by the promotion OF
Rawlins. and last. but not least. his beautiful
and touching soliciude for his mothers COM
fort and happiness during his absence and the
closing days OF her life. ali mark him rs q true
man il one evor lived 1t cannot be said that no
WAS n soldier by instinct. or that he originated
any ideas as to military plans or policy. but he
was more: he was a moral force. unspotted by
the world, and proof against all temptation.
The soictude felt by that unselflsh soul during
tho various crises in tho life OF Gen. Grant when
1t seemed to bo inextricably mixed up with tho
life OF the nation. can never be known. since
both he and Rawlins have passed away without
giving 1t to the world. But to say that two such
characters had no influence for good upon
the General from whose side they were never
absent. is to fnlsify history and to outrage to
feelings OF every man who knew their worth
and appreciated their sterling qualities. No
life OF Grant Is complete which fails to con-
slider them rs an honorable part OF all he did
or attained. To omit them entirely. as in the
case OF Bowers. or to mlsrepresent their char
acter and services. as in tho case Of Rlwlins,
mn ~ ba look al aa i,a la tn thnp
and to Grant. Neither envy nor malice could
demand their sacrifice. for they had no enemies
among their brothers in arms. Tho lustre OF
Gen. Grants name could not be dmmed by
their modest claims to recognition. So. what
ever may be tho explanation OF their treatment
in this work. wo must condemn it as an un-
pardonable defect in tho authors plan. and say
that he could have added no page to the mill
tary history OF Con. Grant which would have
done him more honor. or shone with greater
brightness. than those which he should have
set apart for the story of these brave soldiers.
faithful friends. and true patriots.
We accord to Gen. Grant tho fullest measure
Of praise for the extraordinary services he rom
dercd the country during the rebellion. He was
a great soldier from the beginning. honest and
faithful in the discharge OF his duties. brave and
skillu in leading our armies. endowed with
unusual pluck and common sense. and above all.
he WAS extraordinarily fortunate in conducting
campaigns and winning battles. In short, his
military life was in every way crcditablc TO him.
rs well as advantageous to the country. though
notwithout faults AS Gen. Badeau would have the
world believe. His pages unwitinGly show that
Grant was neither great organizer nor great
tactician. and it cannot bo denied that his plans
OF battle were frequently crude and imperfect.
But it is worthy OF note that during the period
OF his intimate association with Rawins he
made no great mistakes, and that us he fell
away from Rawlins. which he did in a measure
from the time he took command in Virginia,
his career. though no less successful in tho end.
was far less brilliant from purely professional
point OF yicw This may DO merely coinci-
denco. but il it is coincidence it is u strange
and suggestive one; and it was followed by an