New-York tribune., 1891-02-15
EENEP ,SHERMfN,

\ nation mournS to-day the last OF the three
great captains who. side by side achieved I'M
pcrishabe fame by leading to crOwnlng victory
the armies that saved their country from de-
stl1Iction and its enemies from rum. By me
death of Sherman America loses an llluStnous
general. one Of the foremost of its citizens
gentleman without reprOach a man among men,
and q patriot among patriots.
The survivor of generation of great men, his
was a figure unique in many respects. Inc
popularity that in all times so many men have
stopped to court, often perhaps without STOPPING
low enough to achieve, his rugged but trans
lucent nature disdained yet won easily, and Sc
culely kept without so much as an or. Grant
though universally regarded rot more for his
incompatible deeds than for the SteadfaStneSs
of his character. and though twice rewarded
with the highest honor in the power of his
cOuntrymen TO bestOw, never really awakened
the highest enthusiasm of soldiers or citizens;
while Sherman in all the armies while the War
lasted and among all the people since had Only
TO let his familiar fom lie seen to carry away
the hearts of all men as Sheridan carried away
those OF his immediate followers. As the years
passed not only did the early aSpentes OF his
high-Strung nervous temperament disappear OF
lose their Jagged edges, but his very character
seemed 10 soften and grow richer and more
mellow like some rare fruit ripcning under the
fIoStS Of winter. lie mixed more and more
with his old soldiers and with the people young
and old drew nearer to them. understood them
better and was better understood by them Like
John Quincy Adams. for example, he began 10
talk freely at an age when most reserved men
become taciturn. but unlike men of the classic
tvpo. his speech was gentle as well a. golden
In almost every large gathering of late yelrs
his indefatgabe social zeal caused him to be
looked for and always as Il welcome presence
and an honored guest. Not since poloniuS coun-
Selled Laercs has any son received from any
father advice Sounder sagcr or more Sympa-
thetic than that contained in the few snort
quaint. characteristic sentences he was wont to
address eff hand to those he loved to call his
BOYS" at annual reunions like those OF the
Army of the Potomac the Army OF the Ten
nessee and the LOYAL Legion. If the inevitable
strains of "Marching Through Georgia. DIS
tullcd his serenity and eclipScd the gaycty oi
his evenings ont. he bore the ordeal with folti-
tudc: il pleased 1.-THE boys" and nothing they
cared for ever failed to excite his iveiest IN
terest \ good father, good husband, good
son. a pure man a soldier without vices. no less
,han >tIategist wcllnigh beyond comparison,
lis death removes historic landmark The
grief that is felt to-day will be less bitter for
the remembrance that no private default ever
dlmmnd the lustrn o. his public careor.
llprt. quick. untirinc. taking small Thought
of GLORY and none OF fine feathers or idle parade.
but doing all things for the sake Of duty and
his country. sherman may well Stand Tor the
type and model of the American soldier Al his
/ best. Some of his highest qualities were. in
deed 50 strongly marked as - risc into defects.
! Thus in his early career a. a general he lost
! for 4 time the confidence Of his Superi0rS by
seeing too far and too clearly into the future.
/ At Vicksb he saw both sides with such dis
tinctnes> and had 50 keen a perception Of the
rnin he ,vouId have wrought had he commanded
the Confederate forces. that he was led to pro-
test at the outset against the plan Of the re-
markabl" campaign tha, opened the MISSISSIPPI
and proved the making of Grant.
A. tactician Sherman was not always above
ciitici,m: witness Ciicka,aw Bluffs. Tunnel
, Hi. and bloody KcAc,aW. But aS master Of
strategy. Nhrthet in principle or, harder still in
practice. he has had 10 equal on this continent,
nor duling tie seventy years Of his lifetime has
he had bis superior anywhere. unless in Won
Mo,t.c. In this and ia Hherm2nS daily ard
hourly control Of every one of the numbere'S
and troublesome details on which depend the
Increment and even the very life OF an army
lay the secret Of his success. From first to last
he WIS his oNn chief or staff No army ever had
q bettrr. Thus il was that the dramatic march
from Atlanta to tho Sea was made possible yet
hi, was far from being his greatest work. for
then h. WAS unoppoScd. whereas his movement
from Chattanooga into the heart OF Georgia was
one long trial Of skill and strength with johns
ton at his bcS,-a leader only inferior. if in
ferior. to Lee himSclf-at the head Of an army
Second only 10 Lees