New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-03-18
OLD HICKORY"
pAMES PARTON,s BIOGRAPHY OF JACKSON

GREAT COMMANDERS: GENERAL JACKSON; by
James Parton limo, PIP 49,. D. App'e'oh I" w.
special Interest attaches TO Mr.. Parton's LIE OF
General Jackson for IT was the last worK ne nio
before his death. 1t Is. moreover. very creditaoe
picce of biography and II II presents the purely mill
tary elements In Jacksons career at such length anu
IN such high relief 10 rather obscure the poh'o"i
side OF his e the professional instinct OF the t'aied
bookmaker doubt counts for something Ia INC
result 1t U.s. OF course. not possible for any boef"pnei
Of General Jackson to ignore or to be''e the many
rrim and unamiable traits OF his character or 10
conceal the obvious fact that he was capaDe OF CON"
hitting the most odious and the most lawess acuohs
under the stimulus OF q high temper and strong WILL
II Is In fact very apparent that no man ever was
less fitted by nature or education to lie oohs'tu'
tional ruler OF a free country. AT the time ne
1ourished, however. American government mad not
vet become familiar It's working 10 the nation ana
there were many disturbing influences WITHIN anu
without that men nsnctively reached out for leaders
of positive strength and uaqucstoned mastery anu
cared little for minor considerations.
Jackson's southern training and his personal ex
perfence In that wild country bad not taught MN
much of the amenities OF polished life. but had deVei
oped In him q readiness. q shrewdness. gill OF
handling men In emergencies. which show that ue -
Justly entitled TO rank among great commanders III
this volume. which is written charactersuc"hv VII"
an eve to the picturesque. Mr. Parton mas wei!
warfare. which really gave Jackson ali the military
practice he ever had before ne called upon 10
confront famous European troops and commanders-
the men OF the Pennsular campaigns anu lie omceiS
who had led them-could not nave ieahy taught
Jackson much The aptitude was in him. He wos
In some essential respects born captain; ana 'ha'
alone can explain his great success at New-Orleans'
To this crowning achievement OF his lie MS
biographer leads up cieverly ana upon ne ia'sHes
all his descriptive art. The result Is "a most surfing.
and for the part quite intelhgibe. account oil
that momentous series OF engagements: though even
Mr. Parton finds 1t at times impossible TO DO lusuce
IN the conditions under which mach OF the hghune
was done. When, for example. II was. for hours 10
Cether, so dark that the contendlnG parues couiu
ouly be guided by the flashes OF the guns, II must
clearly have been quite impossible Tor either COM
manders or troops either side 10 know with any
approach TO precision what was taking place. All
that was rendered certain eventually was that the
British troops met awful slaughter. that they
we're incapable OF whstanding the deadly IRE ufeceu
AGAINST them In flank and 'front.' that the craftsmanship
of the Americans produced an unprecedented mor'ahN
among the enemys ofhcers.
I1might indeed. be questioned whether the slaughter
Of officers In any comparatively modern ba'ue equ'
that OF Newt Orleans. The redcoats we're picKeu on
by the score In every direction, ana wheh 'ne ehu
approached every general officer had been hiiieu W
disabled. or the external circumstances hau
much to do with the general result The approaches
to the city, the vicinity of the river the shalio"heSS
Of the sol-each and all played their part In promohe
the defence and battling the assault. No doubt has
aver been entertained Of the capacity OF fahehhui'
o. the gallantry Of his army. Inc ia',er was y,
,eneral the very flower OF that spiehuo
body of troops which had fought with almost constant
victory over half Europe. Yet here at New'o'i'a"S
they pitted against hasty levy Vi I'd" i'''''
and were wholly discounted.
To General Jackson above all belongs the glory Vi
this great achievement, for perhaps no other man
could have maintained the resolution ana hrm"ess
OF 30 motley host and certainly lew Hell 'o"'u
have risen TO great emergency WITH more o'i"ii'
and Judgment. 1t OF the best proofs Oh
his innate military genius that danger Always 'oocu
and concentrated his faculties There Is no instance
NJ his having ever been hustcred or confused. Inc
harder the problem the more clearly he saw 10" "
solve 1t; and he had the rare and invaiua"e gut VI
impartng 10 those about him the hope ana resouio"
which buoyed him up at the most dincuit moments
In battle the man was thoroughly al nome WIN
body so frail so diseased so shattered by MS ones'
that A. seemed half the time the verge Oi dlsso
luton he Joined spirit indoniabe that IL lairiS
and literally decd physical weakness ana OH every
appeal lifted its TO the height OF perieet n'
for the work in hand There Is reminder vi "ciSo
at times In Jackson's gallant and always succesiu
wrestlngs with the weakness OF the hesh' anu 'H'' "
,r.s which made him a great commander.
The glory and fame OF New-orleans 90 ho' ia"c
even under the strong light thrown ny 'he ho''e
fighting Of the Rebellion. No more recent series o. en-
gagemen,s can be named which had results nor'
momen,ous or in which all the probabilities seem 81
reversed. 1t is feat OF arms always 10 De m"r''u
at, and, let us add. never likely 10 De oe''.' " ~
spir,edly recounted than in the pages before US
AIR Parton has done full justice TO his SUBJECT anu
H. after descending from the excitement oil those uS
he finds the affairs of the National Administration
somewhat irksome can sympailize Win hi"' rs
President Of the United states, General Jackson was
Aosfi cd IN
could have been an ideal constitutional ruler ana he
d M ..or, IN he So All his tendencies were
arbitrary and sometimes even dcspouc lie uiu
great and lasting harm In his mulish ana uhprlhue
fight with the United states Bank; but 10 MS last
day he failed to realize the truth III tns respeo'
his present biographer has cer'aihy uohe MN ,'''
-. than strict iustice but the life whole Is |
STRONG. well compacted. and throws Into RELIEF It's
hero,s main characteristics with decided sAiii anu