New-York tribune., 1901-08-10

nv
as one OF the most important contributions 70
.r understanding OF fits operations and OF the
,-o.s ana personalities that operated III IL
S.aneral Cox WAS n not one Of the comihailu-
ing ngures IN the conflict, valuable aho lruS'eN
assistant 10 the greater men. This oook co'
completely his experiences and ooser
during the var; though, as he says ne 'i
avoided repetition Of his former historical VIII
ings. and has tried TO make the PERSONA hai
rative supplement and lend new interest u ~
more formal story In this he has been sue
cessfll Besides his critical account OF 'he
oDerations in which he himself took part 'ie
b,ol, Gives a vivid picture Of the facts OF war
q clear view Of the conditions. OF the temper
90 tbe people and of the soldiers, OF the per
sonalitv and characters and abilities OF haI'
~ the leaders-the generals and statesmen VINO
were foremost in the conduct OF aftalrs.
AZ .be outbreak OF the war General Cox was
a member of the State Senate OF Oiho' anu %
he held q commission as brigadier IN the SIa'e
militia he was al once called upon 10 give .i'
s.r,tces an Organizing the troops enlisted under
s,,a r9resi5ant's FIRST call Mcclellan had been
mt IN command in West Virginia, and Cox was
oss,rned TO serve under him in the Great
Exanav-ha district and later under Rosecrahs'
Fremont and Pope. Then he was summoned
with his troops TO washington 10 cooperate
,n the defence OF the capital, where ne was
trousht again and more closely into relauohS
with Mcclellan during the dark Gays OK pie
latter's inactivity and Of the oisappolH'iileii'
caused by his failures Mcclellan oheFeu
psychological problem from the hrst III 'iie
-, west Virginia days the turgid rhetoric
and exaggerated pretence OF ms oisla'0l'eS'
,roclamations and correspondence were IN uh-
accountable contrast with his kindly and modest
ha.,sng Here too he showed the same as
,orishine tendency 10 excessive caution, 70 over
estimate his enemy, 10 interpret untaFoi4'iS
she sights and sounds in front that worn
such injury with the Army OF the fO'o'a0'
7. was no lack Of personal bravery for ne was
COO, ana unconcerned under fire. Mcclellan
action as 10 the strength OF Lees forces IN az
-inis General Cox calls the most feInai ''e
tn the history Of modern wars" ana ne even
goes far as 10 say:
Whether Mcclellan was the victim or the ac-
eomplice Of the inventions OF his secret s5Si SSi
-" Ire cannot tell II is almost increolule
that ne should be deceived eAcept 49,. 49,. -
The reports OF the FenltsuIa @ a., [aen
veal at times the ohuCu41g eiI040 "~ -
ing up the illusion.
rT,s ,,or,,Iaritv with HIS men was partly
,ersona, one. gained by the evidences OF gooo
Fellowship he showed 10 the troops ana py 'he
fact that ne had taught the army TO DeheNe
implicitly that the Confederate army was more
than twice as numerous as It was IN fsct' anu
hence TO admire the generalship that had saved
his own from annihilation General cox mas
only words Of censure for the later facts "t
his career his sacrifice OF Burnsloes hIelohe
friendship. for instance, and then the reVeAa-
tons made in his autobiography most cuil-
Gus piece OF self-exposure" in which ne ohooh-
sciously showed that he had forgotteh HA09H'
but had leaTnel nothing.
General Cox's work took him 70 Frederick and
on that day when Hampton's troops were driven
ont the occasion being that which prompted
Whittier TO write Barbara Frietchie'; but the
scrupulous historian is obliged to confess his
ignorance Of that poetical figure. Frederick was
a loyal town, and the Union troops were greeted
by ladies waving their handkerchiets ana ma
tional haG1. while the men came TO the column
with fruits and refreshments for the marching
soldiers as they went by in the hot sunshine OF
the September afternoon"-not then, ''the cool
September morn" General Cox adds:
Although at The head OF the column, the truth
of history" compels me to say that saw moth
ing OF Barbara Frietchie and heard nothing or
her till ] read Whittier's poem In later years
When, however, / visited Frederick with Cen
eral Grant in 1869 we were both presented with
walking sticks ma lie from timbers Of Barbara's
house. which had been torn down and. Of course
cannot dispute the story or Whlcn nave me
stick AS evidence; for Grant thought the STICK
shut up from any denial and established the
legend.
General Cox participated In the battle OF An
tietam, and that great conflict gives him ma
terial for several OF the most detailed and criti-
cal chapters IN his book Ordered back 10 East
Tennessee. after an interval Of service in Ohio,
he served under Grant. and then under sher-
man. making the famous march TO the sea,
with all its quick succession Of battles and
citing movements, OF which he gives a soldiers
story. He saw naturally much OF Grant and
sherman at this period. Grant, he writes, does
not impress one as brilliant in genius, but
erninently sound and sensible. His quality OF
greatness was that he handled great affairs
he would little ones without betraying
sciousness that this was a great thing TO do.
His taciturnity played an important part in gov
erning his actions There were times when a
warm but honest alteration with a subordinate
general would have cleared the air and removed
misunderstanding; but from behind his wall OF
taciturnity he was on the alert 10 all that was
within sight. and 20 form opinions that became
part Of his mental constitution. He had a sort
OF shyness which was curiously blended with
remarkable faith IN himself Lincolns charac-
terization OF him in a dispatch 10 Burnside "a
copious worker and fighter. but a very meagre
writer or telegrapher." gains point from the fact
that some other generals about that time had 10
be cautioned for their extravaganza in telegraph
tolls. Grant did not lack the sense Of humor
and while he took little part in military discus
sions 1t meetings with his subordinates he en-
3oyed telling a story, simply. though without
falling TO bring out its points.
His voice lacked volume. and seemed rather
aim and high keyed. II was half deprecatory in
tone, with an air OF shyness and he had a way
or glencing quickly from one TO another as IL
looking Tor signs OF response TO his venture into
talk AS he went on this wore off 10 some eN-
tent and he laughed quietly over the rerninis-