The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-06-07
TIE DYING GENERAL.

TIE DYING GENERAL.
The grief which fills the hearts of the poo
pie over the condition Of Gen. Sheridan is
measureless. The whole Nation anxiously
watches for the bulletins from his bedside,
and no possible event would cause more gen
eral rejoicing than the news that his danger
was past and his recovery assured.
Gen, Sheridan eminently deserves the adj
miration and love Of all Americans which
goes out to him. The more his career is 4
studied the higher will be the estimate Of
his great abilities as a soldier.
There has been a rapid rise in the estima-
ton Of him ever since the close Of the war.
Then what he had done was in measure
overshadowed by the popular ideas that
prevailed in regard to Grant, Sherman,
Thomas, Meade, Mcclellan, Rosecrans, Han
cock and Buell. He was thought to be
merely bold, dasbing, resolutc fighter, an
executant for other commanders very much
as Murat was for Napoleon Little credit was
given him for ability 10 plan an independ-
ent campaign or to handle great masses of
troops of all arms in a General-like way-in
short, lie was not recognized as a great mas
ter Of the art of war
The close study and analysis Of the events
of the war which have followed its close
have built Sheridan up to a high place
among the soldiers Of the world Leaving
out the five great Captains Of war-Alexan-
der Hannibal, Julius Cesar Frederick the
Great, and Napoleon Bonaparte- viii be
found to have few, if any, superiors in any
age OF country. lie was undeniably greater
soldier than the Eapoleonic wars produced,
outside Of Napoleon himself France had
no marshal that ear compare with him. and
the Duke Of Wellington did not display
anything like his quick perception Of all
tie vital points OF a campaign OF a battle
field, OF his instantaneous action to take
advantage Of them. No man-not even
Napoleon himself-ever showed more mag
niGcent leadership Of troops on tie actual
field Of battle He planned his movements
with the highest skill; he seemed to know
By intuition what his enemy proposed do
ing and the best way Of foiling him. In
spite Of all the talk about his rashness, he
had that grand patience which waits until
the occasion is ripe for striking, and when
he struck it was like q thunder bolt, and
directed with unerring aim to where the
blow would do the enemy the greatest
injury.
Whoever makes war makes mistakes:
he wins who makes the fewest," says one of
the greatest of authorities tits easy to find
the mistakes of other Generals. Even Napo-
Icons history abounds in them. But it viii
be very difficult to find mistake in all of
sheridan's career. Though he conducted
great movements, under more trying and
varied conditions than any other General in
our army, he never failed to correctly I'M
| derstand the positions of the enemy's and
+ his own troops; to recognize the keypoint
/ Of the situation or the battle, and to do at
the right time just what ought to be done.
He was matched against the best Generals
the rebels had, and never failed TO beat them
both in strategy and fighting. Unquestion-
/ a}f h11 Faay ~, Z ,at.., L., 4
his after the evacuation Of Petersburg, he
would have saved his army from capture,
aud driven off his opponent with loss
Contrasted with that of the great Captains
Of other countries, with whom Sheridan will
be naturally classed, his character stands
out brilliantly. He is grand pure hearted
American gentleman, with none of the
INSCRIPTIONS ambition and sordid corrup-
ton that stain the memories of such great
soldiers as Napoleon, Wellington, MarI-
borough, Butcher, SuwaroT and Napoleons
AIarshals He has always been an intense
American, passionately loving his country
and all her institutions; passionately hating
all and everybody opposed to her, and eager
only to serve her as he would have all others
serve her.
When he goes to his grave-as we fear he
VIII even before this paper reaches our
, readers-he will leave behind most fra
grant and stimulating memory of one Of the
grandest not only Of Americans, but of men
Of all time, who was as patriotic, pure and
unseltish as he was great in warlike deeds
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