New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-10-11
THE CENTURY WAR PAPERS.
SOME THRILLING NARRATIVES.

RArTLFs AND LEADERS OF THE CIVIL WAR.
Vol Ill The Century Co.
The third volume of the permanent and beauti-
full edition Of the Century war papers is the most
interesting of the three 1t contains remarkable
number of able and graphic narratives and welgh'y
controversial discussions on military points ana
matters of history between the former leaders on
both sides. 1t opens with paper on Braggs In
vasion of Kentucky and the Perryyille campaign,
by General Joseph Wheeler. General Basil w.
Duke writes on Morgan's Cavalry during the Bragg
invasion. General Buell. has article on East
Tennessee and the Campaign of Perryville.' in
which he considers the disproportion to numbers
Of the Confederate resistance, endcavoring to find
solution of the fact that in many battles Of the
war the Confederates were onlyovercomc by much
stronger forces than their own, and in several In
stances more than held their own against superior
numbers. Admitting equal gallantry, he can only
explain this by surprising that the patent inc
qualities of the contest gave to the Confederates
desperation which increased their effectiveness
on the field. The subject is interesting, but Gen
eral Buell. has not attempted to treat it ex-
haustively Nor are his figures always exact as
for instance, when, in speaking of Gettysburg, he
puts the effective Union force at 100000 The
estimate given in the Century War Papers is
7s,000 or only 5000 more than the Confederate
strength in this battle.
General Charles G. Gill IT writes On the
Field of Perryville,' and General George w.
Morgan describes the retreat from Cumberland
Gap. The next general topic is the Fredericks-
burg campaign, which is opened by an account Of
the battle of Fredericksburg by General Long
street number of Union and Confederate
officers follow with papers giving various aspects
of the desperate bloody, and unavaling struggle
10 capture Marye's Heights. There is perhaps,
a. hiefOr rGll
and at the same time lamcntable than the story
of the six gallant charges upon the stone-walI
at Fredericksburg and here it is done full JUS
tice TO- both by pen and pencil. General Rush {.
Hawkins discusses the question" Why Burnside did
not renew the attack at Fredericksburg but the
inquiry is one which the facts Of the case answer
The campaign of Charlottesville, with Stonemans
raid, the last charge of Stonewall jackson, and
his death, the Eleventh Corps at Chancellors-
VILE and Hooker's comments on that battle, are
discussed by Generals D. N. Couch Alfred Pleas
anton, Pennook, Huey, Oliver o. Howard, ana
other officers The Rev. James Power Smith
describes Jacksons last moments The Gcttys-
burg camIaign is described and analysed with
the care and fulness it deserves, and in the
warmth of the disputes among the surviving
leaders Cthe Meade-Sickles controversy, for in
stance that between General Francis A. Walker
and General Henry J. Hunt, and that between Gen
eral Longstreet and Colonel William Allan concern
ing Pcketts charged may be seen fresh illustrations
of the difficulty Of determining with exactness
the movements which are incident to great battles
Colonel Allan, indeed, implies that the failure OF
Pcketts splendid charge on the third day was
due more to Longstreets practical refusal to sup
port il than to either the front flank attacks
of the Union forces the ridge. One fact, how
ever stands out clearly from these disputes, and
that is the wisdom of General Hunts action in
stopping the Union artillery fire and withdrawing
his eighteen guns from the cemetery when he did.
Confederate testimony shows plainly that this
move produced the belief that the Union batteries
were silenced and so FASTENED Picketts assault
If Hunt had continued the artillery duel after 3
o'clock he might have expended all his ammu-
milton and been helpless when Pickett delivered
his blow AS it was, the saving of ammunition
resulted in the infiction upon the charging column
Of losses heavy that though it crossed the ridge
its destructive force was then exhausted and it
could only retreat
The Vicksburg campaign is described by Gen
eral Grant General Joseph E. Johnston deals
with jefferson Davis and the Mississippi campaign
S. q. Lockett treats of the defence of Vicksburg
and General Andrew Hickenlooper gives a graphic
account of the great mine and the results of its
explosion. The capture Of Port Hudson Is told
Wy SoioHei nCHdru d. TWILL lie uurlrccSDOrO
campaign follows with Bragg's advance and retreat
and the battle of Stones River. Chckamauga,
Chattanooga and Knoxville conclude the volume
and here again the noise of controversy wakes |
loud. The question whose plans Grant followed
when he superseded Rosecrans is fruitful |
theme, and considerable body of evidence |
supports the position that he carried out Rose |
crans's plans, at least in part On the other hand
1t appears evident that with Rosecrans these plans
never found application, though there nothing |
TO prevent their naturalization; whereas Grants
first step was TO reduce them to action The |
soldiers battle" of Missionary Ridge is one of the
few engagements TO which Tolstoi's theory of war
seems to apply. In that instance it must be adj |
mitted that the leaders had nothing to do with the
movement; nay, after it had begun the only action
on their part mischevous rather than help
full for some of the commanders tried TO recall |
their men, and produced a temporary confusion by |
their interference Among the controverted |
points is the long-accepted story of
Folks absence from his command at
the opening of the battle of Chattanooga His
son positively asserts that the General was at his
post all the morning General Grants account Of
the Chattanooga campaign is criticised freely by
Generals W. F. Smith and Henry NJ Cist The
tendency of these criticisms is to show that the
original plans not carried out, or but par
TALLY and that the ultimate capture OF BRACES
position. though no doubt intimately connected
with the previous movements of Hooker and Sher-
man, resulted directly in a manner not contem
plated by the commander-in- chief.
The volume is like its predecessors profuseIv
md admirably illustrated furnished abundantly L,
with maps and battle plans and contains at the
end Of each section the most trustworthy statistics
Of the forces engaged both sides and the re-
Spective losses.