The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-26

cies of military operations, nor the mathe-
NAUTICAL talent required to estimate the re-
lations of time, space, notion and force
involved in great problems of war. His we'll
known high qualities in other respects OBJ
scured these imperfections from the great
majority of those who surrounded MIN
during the war, and rendered the few edu-
Gated soldiers who were able to understand
his true merits the more anxious to ala MIN
and save him from personal defeat. And nc
one, | am sure, of his comrades IN arms de-
sires to detract from the great fame which
is justly his due; for, according to the best
judgment of mankind. moral qualities, more
than intellectual qualities, are the founda-
ton of a great and enduring fame II was
Old Pap Thomas, not General Thomas,
who was beloved by the Army OF the Cum
berland, and it is the honest conscientious
patriot, the firm, unflinching old soldier,
not the general, whose name will be most
respected in history"
Sherman in the writer's opinion, was a
brilliant military genius. His strategy was
bold and so original that no other could
have claimed it's authorship had ne desired.
In his brilliancy of conception he often LETT
the details of execution to subordinates,
without ascertaining their ability to do So
For that reason, his plans quite often failed;
"ShermanS campaigns, he says, STAND
alone without parallel in military history;
alike unique in their conception, execution
and final results; in most respects among
the highest examples of the art OF war.
1t is evident that General Schofeld re-
CARDS General Grant as the greatest SOL
der of the war. The vast combinations
which he made when he became lieutenant
general were his own conception and they
were made upon the grandeSt scale known
to military history. He it was who rejected
the theory of territorial capture" as the
way to put down the rebellion. He made
hostile armies his objective point. 1t was
not Richmond or Atlanta that he aimed at
in his continental strategy, but Lees ana
Johnston's armies. The larger part OF the
closing chapter of the book is devoted TO
General Grant. 1t will be difficult to find a
fuller and clearer comprehension or the
character and qualities of that great man.
Very naturally such a comprehension is APP
tn
sentences:
THE greatest of all the traits of Grants
character was his moral and intellectual IN
tegrity, sincerity, veracity and justice he
was incapable of any attempt to deceive
anybody, and above all, he was incapable
of deceiving himself. His love OF
truth and Justice was so far above all per-
sonal considerations that he showed unmls-
taxable evidence of qualification when any
error into which he might have fallen was
corrected. In Grants judgment, no case in
which any wrong had been done could pos
snly De regafGea a. many is nr Ghe in his
own mature opinion was very great; in that
he was as far as possible from being mod
ell man. His absolute confidence IN MS own
judgment upon any subject which ne had
mastered and the moral courage TO take
upon himself the highest responsibility, and
to demand full authority and freedom
to act according to his own Judgment,
without interference from anybody, added
to his accurate estimate of his own ability
and the clear perception of the necessity
/, for undivided authority and responsibility
in the conduct of military operations ana
in all that concerns the efficiency OF armies
in time of war, constituted the foundation
of that very great characters These
are the traits of character which make
Grant very great mantle only man or
our time, so far as can be known, who pos
sessed both the character and the military
ability which were, under the cIrcum-
stances indispensable in the commander of
the armies which were TO suppress the great
rebellion. MatchlesS courage and
composure in the midst of the most trying
events of battle, magnanimity in the nour
of victory, and moral courage TO compel all
others to respect his plighted faith toward
those who. had surrendered 10 him, were
the browning glories of Grants great and
noble character"
In conclusion, it is safe to say that no
writer has so intellgently and critically
treated the Atlanta campaign, the events
which led to the destruction of Hoods army
and the march to the sea as has General
Schofield. He has the fairness to declare
| that Shermans army in North Carolina, OF
which his corps was part. did not force
the SurrendSr of Lee to the Army of the
| Potomac On the contrary he says that
Lees surrender compelled that of Johnston
unless it should break up into guerrilla
bands and keep up the struggle Tor long
time.
and keep up the struggle for long time.
Beyond the likeness of the author and a
few small maps, the book has no illustra-
lions. 1t has SIT pages of reading, with
copious index, and is one of the most in
structive books which have been written
about the war and the use of the army in
subsequent troubles. Published by the Cen
tury COMPANY. New York.