Sacramento daily record-union., 1889-10-04
The History of Their Lives Savors More
of Romance than Reality.

suCotSs
The Secretary of War was the first to
alight from the carriage and step upon the
veranda of the Superintendent's quarters
He was warmly greeted by General Sher-
man, General Horace Porter, General Van
Vliet, George W. Childs, Wayne McVeagh,
and the academic and military stats of the
post There was an immense crowd of
spectators congregated under the trees on
the edge of the plain. A battalion of
cadets marched in review before the visit
ors. The machine-like precision of their
movement and the soldierly appearance of
the cadets ELECTED from the foreigners
many complimentary remarks.
The battalion marched to Grant Hall. the
crowd quickly following, and in twink
ling the hall was janmed with people. A
platform had been erected at the north end
of the room, where the portraits of the
three great Generals-Grant, Sherman and
Sheridan--hung on the wall, each veiled
in a United States flag.
The exercises were opened with a prayer
by the Chaplain of the Post, Rev. Mr..
Postlethwaite.
The Superintendent then raised his
hand, tap of drums followed and the
flags fell from the pictures and they stood
revealed in all their beauty.
The battalion presented arms, the band
played Hail, Columbia" and the audience
sprang to their feet and cheered.
General Horace Porter was then intro
duced and spoke as follows
1t has been said that the only representatives
of royalty recognized in this land ale our mer-
chant princes. We are indebted for the occas-
ion which brings US together to-day to the
princely act OF public spirited and patriotic
citizen who has conferred upon the Military
Academy souvenirs of her three most distin-
guished graduates whose historic features have
been transferred TO canvas by the limner's art.
one dwelling in our midst, two dwelling in our
memories One bearing the laurel upon liv-
ing brow; two wearing the laurel intertwined
with the cypress The history of their lives is
the most brilliant chapter in the history of their
country. 1t savors more of romance than
reality it is more like tabled tale of ancient
days than the story of American soldiers OF the
nineteenth century.
Most of the conspicuous characters in history
have risen to prominence by gradual steps, but
the senior of the triumyiTate, whose features are
recalled to US to-day, came before the people
with sudden bound. Almost the first sight
caught of him was in the blaze of his camp-ires
and the flashes of his guns those winlry days
and nights in front of Donelson. From that
time until the osing triumph at Appomattox
the great central figure OF the war was Ulysses
S. Grant. As light and shade produce the most
attractive effects in picture, so the singular
contrasts, the strange vicissituoes of his event
tul life surround him with an interest which at
taches to few characters in history. His rise
from ali obscure Lieutenant to the command OF
the veteran armies of the great Republic; his
transition from a frontier post of the untrodden
west to the Executive mansion of the nation;
his sitting at one time in little store in Ca
lena not even known to the Congressman from
his dis rict; at another time stTiding through
the palaces of the Old World, with the descend
ants of a line of Kings rising and standing un-
covered in his presence. These are some of the
features of his marvellous career which appeal
TO the imagination, excite mems wonder and
fascinate all who make study of his life.
tod for mat Vnnfal
the very magnitude of the task which called
forth the powers that mastered it, In ordinary
matters he was an ordinary man; in momentous
affairs he lowered as a giant When perform
ing the routine duties of company post there
was no act to make him conspicuous aoove his
fellow officers, but when he welded corps and
armies the great qualities of the commander
flashed forth, and his master strokes of genius
stamped him as the foremost soldier of his age
When he hauled wood from his little farm and
sold il 10 st. Louis his financiering was hardly
equal to that of the small farmers about him.
but when message was to be sent by Presi
dent TO Congress that would puncture the falla-
ces OF the infiationists and throttle by a veto
the attempt of unwise Legislators to cripple the
finances of the nation, State paper was pro-
duced which has ever since commanded the
wonder and admiration of every believer in
sound currency. He was made for great things
not for little He could collect fifteen millions
from Great Britain in settlement of the Alabama
claims he could not protect his own personal
savings from the misereants who robbed him in
Wall street.
II there is one word which describes better
than any other the predominating characters
tic of his nature, that word is loyalty. He was
loyal to his friends loyal to his family oyal to
his country and loyal to his God. This trait
naturally produced a reciprocal effect upon
those who were brought into relations with him
and was one of the chief reasons why men be-
came so Loyalty attached TO him. Many pub
lie man has had troops of adherents who clung
to him only for the patronage dispensed at his
hands, or being dazzled by his power became
blind partisans in cause he represented but
perhaps no other man than General Grant ever
had so many personal friends who owed him
tor his own sake whose affection only strength
ened with time, whose attachment never varied
in its devotion whether he was General or resi-
dent or simply private citizen.
Even the valor of his martial deeds was sur
passed by the superb heroism he displayed
when fell disease attacked him, when the hand
which had seized the surrendered swords of
countless thousands was no longer able to re-
turn the pressure of a comrades grasp when
he met III death the first enemy 10 whom he
ever surrendered. But with him death
brought eternal rest and he was permitted TO
enjoy what he had pleaded for in behalf of
others, for the Lord hsd let him have peace
Turn we now to Grants immediate successor
in the Office of General-in-C Chief his illusrious
lieutenant, with whom he divided a field of
military operations which covered half con-
tinent, the skillful strategist, the brilliant
writer, the commander whose orders spoke
with the true bluntness of the soldier who
fought from valleys depth to mountain hight.
who marched from inland rivers TO the SEA
William 7. Sherman.
He has shown himself possessed of the high
est characteristics of the soldier. Bold in con-
ception, self-reliant, demonstrating by his acts
that much danger makes great hearts most
resolute, prompt in decision. unshrinkiDg uu-
der grave responsibilities, fertile in resources,
quick 10 adapt the means at hand to accom-.
plishment of an end, possessing an intuitiye
knowledge of topography, combining the rest
lessueSS OF n HOtspur with the patience Of o
FAbiuS. uusWeryln0 IN natriOfiSu If ttr,fs
peachable personal character, of a physical
constitution which enabled him to undergo
every hardship incident 10 an active campaign
II Is no wonder that he has filled so large a
measure of mi itary greatness that he stands
In the front rank OF the worlds great captains
No name connected with the army inspires
more genuine enthusiasm. appeals more to our
| sentiments or moLe excites our fancy than that
OF the wizard of the battlefield Philip h Sneri-
| dan. The perSonitication of chiyalry the in
carnation OF battle; cheering, threatening. in-
| citing, beseeching, inspiring all men by his
acts, he reused his troops by deeds of indiyid-
! ual heroiSm unparalleled in the history of
modern warfare, and his unconque,able col
| umns rushed to victory with all the confidence
| of CGsars Tenth Legion. Generous with his
! life. gifted with the ingenuity of a Hannibal.
the dash of Murat, the courage of Ney, the
magnetism OF his presence transformed routed
| squadrons into charging columns and snatched
| V ctoly from defeat. He preferred shot and
shell to flags of truce; he would rather lead
| iorlorn hopes than follow in the wake OF
L
HIS standard rose above all others on the field:
Wherever blows fell thickest his crest was in
their midst, despite the daring vsIor of the
| defense, opposing ranks went down before the
\ heTeeness OF his onscts never to rise again; he
| paused not until the fold OF his banners waved
| above the stronghold he had wrested from the
/ foe. While is ach evemeuts in actual bafIle
| eclipse. by their brilliancy, the ,trategy and
| grand taetlc' employed in his campaigns vel
| the skin and boldDess exhibited in movine
| large bodies of men into position entitle him
perhaps, TO as much credit as the raryelous
| qualities he displayed in the face of the enemy
/ B'ave sheridan Methinks / see yonr siIen,
clay again quickened into life once more riding
| Rienzi through fire of he'll. leapinc opI,osins
! earthworks at single bound and leaving moth
| ing OF those who barred your way exctp: tht
| fragments scattered in yoTr path.
Matchless leader Haybinger of victory We
| salute youi
As loOg as courage is talked Of or heroic deed!
are honored thee will remain green in tho
| hearts of men toe tAlismaDic name OF Sheridan
/ Nearly every great war has given birth TO one
4 great General; no other war than our own hs,
| produced three such eminent commanders In
/! their portraits future graduates will gaze upor
| the features of three soldiers who Were her es
| comrades friends. As iron is welded in tho
/ heat of the forge, 50 was their FRIENDSHIP
| welded in the hest of battles. With hearts M
| touched by lealduSy. with sons foo rTast IN,