The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-01-30
CHANCE IN GLORY, !"
THE rRY-sHERMAN CONTROVERSY
The Former AnSwsrS the Lattsr's Denial
as to u Statement about Grant, and
Pulls the War Records on HIM to Sub.
StARtiAtS the Truth Of the Same.

New YoRE, Jan. 99.-The Ersning Pos
will print a new letter from General j, B
Fry to the editor Of the North American
Reuisw relative to the controversy between
General Sherman and General Fry as tc
the formers remark comparing Grant will
General G. F. Smith at the time OF tht
battle Of Fort Donelson. It closes with q
copy Of letter written by General Sher
man last September in which the criticised
phrase is to bs found, The letter referred
to reads as follows:
10 HE Editor Of The North American RsrisW'
sIK;-Tu an article called San AcQuain'
taRCe with Grant," published in your
December number, quoted General
Sherman as having said since Grants
death, that chad g. I. Smith lived Grant
would have disappeared to histoFy-RtteT
Fort Donelson." ! got this speculative
opinion from the highest officer in the
army, thinking II would illustrate and
lend interest to the general proposition
asserted concerning the effect OF chance
upon the soldiers career, | do not sac
that the speculation is injurious to Gen.
eral Grant, General Sherman or anybody
else. General Sherman, however, made
1t the subject OF correspondence with
you, In consequence OF Which you dis.
Cussed my statement in your January
number and announced that General
Sherman had called upon you to repudi-
ate the sentiment attributed to him.
sHERMAN'S LETTER TO MORRISON,
This was followed by letter from Gen.
eral Sherman to the Rev. George Morrison
dated January l2, published in the daily
papers OF the 10th, in which the General
says: at Is utterly impossible that |
could have written or spoken tho words
as quoted in the December number OF
the North american Reuisw, and that |
could written the positive ex preston, that
had @, +. Smith lived General Grant
would have disappeared from history is
an impossibility;" adding II am conf
dent in good time WE shall learn on what
authority or hearsay this publication Is
bused."
The issue Is bstween General Sherman
and myself and quoted him correctly,
In your February number, for an early
copy Of which | thank you, General SheI-
man says, coupled with much personal
abuse OF me, that II invented the quota
tlon for the purpose ofquoting 1t, anu that
!, when Cornered, will dodge the issue.
lu view ofthe foregoing facts will make
no apology 10 the public, for feeling call
ed upon TO establish tho validity q the
quotation made, General Sherman him.
self Is my authority.
snRRNAN's LETTER.
The remark that had G. L. Smith lived
Grant would have disappeared TO history
after Fort Donelsou, was written by Gen.
era Sherman over his own signature,
word for word, as gave 1t. That there
many be no ground for misunderstanding
concerning the language used and the
connection in which II was employed, l
appenda verbatium paragraph from a let
ter In General Sherman's handwriting,
datsd September Q, 1855. AS intinated in
General sherman's letter to Mr.. Nor.
rison there is marked differ.
enCe between speCulattng, "What might
have happened had General Grant gone
to the rear aud o. Il. Smith fought the
battle Of Shiloh" what might have been
had Washington accepted his warrant In
the English navy, and tho positive expires.
sion that chad q. +. Smith lived General
Grant would have disappeared from his.
tory" 1t Is not my province to explain
the relation between the two. Either,
however, would serve the purpose for
which quoted General Sherman, namely
TO illustrate the general proposition that
"chanCe i4 an important factor In the race
for glory"
WHERE THE QUOTATION CAME PROM.
BY citing the implied opinion Of Gen.
eral Grants especial friend that It was
true at a particular stage OF Grants career,
perhaps 1 ought TO add that the letter
from which l quoted was shown me on
account Of It's supposed historical value
and without reference to the expression
quoted. Observing the fitness OF that OK.
preston TO the subject on which was
engaged, having the consent OF the per.
son 10 whom the letter was addressed 10
make the citation | do not hesitate to do
so. The correspondence OF which
The letter was part was between
the officials Colonel K. N. Scott and Gen.
eral Sherman upon popular subject
that implied no secrecy whatever,
the repudiatlon OF my quotations was no
doubt a surprise to Colonel Scott as II was
10 mo. Please publish this note In the
North american ReviEtV, and an account OF
the character and authority OF the de.
NAL. Use the fac simile plato sent here.
with for printing the extract from Gen.
eral sherman's letter. Yours truly,
JAMES b. Fey.
Ql2 GARRISON AVENUE, |
sr. LOUIS, Mo-, Sept. G, 1885.
Col. r. N. Scott, Chief Of Var Records,
Washington, D. G"