Los Angeles herald., 1892-03-06
GEN. H. w. SLOCUM.
Another Democratic Candidate Brought
Forward.

EOIW6IOs
EDITORS HERALD: As veteran New
York Democrat was greatly pleased
with the letter of Mr.. Creighton in the
HERALD of this morning, and still more
with the spirit and letter of your edi-
torial comment. Both were to the
York state and elsewhere by the ma
tional Democracy.
I should be ashamed of my proud old
state, if it could be said there were only
two men within her ample borders
worthy to be named for the presidency.
As between Mr.. Hill and Mr.. Cleveland
I am for Hill. But l would prefer for
the sake of harmony to set him aside,
and leave him to his new found honors
in the senate. As to the presidency let
us have "rotation in Office"
You may have noticed at the foot OF
large, nominated at the late New York
gallant comrade Gen. Daniel E. Sickles,
the name of Henry w. S)ocum. He
who commanded on the right at Gettys-
burg, and led the left wing of Sherman's
army in Its march to the sea who was
seriously wounded at the head Of his
regiment in the first battle for the
union, but was soon in his saddle again,
and remained actively engaged until
the close of the war.
An esteemed contemporary recently
said, "All the great soldiers OF the war
have passed into silence" 1t may be
30, but there are those still living whose
silence is not that OF death, but rather
that degree of conscious merit which
shrinks from self-assertion. Upon re-
cent occasion, when the great battle of
Gettysburg was under discussion (where
it is we'll known he commanded the
right of the Union forces), General Slo-
cum was loudly called for, and after
some hesitation, said II came here to-
night to listen rather than to speak. I
have not written any letters about the
war, nor do Intend to. ] am not one
of those who believe that the men who
attain prominence in war are entitled to
all the honors. Colonel Stegman (the
speaker of the evening" has rightly told
you that the reserves in support of the
right wing were taken away and sent to
the support OF the left. Only Greene's
corps was left to protect our right line,
close behind which lay our reserve ar
tillery in park. But Greene's men were
not idle. They built, in an indescrib-
ably short time, breastwork of logs
and timber extending along the whole
front, and by their gallant resistance to
the impetuous assaults of Early, they
held the lines until assistance arrived,
and the confederates we're beaten back.
defeated and dismayed.
ssAnd what Waterloo was to Europe,
Gettysburg was to the United States.
As Waterloo saved Europe from being
overrun by Napoleon, go Gettysburg
saved the union from dismemberment.
looked upon the disasters to
the northern arms at the battles OF Bull
Run in the early part of the war as very
deplorable events but in the light of
subsequent history I have come to the
conclusion that it is better they were
lost than won. Providence was in those
battles for our good. Had they proved
victories for us the war would have
closed too soon. Great differences had
to be settled that could never have been
otherwise settled but by war. God
closed the war at the proper time, and
the permanent benefits to our united
country are inestimably superior to all
the costs, though terrible they some
times seemed"
Henry w. Slocum was born in Delphi,
Onondaga county, N. Y, September "a,
1927.
He received his early education at the
Central New York Conference seminary
at Cazenovia, Madison county, New
York and entered the United States
Military academy at West Point in 1852.
1.-THE writer here gives full account
of the generals brilliant record as q sol
dier, which is, or should be, familiar to
everyone. This interesting matter
shows the general to have possessed al
tie noble qualities which characterize
great captains. Italength pyecludes its
" i; \ fiSn e issr hsss