The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1883-07-08
SOME NEW BOOKS
what che Navy D,d !. O.r civil war

played by the navy during the war OF tho re-
bolton recounts tho operations which took
place in The GuJ aud Inland Waters. The
writer. Commander A. T. MAHAN. has strictly
confined himself to tho task delegated TO him.
without intrenchlng upon the ground which
had already been worked over by Prof. Soley in
tho preliminary volume. without expressing.
that Is to say. any opinion touching the condi-
ton OF the navy at the beginning or ut tho end
OF the civil war. or attempting to draw any les
sons from facts. which 1t Is his business to sot
forth with clearnoss concseness. and sim
plcity. Much less does he indulge himself
In . discussion Of the political contro-
versies which eliminated in . resort to
arms or permit his personal or sectional
feelings to affect the tenor Of his narrative.
With the exception. indeed. OF the volume
contributed by Gen. Humphreys TO the larger
series Ito which these three monographs re-
lating to the navy are supplemental We know
OF no narrative penned by an officer in the
military or naval service Of the United States
which Is more candid and impartial than 10
Commander Mahan's book. He seems to have
been singularly careful in verifying his data.
and in presenting them he refrains from any
utterance OF praise or blame. leaving the reader
to pronounce the rebuke or the panegyric
which the facts appear to call for. As regards
tho writer's dIction. II 10 pleasure TO record
that the grade OF excellence attained by many
OF its companion volumes is illustrated by the
present narrative; tho style is correct. per-
sDicuous. and impersonal: II expresses just
what the author means to say. and no for
tunately has no wish to set before US anything
but the exact truth OF history.
No bottor proof. for example. could be fur
nished OF the authors qualifications to write
what may be properly dsnominated histor-
ical narrative. rs distinguished from contro-
versisl literature. than his account OF the part
taken by the navy In the operations on the
Tennessee and Cumberland rivers In the
spring OF 1862. Widely different opinions have
been expressed regarding the share Of credit
belonging TO the navy for the successive tri-
umphs Of the Northern arms In that cam pnign.
but no one. reading for the first time In Com
mander Mahan's pages the story OF those
events. would dream that they had excited
prolonged and acrimonious discussion. At the
same time nobody who follows his terse and
sober narrative will BIZ likely to fall into or re-
tain any misconception OF tho facts. or ascribe
TO one branch OF tho service services which
should In justice DO attributed to another. 1t
would be. OF course. impossible for tho army as
whole or for any army General to
claim a fraction OF the honor resulting
from the capture OF Fort Henry although
among ill-inforned persons nine out of ten
iHuSlHo tuut luo SuTTeHuoE VI tnuJ IOTtTebb
figures on the roll Of the victories ascribed to
Gen. Grant As a matter OF fact. in this in
stance the attack was nude by the fleet. which
had waited In vain for the Federal army to
como up. and 1t was to the fleet that the fort
and garrison were surrendered by the Con-
federate commander. On the other hand. in
the attack on Fort Donelson tho fleet failed.
owing to the armored gunboats st. Louis and
Louisville being disabled. and because the
vessels fell short OF doing the whole work thare
has been disposition evinced in popular mar
ratlves to overlook altogether their perform
ance on this occasion But 1t Is made plain by
Commander Mahan that the tenaclty and fight
ing qualities OF the squadron were really proved
more markedly In this action than In tho vic
tory ut Fort Henry.
Regarding the services rendered by the two
wooden gunbonts during tho afternoon Of the
first days battle at Pittsburg Landing Com.
mander Mahan Is clearly Of the opinion that
without their Intervention tho Confederates
would have succeeded during the afternoon In
turning the Federal left and getting possession
Of tho landing and the transports. 1t Is cor
tain that at $3.50 one Of the gunboats. tho
Tyler. opened fire. ana within an hour had 81.
fenced all the Confederate batteries within
range Alta p. M. the Lexington arrived. and
the two boats. then taking up new position.
batteries which had come within Smelling dis
lance. At $50 P. H.. when the Conisderates
had gained a position on the Union left only an
eighth OF a mile above the landing both ves-
sels. In conjunction with some OF the Federal
field batteries. opened fire upon them and
drove them back in confusion. 1t is Com
mander Mnhan's judgment that. tho army
being largely outnumberod during tho day
and forced steadily back. the presence and ser
vices Of the two gunboats. when the most des-
perate attacks OF tho enemy were made. were
OF the utmost value and most offectual In
enabling that part OF our line to be held until
the arrival Of tho advance OF Bucll's army
from Nashville about p. NJ. allowed the left
to be reinforced. and restored the fortunes
OF the day" 1t ia interesting to compare.
as the writer OF this book compares them. the
different estimates OF tho importance OF the
work done BY the gunboats In this engagement
expressed In the official report OF the Federal
General and In that OF the Confederate COM
mander. 1t Is characteristic OF Gen. Grant
that he thought his obligations to the navy for
their share In rescuing him from total ruin
tho rest OF the credit being. Of course. duo to
Gen. BUELL. were sufficiently recognized In .
single line. to wit. In this repulse much 10
due to the presence Of gunboats." On the
other hand. the Confederate commander dis
the LETT the enemy broke and sought refuge
behind q commanding eminence covering the
Pittsburg Landing. not more than half mile
distant. under the guns OF the gunboats. which
opened fierce and annoying Gre with shot and
shell OF the heaviest description" Commander
Mahan points out that. among the reasons
given for not being able to cope with the Union
forces next day. the Confederate commander
says that during the night tho enemy broke
the mems rest by discharge at measured In
tervals. OF heavy shells thrown from tho gun
boats and further on he speaks OF the army
as sheltered by such an auxiliary as their
gunboats." In briei the impression made
upon tho Confederates who wero present at tho
battle seems to have been that the gunboats
saved the Federal army by enabling 1t to hold
out until the arrival OF Gen. Buell's advance.
We have confined ourselves to extracts from
this book relating to the campaign OF 1862 on
the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers. be-
cause some OF the incidents recounted have
given rise to controversy. Tho same dispnssion-
ate and judicial tone pervades the whole OF Com
mander Mahans narrative. which deals. wo
may remind the reader. with such interesting
events rs tho capture OF Now Orleans and Mo-