The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-08-01
SHERMAN As A SOLDIER.
Criticisms Some Points In Career or
Great Successes.

itary career OF Con. william Tecumseh Sher.
man made by Mr. John c. Hopes IN the Atlantic
Monthly brings out strongly some prominent
traits OF that officer. and is both Interesting
and suggestive. While declaring at the outset
that Shermans achievements in tho civil war
were perhaps. on the whole. moro striking
and brilliant than those ierfoimed by any
other officer" that he was "entcrirsing. full
Of resources ne sreSsive" an l tho type OF the
American General in these respects Mr..
Ropes evidently finds himself at rearly every
leading point in Sherman's campaigns unable
to accept fully that officers own account Of
them or to square this acc ,unt with tho fncts.
For example. at Shiloh It is perfectly plain.
he thinks. that Grant aud Sherman were sur
nriscd by the enemy. The day before the bat
tie Sherman wrote to Grant that he did not
apprehend ANYTHING like an attack on his ro-
sition. and Grant wrote substantially the same
thing to Halleck. The battle began at half asst
in the morning. and Grant did not reach the
field until after 9, this delay Icing susceptible
OF the perfectly honorable explanation that he
was not expecting a battle to occur. His firm.
ness and stendfass courage appear to the
greater advantage on the supposition OF his
receiving an uucxrectcd b ow. while sherman
greatly distinguished himself on that field Tor
callan.ry and skill in breasting a sn,lden IN
set. And yet. as this critic says. in acc of all
tho facts Grant and Sherman have always
pcrsisenily maintained that toy were not
surprised at shiloh;' although III. world"
ADDS Mr.. Rot es. has ever been abe to tako
their statements SERIOUSLY
Tho NickshuiG campaign followed. ami was
"w"n by superior strategy" the Union Amy
having 81 no great battles 10 fight Ike thosa III
stone liver and thickGmaugh.' ,er,nnn
therefore. when summoned II f.w monih> after
tro .ps Mt chattanooga ;.biomrnt with nm no
such renn'ation Ms a Brilliant liz liter ~ Long
s w n nn o n! aa h ho Ss
the other hand; nd Just won great III -tin",ton
by his Splendid conduct ami ma.,cilv an,ib
Grams In commend of no Army 81 ne Cumber.
land. Nevertheless Grant dete:min Il - II Q
ing baiie,, 10y which lie eyrtctsl /" riise tie
i;ieEe", Iha,tanonnsa ShrimH q was to turn
attack at tile centre. But irasG't ri.:nt proved
to- ,lronI. nnl ncco' DINGHY Ih"..as was
AT the loot of The ctcny s position. His meu
tlid so. hut could moi very well remain in the
pits, and went forward witn"u: orders; carry
ing Missionary kidg" i,sei. to Grants great
nmazement. and gaining n splendid victory.
What Mr. Korcs shows is that 1T CHATTANOOGA,
sherman will form n part OF history and re-.
dound TO their lntne: but Whit lney have sniG
about these battles Is not what history will say:
great Is,,le. as % shiloh Gan, aud sherman hvs
r 1 lss, nr.'nF, !. e. " &
the a,,aeSs rnale upon the .rk, Bragg nosi,n
Srnss to s@eH an isn Ne waa n ustqan
,aen rom rom nr. ss"fr As .a al. a.
his Memoirs onvoms int-!"i. I, c"nser The in"res
va. tough. .",. won a. he had p anne! It iet tnr
mossm.ns h,rh "ran, Or cred MAS is,eHi.a %.rev
70 relieve sherman BY dtsractnE the enemy,s at. n
pts at the loot Of the HIDE
The wel-deserved lieutenant ce ner.lcy re-
warded Grant or This exploit, bur II WAS >her.
rrpeiNeU SeCo n
great Irizt. tho chic! command in the west
VIZ fMo s sna Of had az i
destruction of tue armies OF Lee aud lohns' on.
Grant could II I accomr!ish his part, during
! finished it early in ~ s for sherman o
reached Atlanta n d captu,ed it, but without
lie had lost ii Il III" "uset says Mr. E"n.s.
the rest and pei haps the only chal &c he had
durigR the whole summer of in,iirtiHR a ,eci-
| sive defeat uron Ills Antagonist Re erence
Is here mace. Of course, TO tho plan winch
Tnomss r II 1omSs md %Ge ur3n HIM It
! greater part o. his rnv to mo rear of 10 MS
/ ION at l:-saca sherman did essay this W tn
that was not ut all the same tnin=; With the
! o.her 1!an liz might have enIrI Tho cara:.,
sanl,s at kenesaw Mountain dI not do
s 6" 1he H ,n he NJ: nTy
the wntI,u ETey ,n Of rtitg yhcG Gan,
J -.
sands Of valuable lives With such meagr- re-
Mns t tut wF as she1man tue saws IN s
! Memoirs neither Atlanta nor Augusta nor
/ savannah was the oh ec,iy but m army o,
Joseph j Ohm st"n. 20 where il might he NO al
/ down to aud captured Atlanta leaving the
Confederate army still formidable. ana then
ton to Thomas VIII" executed it in The decisive
SG;ory, O. Ssisye Thus what Sherman
| Ia
General in Chlef contented himself with a
WITH o %r0u paAe "a" veerahs ,be2.
spai%s 5ssqs q; ii 4 % S$s ,%k ssd cvs;
IL sen6"srd. Cons erinG tina, iii. 'I Great
force. primarily iuten ed for the 'ieteat 81
tan} duty Ts inruse S 10 al" conser H'
mands which could not lie properly called n
a, all Hn, its Ea sea.'ers "r's sho@d +.
saspa ' 1a!oo 1 ons ali r ef "'
sion q Tennessee withou. at Il. cs holding h''
breath" Tho imagination OF The people wa:
he"ans tho hero OF tho day: but tho hard F'ri
that saved me camraiEp was Ihomns,s mag
spt sus%sss at Na n1 Sh'eh wa
our pat..os. vol nigh destroyed the bea;et
army,
is entitled To tn" full benefit OF that Justinca
tian which Sntcoss furnishes Tor militar pro-
| ectB. ma 40 b NOT SUN his pThlse LOT inc n!
| mirable conduct OF tho marches throu Il
Georgin and the Carol mas. and tho unsur
passed skill Of sherman at all times in movin,
his troops and providing them with supplies
but he. criti is"s what lie considers 10 have
been ,Shorrnu's policy o devastnti n for 20
litical ronso, =. Probably some Il the De
spaic 90 which he In,oics can 10 nsrr.b"d Il
the habit OF hu-tv and .il-consiGtrcl ulteGnnc,
which cha nctrri ed Shcr WHO is ON pila.i
cally one al tho men that Should 10 I,GEed I
history not by thor words. but by tlei: deed :
Still. Mr. Koles ~ no uht erect in sayin:
TINT sherman WIS much more occupied ,hn
q ant or Thomas with tho popular and 10 III
cal questions presented 10y the war and thu
this WAS the source Of his error in the NJ, @
ment for capitulntion mace with Johnston
One point which Mr. Ropes makes clear T.
that In "rner TO justify Sherlnnns m "v-mon
| TO SavH nah 1t was necessary t. assume thH
tho doeat Of Hood by Thomas hnd been MA"
ticnly INSURED in Hdya &c through tho rr
viSini made for II. Hence Sh 'rnan VA n
| clincd assume that Thomns'~ iccass was
for"gone conclusion whereas Grant who ha
yIel.d to SGcrman's plnn after urging hin
| only the day before TO lirst d-.troy Zoo;
| army. aad make your her movcse oniar,
was really worry much concernct over the on
core of this experiment. In his anxiety h
urged Thomas to action: while all the n
| III. real trouble was MT Thoma>'s SOFA p,
delay but the carving to savannah o. % "b