The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-01-30
fHR LETTER.
30 RAar aIxrY-THIRp SrRlRT,

80 EAsr eIxrY-rHIRD SrRlR1,
NEW YoRK CRY, January ~, 1855 j
To the Editsr Of the North American Re-
sm-1p az article eallsd "An Ac-
quaintance with Grant" publiAhed in
your December number, l quoted Gen.
Sherman aB having said, since Grant'd
death, that "had O. II. Smith lived,
Grant would have disappeared to his.
tory after Donelson." I cited this spsc-
ulative opinion from the highest Off
Ger in the army, thinking 1t would
illustrate and lend interest to the gen.
eral proposition l asserted concerning
the effect of chance upon the soldiers
career / do not gse that the epecula
ton is injurious to Gsn. Grant, Gen.
Sherman, or any body else. Gen.
Sherman, however, made my citation
OF it the subject Of a correspondence
with you, in consequence OF which
you discussed my statement In your
January number, and announced
that Gen. Sherman had called upon
you to repudiate the sentiment attrib-
uted to him. This was followed by a
letter from Gen. Sherman to the Rev.
George Morrison, dated January 18th,
published in the daily papers of the
10Th, in which the General says: ut
is utterly impossible that / could have
written or spoken the words as quoted
in the December number OF the North
American Rev<p," and that 81 could
have written the positive expression
that had G. F. Smith lived Gen. Grant
would have disap cared from history,
is an impossibility," adding: 81 an.
confident in good time we shall learn
on what authority or hearsay this pub
LEGATION lie based" The issue between
Gen. Sherman and me is whether or
not l quoted him correctly. In your
February number-for an early copy
Of which 1 thank you-Gen. Sherman,
says, coupled with much personal
abuse OF me, that l invented the quo
tation for the purpose Of questioning
it." and that ! when cornered will
dodge the issue" In view of the fore
going facts, l need make no apology
to the public for feeling called upon
to establish the validity of the quota
ton l made. Gen. Sherman himself
ia my authority. The remark that had
@. F. Smith lived Gen. Grant would
have disappeared to history after Dom
elson was written with the Generals
hand over his signature, word Tor
word as / gave it. That there may be
no ground for misunderstanding con-
corning the language used and the
connection in which it was employed,
l append a verbatim paragraph from
a letter in Gen. Sherman's hand
writing dated September 6, 1885. As
intimsted in Gen. Sherman's letter to
Mr.. Morrison, there is q naked diff
ference between specializing "what
might have been had Gen. Grant gone
to the real and @. +. Smith fought the
battle OF Shiloh, wha. might have
been had Warrington accepted his
warrant in the English navy" and
the positive expression that "had O.
+. Smith lived Gen. Giant would
have diEappearad from history" 1t
is not my province to explin the re-
lation between the two. Either, how
ever, would serve the purposes with
which / quoted Gen. Sherman,
namely, to illustrate the general
proposition that chance is an i'm
portant factor in the race OF glory"
by citing the implied opinion OF Gen.
Grants especial friend thst it was
true at a particular stage OF Grants
career. Perhaps / ought TO add that
the order from which l quoted wRs
shown me on account OF its supposed
historical value and with no
reference to the expression l
quoted. Observing the fitness Of that
expression to the subject on which |
was engaged, and having the consent
OF the person to whom the letter was
addressed to make the citation, / did
not hesitate to do so. The CORE
spondence of which the letter Is a pant
was between two officials, Col. r. N.
Scott and Gen. Sherman, upon a pop
ular subject that implied no secretary
whatever, and the reputation Of my
quotation was, nc doubt, a surprise to
Col. Scott, as 1t was to me. Please
publish this note in the next number
Of the North american Review, and, on
account of the character and authority
of the denial, use the fac-simile plate
herewith for printing the form Of Gen.
Sherman's letter. Yours, truly,
JAMES D. FRYE.
EXTRACT.
9l2 GARRISON AVHSUE,l
ST. Louis, Mo-, September 6, 1885.
Col. R.. N. Scott, War Records, Washing
ton, d. c.;
DEAR SIR-Eow as TO Halleck-G rant.
I had the highest possible opinion of
Halleck's knowledge and power, and
never blamed him for m%istrusting
Grants ability. Had g. F. Smith
lived, Grant would have disappeared
To history after Donelson. Smith wal
q strong, nervous, vigorous man when
l reported TO him in persOn at Fort