The National tribune., 1897-10-21
CHARLES a. DANA.

cHARIEs A, DANA.
The death Of Charles A. Dana, at hi.
| home on Long Island, last Sunday after
ternoon. at the ripe age of Is, removes
| from the stage Of action most forcefu
personality which had an exceptionally
powerful influence upon the war of the
rebellion-more sedthan has been gen
orally understood. tao,
Dana belonged to an old New Eng
land family distinguished for mental
vigor. He was born in Hinsdale, N. FL.
in 1919, and had few opportunities fol-
education. He worked in a store in
Buffalo. N. Y, and then began the study
of Latin and other branches, to prepare
himself for college. He spent two year:
at Harvard, and then went into journal
ism on small, short-lived papers. He
caught the infection which was rampant
at the time for Socialism on the Fourier
basis, and was member, with men and
women who afterwards became famous,
in the celebrated Brook Farm expert
ment. This experience cured him of
Socialism. He returned to the ordinary
walks of life, and in 1S47 became one
of the editors of the New York Tribune.
He was an earnest co-worker with Gree
ley in the agitation to restrict slavery
to the States where it existed, and pre-
vent its extension into the Territories.
This carried him through years Of fercest
conflict, and led up to the war. He
was never an Abolitionist in the sense
that Garrison and Wendell Phillips
were, but occupied the position which
the Republican party assumed in the
campaign resulting in the election of
Abraham Lincoln as President. That
is, that slavery should not be interferred
with in the slave States, but it must be
prevented from Decorating country
which was by nature free.
When the war broke out, he and Mr..
Greeley came to such variance as to the
manner of its conduct that they mad to
after Is years Of the closest
association. Secretary Stanton at once
offered Dana very important position
in the War Department, and finally
made him Assistant Secretary of War.
Not the least of President Lincoln's and
Secretary Stanton's troubles was the
of arriving at proper estima-
ton Of the worth of the men who were
in high position in the army. This was
a supreme trial, for theyIwere continually
called upon to decide at once whether
this man or that man was to be upheld
at the time Of some reverse, whether he
was to be continued in command, given
more men, and told to 90 ahead, or
whether he was to be removed, and
filter man appointed in his stead. West
Point jealouses and spites had lowered
into intrigues, cabals and Vaccinations.
1t was impossible in the atmosphere of
to arrive at the truth
in regard to any man, and Mr.. Dana
was sent directly into the field to
study the officers at close range,
and give the President and Secre-
tary his conclusion. He did this
with wonderful clearness, fidelity and
accuracy. His first visit was to Gen.
Grant, in the beginning of 1863, when
that commander was in much trouble
over the failure of his first efforts against
Vicksburg, and Gen. John A. McCler-
nand was being strongly pushed as hissu
cessor. Dana's letters to Secretary Stan
ton from the Headquarters Of the Army
Of the Tennessee are wonderfully fasci-
mating things to read to-day. They
show keen analysis and sound iudg-
ment of the men he met there, such as
must have been most invaluable to the
sorely-tried Lincoln and Stanton. He
gives his opinions without hesitation,
fear, favor or affection about Grant,
Sherman, Mcpherson, McClernand,
ffp I'd
Logan, Hovey, Lawler, Blair, Heron,
~,