The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-01-30
Letter from the Latter in Defense of His
Statement in the North American.
Sherman Was the Author of the Remark, "Had
F.. Smith Lived, Grant Would Have Dis
appeared to History After Donelson."
ALetter Conclusively Proving that Gen.
Sherman Originated the Phrase,
And that He Made Use of 1t in Letter Writ
ten in September Last to the Chief
of the War Records Office.
GEN. FRY,s LETTER.

GEN. FRY's LETTER
Conclusive Proof that Gen. Sherman Was
the Author of the Remark.
NEW YORK, Jan. 90 The Evening Post will
print new letter from Gen. j. B. Fry to the
Editor of the North American Review, relative
to the controversy between General Sherman
and General Frye as to the formers remark COM
pairing Grant with Gen. z. F. Smith at the time
of Donelson. It closes with copy of a letter
written by General Sherman last September. in
which the criticised phrase is to be found The
letter is as follows:
80 EAST SIxTY-THIRD STREET
NEW YORK Cry, Jan. %, 1886
ITO the Editor of the North American Review
''Sir-In an article called An Acquaintance
with Grant, published in your December num-
ber, quoted General Sherman as having, since
Grants death. said that had G. F. Smith lived,
Grant would have disappeared to history after
Donelson.' l cited this speculative opinion from
the highest officer in the army, thinking it would
illustrate and lend interest to the general propo
sition asserted concerning the effect of chance
upon the soldiers career. do not see that the
speculation is injurious to General Grant Gen
cral Sherman or anybody else General Sher-
man. however, made my citation of it the subject
of correspondence with you, In consequence OF
which you discussed my statement in your JAN
uary number, and announced that General Sher-
man had called upon you to repudiate the senti-
ment attributed to hima This was followed by a
letter from General Sherman to the Rev. George
Morrison, dated Jan. ~. published in the daily
papers of the 10th, in which the General says:
1T is utterly impossible that could have written
spoken the words quoted in the December num-
Der of the North American Review and that could
Smith lived General Grant would have disappeared
from history is an mpossbility. am con-
fdent that in good time we shall learn what au-
thority or hearsay this publication is based
''The issue between General Sherman and me
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
invented the quotation for the purpose Of ques-
tioning it, and that /, when cornered, will dodge
the issue In view of the foregoing facts,
need make apology to the public for feeling
called upon to establish the validity of the quo
tation made. General Sherman himself is my
authority The remark that had c. F. Smith
lived, Grant would have disappeared to history
after Donelson, was written with the Generals
hand. over his signature word for word as I
gave it. That there may be ground for mis-
understanding concerning the language used and
the connection in which it was employed,
/ append verbatim paragraph from letter in
General Sherman's handwriting, dated Sept. 6,
1885. As intimated in General Sherman's letter
to Mr.. Morrison, there is marked difference be
nave D60u
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 En-
glish navy, and the positive expression that,
had G. +. Smith lived General Grant would
have disappeared from history" It is not my
province to explain the relation between the two.
Either, however, would serve the purpose with
which quoted General Sherman, namely, to
illustrate the general proposition that chance is
an important factor in the race for glory by
n1<ir fha INN I'D Of al f5o
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 reference to the expression which
quoted. Observing the fitness of that expression
to the subject which I was engaged, and
having the consent of the person to whom the
letter was addressed to make the citation, 1 did
not hesitate to do so. The correspondence, of
which the letter is part was between two
oficals-Col. r. N. Scott and General Sherman
upon popular subject that implied no secrecy
whatever, and the reputation of my quotation
was, no doubt surprise to Colonel Scott as it
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 extract from General Shermans
letter. Yours truly, JAMES B. Fry"
The quotation referred to by General Fry is
as follows:
912 GARRISON AVENUE,
ST. LOUIS Mo-, Sept. 6. 1885. 5
Col r. N Scott, War Records, Washington, D. O.:
Dear Scott ' Now as to Halleck-
Grant l had the highest possible opinion of
Halleck's knowledge and power. and never
blamed him for mistrusting Grants ability.
Had G. F. Smith lived, Grant would have dis
appeared to history after Donelson. Smith was
a strong, nervous, vigorous man when / reported
to him in person at Fort Henry. y With
greatest respect. your friend,
w. T. SHERMAN.
The last letter in the list is the one from Gen.
Sherman to Rev. George Morrison of Baltimore,
previously published in the newspapers. in which
Gen. Sherman denies that he could ever have
used the positive expression attributed to him.