The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1886-02-03
A WAR OF WORDS
Between Ole fssunp" Sherman and General
E. +. Frye.
General sherman Denies Saying That Had
CT. Smith Lived Grant Would Have
Disappeaxed 10 History
After DoneIsOn."


formers remark comparing Grant with Gen.
eral C. +. Smith at the time of Donelson. It
closes with copy of letter written by Gen
eral Sherman last September, in which the
criticised phrase is 10 be found:
No. so East SIXTY-THIRD STREET,
New YORK CITY, Jan. 20, 1886
To the Editor Of the North American Review:
S1R-In an article called can Acquaintance
With Grant" published in your December
number, quoted General Sherman as hav-
ing said since Grants death that 'had c. F.
Smith lived, Grant would have disappeared
TO history after Donelson." 1 cited this spec
ulative opinion from the highest officer in
the army thinking it would illustrate and
lend interes: to the general proposition as
serted concerning the effect of chance upon
the soldiers career. | do not see that the
speculation is injurious to General
Grant, General Sherman or any
body else. General sherman, however,
made my citation of it the subject of cor
respondence with you, in consequence OF
which you discussed my statement in your
January number, and announced that Gen
eral sherman had called upon you to repu-
diate the sentiment attributed to him. This
was followed by a letter from General Sher-
man to Rev. Geo. Morrison, dated January
10, published in the daily papers of the 18th,
in which the General says: at is utterly
impossible that l could have written or
spoken the words as quoted in the December
number of the North American Review and
that could have written the positive ex-
preston that had c. f. Smith lived General
Grant would have disappeared from history.
is an impoSsibility." Adding, 81 am conf
dent in good time we shall learn on what au-
thority or hearsay this publication is based"
is whether or not quoted him correctly. In
your February number-for an early copy OF
which thank you-General Sherman says,
coupled with much personal abuse of me, that
l invented the quotation for the purpose OF
questioning it, and that /, when cornered
| will dodge the issue.' In view of the fore
going facts. i need make no apology to the
public for feeling called upon to establish the
validity OF the quotation | made. General
Sherman himself is my authority. The re-
mark that had e. G. Smith lived Grant
| would have disappeared to history after
Donelson, was written with the Generals
hand over his signature, word for word as l
gave it. That there may be no ground for
misunderstanding concerning the language
used and the connection in which it was EN-
ployed, ] append a verbatim paragraph from
letter in General Sherman's hand writing,
dated September Is, 1885. As intimated in
General Sherman's letter 10 Mr.. Morrison,
there is a marked difference between specu-
lating what might have been had General
Grant gone to the rear and G, F. Smith
fought the battle OF Shiloh; what
might have been had Washington accepted
his warrant in the English Navy" and
the positive expression that had &C. +. Smith
lived, General Grant would have disappeared
| from history" 1t is not my province to eX-
| plain tee relation between the two. Either,
| however, would serve the purpose with
which l quoted General Sherman, namely:
| to illustrate the general proposition that
| ''chance is an important factor in the race of
glory" by citing the implied opinion of
| General Grants especial friend that it was
true at particular stage of Grants career.
| Perhaps / ought to add that the order from
! which quoted was shown me on account
OF its supposed historical value, and with
no referece TO the expression L quoted.
| Observing the fitness of that expression
| to the subject on which l was engaged, and
| having the consent OF the person to whom
| the letter was addressed to make the citation,
i did not hesitate to do so. The CORE
| spondence of which the letter is part was
| between two otficials-Colonel r. Y. Scott
and General Sherman-upon popular sub
| ject that implied no secrecy whatever, and
| the reputation Of my quotation was no
| doubt surprise to Colonel Scott, as it was
| to Inc. Please publish this note in the next
| number of the North American Review, and
1
the denial use the fac smile plate herewith
| for printing the extract from General Sher-
/ mans letter. Yours truly.
| JAMES 3. FRYE.
Extract
| g12 GARRISON, Av., ST.. LOUIS Mo-,
September g. 1885.
Colonel y. s. Scott War Records, Washing
ton, ID. c.:
| DraR ScoTr-. Now as to Halleck-
/
! of Halleck's knowledge and power, and
never blamed him for mistrusting Grant s
| ability. Had c. +. Smith lived Grant would
have disappeared to history after Donelson.
| Smith was strong, nervous vigorous man
when I reported to him in person at Fort
Henry. >. With greatest respect,
| your friend, w. L. SHERMAN.
The North American Review for February,
| published to-day, contains the correspond
ence which led up to this communication OF
| General Fry, and furnishes the key TO the
| controversy. 1t consists of letter from
! General Sherman to the editor, dated Deem
| Der |, asking the latter to inquire of General
Fry what his authority was for attributing
10 him (Sherman) the phrase Had c. f.
Smith lived, Grant would have disappeared
| to history after Donelson," and of General
| Fry's answer, dated December =, also to the
editor, saying that as General Sherman does
not deny the correctness of the statement TO
"
ter rest where it is" He adds that If the
correctness of the statement would be de-
MED. he would feel called upon 70 substan-
tiate ii.
These two letters are followed by Others of
the same general tenor between the same
parties. On the 18th of December, General
Sherman wrote letter to i. G. Drum, Adj
iutant General of the Army, bringing the
controversy with General Fry to his atten-
ton, and concluding as follows:
| ! have never authorized General Fry To speak
for me in matters requiring the use of precise Ian
guage. and surely take direct issue with him IN
the modern monstrous newspaper doctrine that
a reporter may publish any ialsehOod. or guess
leaving the victim to follow il up with denial
or Qualification. j assert, moreover, that Gene
raj Fry is officer of the army, subject to disei
! pline and bound in honor 70 answer such an in
auiry as was addressed 70 HIM
| therefore will, with all due respect
lay the matter before the honorable secretary ol
War, and invoke his authority 10 compel General
Fry 10 disclose the source of his information, OF
TO qualify his positive assertion that General
sherman goes SO far to have said. since General
Grants death. that If G. r. Smith had lived. Gen
eral Grant would have disappeared 10 history
after Donelson." With great respect, your serv-
ant, W. I. SHERMAN, General
On the 23d of December Adiutant General
Drum replies:
The question how far the unauthorized use. by