The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-09-22

the Chicago NeWs, when q stout citi-
zen clad in gray travelling suit saun-
tered up to the box office. A moment
later slight, active man emerged from
the wire door and said: General Sheri-
seep Hello, old man; hello Davis;
started toward the new diorama just
finished and opened to-day-the battle
among the clouds, Fighting Joe Hook
er's Lookout Mountain. The general
was interested in the diorama. But
his mind seemed to be busy, and his
thoughts were evidently at work on
some other subject than the great paint
ing before him. Presently the general
turned and moved toward the stairway
leading to the platform of the principal
eXhibition-the panorama of Mission
airy Ridge. Mr.. Webster tells me that
this is General Sheridan's third visit.
On the two previous occasions he was
accompanied by Colonel Sheridan and
his wife. On these occasions the plat
form was crowded and the general
quickly recognized. This recognition
embarrassed him and fastened his de-
parture. On the present occasion the
platform was nearly empty, and the
general, as he looked thoughtfully down
on the scene, spoke freely of this and
other battles, of the unhappy necessity
which could force men into such situa-
tons as we here saw. This sort of
thing said he, is not nice. There is
not one comfortable thing about it.
Look this field over. My loss that day
in the old Second Division was a fear
full one. Over thirteen hundred men
brave, gallant fellows, led by officers
who did their duty-were lost in the
old Second Division in time so short
that it seems incredible that we could
have compassed the distance and carried
the crest. | have often thought we
should have captured Bragg, and 1
think it was close thing as it was. If
| could have got Granger to push a
little there, after got them over that
second crest you see there in Chicka-
manga valley, we should have captured
something more than rations at that
| Chickamauga station. There
is nothing new about war; said the
general again, and, Davis, this scene
before us neither of us will ever Sec
either it or any similar scene. War of
the day or war of the present is, and
must be, a differing thing from what
we have here. The advance in war
machinery, materials and weapons of
every description make different mode
of warfare necessary. Armies will not
attack each other in the field like this.
An army must be dug out, starved out,
or may be forced out by position. At
all events, we must have one of two
things-either long, tedious method,
wearing alike on men and the impede
menta, or rapid and vigorous attack
upon real property-commerc rail-
roads, steamboats,. What is naval war;
fare? Simply a war of commerce.
Effective? Very. Why not the same
on land? There is little doubt that
the horse must play larger part in
future wars than anything we saw or
knew of. And am not sure but what
this is the humanitarian view We
should certainly save life, and lives of
human beings should always be pre-
served at the expense of real property.
l think am right in this went on the
general, refectively. Anything that
shortens war, stops the conflict, is
desirable. OF course we should have
bitter fighting at points; that would be
necessary. But war to-day would be
new thing"