The morning call., 1893-12-17
OPEN EVENINGS.
RECENT PUBLICATIONS

GENERAL THoMAs.-Fortunatew would 1t
be for the reputation of all military lead
ers could the story of their lives be traced
by hand so able and impartial as that of
Henry Coppee. who has written the biog-
raphy OF General George II. Thomas for
the Great Commanders series. Although,
with the exception of his service in the
Mexican war, DR.. Coffee has given more
attention to the theory of war and studied
the principles of grand strategy in the
closet rather than the field, his wide &C.
quaintance with military men and affairs.
combined with the judicial cast of his
mind, renders him particularly well quail
fed to treat dispassionately of the career
of an American general Among the
Union leaders of the great Civil War it is
doubtful If. in popular estimation, George
Fl. Thomas received the need of praise to
which he was entitled. Modest and retir-
ing in disposition. he never sought popular
distinction and always declined to be the
recipient OF public tavors as reward for
the performance OF his duties as soldier.
Thus. while his considerable care made him
the idol Of the men under his command
and his transcendent ability as a strategist
won the respect of his fellow officers, he
never became popular hero. And yet
here was q man who achieved some
of the grandest successes of the war.
who never lost battle, who always man
aged to feed and clothe his men and main
tain them in comparative comfort in the
field. In reading the history OF Thomas
life we hardly know which most to ad-
mire, his matches handling of troops at
Stones River. where he formed a new
center III Oh which the army could rally !;
the wonderful disposition Of bis troops at
Chickamauga. where he witbstood the as
sault OF an enemy flushed with success
and outnumbering his own force three to
one and saved the whole army. or that
wonderful campaign OF Nashville, which
ended in the annihiation OF Hood and
went far to settle the fate OF the Con fed
eracy To quote from his bioKrapher:
"a conQueror upon every battlefield upon
which he fought, 1t may be said that he
had not the opportunities OF show
ing his highest talent. Every military
problem thus far presented TO him he had
been able to solve, and be hind every one of
his great deeds there was surplus of
power that showed him capable OF greater.
Other men. full of impulse and impetuosity,
dashed and failed and dashed again.
Thomas, moving more cautiously In order
to be sure, did not fail.' A son of Virginia.
he had many OF the characteristics of that
greatest and venerated son of the Old
Dominion-the Father of his Country
'The personal resem blance of General
Thomas to Washington was often the sub
jet Of remark" said Garfield. Even at
West Point Rosecrans was accustomed to
call him General Washington He re-
sembled Washington In the gravity and
dignity of his character, in the solidity of
his Judgment. In the careful accuracy of all
his transactions, In his incorruptiDle in
tegrity and in his extreme but unaffected
modesty." New York: ID. Appleton s. Co.
For sale by the Bancroft Company.
A FRIEND OF THE QUEEN.-Those who
recall Edmund Burke's Reflections on the
Revolution in France" will remember his
description Of the unfortunate Marie An
toinette: ut is now sixteen or seventeen
years since l saw the Queen of France,
then the dauphiness. at Versailles; and
surely never lighted on the orb. which she
hardly seemed 10 touch. a more delightful
vision. / saw her just above the horizon,
decorating and cheering the elevated
sphere she just began to move in, glitter
ing like the morning star. full Of life and
sDlendor and joy" 1t is rot alone in the
elegant phrases and rounded periods of
Burke that We need look for glowing de-
scrptions of the beauty and happiness of
the young Austrian Princess during her
early residence IN France. nor of the sor-
row and horror that marked the close
Of her career; her life story has been
traced by many sympathetic hand. In
the volume before US we have q
contribution to the history of her
queenly career which relates to her in