Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-08-14

MIN material for several Of the most
detailed and critical chapters in his
book. Ordered back to East Tennessee,
after an interval of service in Ohio. he
served under Grant, and then under
Sherman, making the famous march to
the sea, with all it's quick succession of
battles and exciting movements, of
which he gives soldiers story. He
saw naturally much of Grant and Sher-
man at this period. Grant, he writes,
does not impress one as brilliant in ge-
MUS but as eminently sound and SEN
sible. His quality of greatness was that
he handled great affairs as he would lit
tie ones, without betraying conscious
ness that this was great thing to do.
His taciturnity played an important
part In governing his actions. There
We're times when warm but honest al
tercation with a subordinate general
would have cleared the air and removed
Observation-Disclosures but from behind his
wall of taciturnity he was on the alert
to all that was within sight and to form
opinions that became part of his mental
constitution. He had a sort of shyness
which was curiously blended with re-
markable faith in himself. Lincoln's
characterization of him in dispatch to
Burnside as "a copious worker and
tighter, but very meager writer or tel
egrapher," gains point from the fact
that some other generals about that
time had to be cautioned for their en-
travagance in telegraph tolls. Grant did
not lack the sense of humor, and while
he took little part in military discus
sions at meetings with his subordinates
ct, CT, tl,.>
without failing to bring out its points.
His voice lacked volume, and seemed
rather dim and high-keyed. 1t was half
deprecatory in tone, and with an air of
shyness, and he had way of glancing
quickly from one to another, as If look
ing for signs of response to his venture
into talk. Az he went on this wore off
to some extent, and he laughed quietly
over the "reminiscences he was telling"
There could scarcely be a greater con-,
strast between the natures of Grant and
Sherman. The latter's was one of In
tense, restless activity, both physical
and mental.
I'm conversation he poured out a
wealth of original and striking ideas.
from a full experience, observation and
reading; his assertions would be strong
and confident, highly colored by the
glow of momentary feeling. His
practical work in the field was never
reckless, but his boldest outlines of plan
We're worked out with thoughtful eau
ton in detail and full provision for pos
sible disappointment. When discussing
a situation with his familiars, after
strongly stating his own view, he would
add, Now what is Joe Johnston's
game? and he would anayze his ad-
versarys possible moves with a candor
and insight that left no doubt of his full
comprehension of the problem before
him"
1t is Gen. Cox's settled Judgment that
the volunteer army of the union took
the field in 1862 as we'll fitted for its
Work as any army in the world, its SUI
perior excellencies in the most essential
points fully balancing the defects which
We're incidental to its composition His
estimate of the officers of the regular
army in 1861 is tempered by considera-
ton of their absolute lack of warlike
experience, except, in some ca ses, in the
insignificant movements of the Mexican
war. AS matter of fact, he believes
that their advantage over equally we'll
educated civilians amounted to little
more than better knowledge of the
army regulations and the administrative
processes. AS he points out, prior to our
civil war-and recent military history
may make even that Limitation unnec-
essary-the history of European con-
fiicts proves that there also the theoreti-
cal preparation of military men had not
saved them from the necessity of learn
ing both generalship and army admins
tration in the terrible school of expert
ence Nothing so encouraged Gen. Cox
as his reading. in 1863. of kingsake's
"Crimean War" which taught him that
our blunders at the beginning had been
no greater than those Of the European
armies, and that our capacity to learn
was at leas. as quick as theirs.