St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-02-12
Insight Into their Qualities in
War and Their Attributes
in Peace.
Sherman'S Former RudeneSS
and His Present Weakness
and POliteneSS.
Sheridan a Born Leader and
the Idol of the Men in
the Ranks.

The young people of to-day have an
immense advantage over the young
people yet to come in the privilege of
looking at three great men-Grant, who
but recently passed away, Sherman and
Sheridan-an advantage which scores
of thousands enjoyed to the full, an adj
vantage which, so far as the last two
are concerned, is still enjoyable and
ought 10 be utilized. Think for mo-
ment what treat it would be to recall
the features of Napoleon, his bearing,
his mode of expression. his personal
habits. How audiences would hang
upon the utterances of men who could,
and would, tell truthfulIy recol-
lections of Washington, of Knox,
of Arnold, of Hamilton. Men
of middle age to whom the
marked peculiaritieS and characters
Scott, Mcclellan. Burnside, Meade
Hooker, Hancock, are as but of yester-
day. enjoy a supremacy absolute over
the young men. and an advantage too
great to be told in words over children,
who regard these names as historical
only, and in no sense personal. When
you and l read of Napoleon BOnaparte
it is as though we read of Julius Caesar
or Hannibal-Or Adam and Eve for that
matter. You see it is quarter of a cen
fury SINCE Sherman and Sheridan, who
are still with us, did anything of any
consequence. They are now reaping
rich, ripe honor for glorious work done,
significant service rendered, before 80
in every 100 of the Globes readers were
born.
Queer, isn't it?
1t makes us old fellows feel shaky,
doesn't il?
The line of thought was suggested to
NE by two incidents of the week. On
Monday last, think it was, bleakness
dominated the city and the wild winds
whistled. and storms swung snow and
sleet through all the air, paving our
streets with discomfort, making treach-
erouS the sidewalks, and almost insur-
mountable the steps leading to our ele-
waited stations, descending from our
house doors. As left the station, about
5 in the afternoon, at the corner of
Twenty-third street, the familiar griZ-
zled countenance, the Slouched hat and
the bent figure of
GEN. SHERMAN CAUGHT MY EYE.
Saluting him with unfeigned respect
it was my privilege to aid him some
what, as together we descended the
slippery stairway.
What contrast!
The Sherman of 1864 was very diff
ferent individual. in his pomp and pride,
his aggressive imperioSity, from the
Sherman of to-day. not over strong.
He was very different man. clad in
brilliant regimentals, with crazy flash
in his eye, with imperialism written all
over him, as he sat aStride magnificent
charger, the sniff of battle in his nos
trilS, hundreds of thousands waiting his
command, from what he is to-day, clad
i'm multi, walking the streets unrecog-
niZed, save now and then, toying with
dimpled babies, kissing rosy checked
girls, listening to school boys chorals.
Sherman is great man.
Sherman developed more originality
Of thought and action than any of the
men who sprang to their feet when the
cOuntry's bugle sounded the dire alarm.
During the most trying phases of the
war Sherman developed along brilliant.
resOlute, useful lines with greater
rapidity, attaining popular appreciation
more quickly and more certainly, if not
more lastingly, than any of his COM
panions.
A careful writer has ranked him as
first among the StrategiStS of the war.
He lacked, however, certain other
qualifications essential, so that in the
ultimate solution he was OverShadOWed
by the name which ranks highest and
brightest in all the army galaxy, name
Of which every American must be proud
name untarniShed until seduced from
its high estate and led among the black
sheep, the bulls and the bears of the
Slough of DeSpond which has wrecked
so many fair names, engulfed so MANY
6QSnnIln6
souls.
Sherman was dashing, driving, nery-
Gus induStrian.
There was not lazy bone in his body.
His nerves were steel. He could en-
dure; he was untiring; he was brave,
and, above all, he was energetic to de-
gree which men who see him now can
not begin to appreciate or understand.
Sherman is polite to-day, but in the
times of his autocracy he was gruff, I'M
civil to rudenesS, and especially to news
paper correspondents. In spite of the
immense commands he had, he never
learned to command himself. He was
so nervous. so eXcitable, so impetuOus
in conversation, and especially when he
should be listening to reports and eX-
plantations. that he often
LOST WHEN HE SHOULD HAVE GAINED.
FISHERMAN was generous person, and
of others. don't mean that he was in
cOnsiderate of the comfort of his SOL
dlers, for, on the contrary, he passed
many SleepleSS night in order that by
his tireleSS energy and insistent deter
animation his men should have their ra-
tons on the following day, and their
transportation should be convenient and
as rapid as the condition of affairs per-
mitted; but with individuals, in per
sonai intercourse with officers, with cor
respondents, with spies and scouts, he
was always so quick to intuitively getto
the point they sought to make, that he
frequently confused, and never pleased
the party to whom he should have lis
tened with attention and respect. He
was then great smoker, never at rest.
and in times of excitement so constantly
on the move from point to point, in
room or field, or wherever, as to convey
the impression of somewhat unbal-
anced organization.
If you have opportunity to study
Sherman's face you will be struck by
his peculiar eye.
There is what call, for lack of a bet
ter phrase, crazy CLEAN in his eve,
particularly when he is speaking. The
enormous services that he rendered to
the country from 1864 and OH can never
be overestimated, nor could any ma
terial form of gratitude be given which
would overcompensate him for the full
orbed service rendered, exacting every
quality of head and heart, mind, bOdy
and strength at his disposition.
He was an. absolute inspiration in
strategy.
In other words, knowing what ought
TO be accomplished, his mind jumped
along a course without pausing to con-
slder Its detailed points, and the impet-
uosity with which he rushed at an un-
dertaking served by its momentum TO
carry him to the sought for end, quite as