New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-02-18
"FySTORY As SHE rs WROTE

General Henry V. Boynton. n member Of
the ChickamauCa- Chattanooga Battlefield Park
Commission and president Of the Board Of Edu-
cation OF the District Of Columbia has long
conducted a valiant warfare against the crude
and ignorant writing OF schoolbook histories
Through his efforts hundreds Of errors in text
books have been exposed. and higher standards
OF accuracy have been set for the historical
compilations admitted TO the public schools
Having exercised his vigilance so effectively
on small fry offenders, General Boynton has
now turned his critical batteries on certain
more pretentious history makers. In n recent
letter 10 THE Washington Post" he vigorously
challenges the sort Of history" incorporated in
1.-The New International Encyclopedia" a work
issued under the joint editorship OF Dr. Daniel
Colt Gilman. the president Of the Carnegie In
stitution, and two DISTINGUISHED New-Yorll edu-
Gators, Professors Frank Moore Colby and
Harry Thurston Peck.
Three extracts are quoted. dealing with the
battles Of Antietam. Chickamauga and Chatta-
nooga. to show the vague and misleading ideas
into which supposed authorities" in history so
often fall. We have space TO quote but one ex-
tract Justly condemned by General Boynton,
portion Of the "Encyclopedias" description Of
the operations around Chattanooga IN 1853
This says:
At daylight or the 25th CNovenaber). sherman
renewed his attack the Confederate right
but. owing the unavoidable delay Of Hooker
In coming 70 his assistance. was placed in a pre-
carious position. and as a diversion Grant or
dered demoHstra ton by Thomas's troops, under
Sheridan and wood, against the Confederat 10
centre. These troops quickly drove the enemy
from his rife trenches. and then, without orders
from Grant or Thomas rushed ir-uetuoueIv I'D
the steep hill CMissionary Ridge and I'm one
q the most remarkable charges known 10 Mill
tary history carried the fortihcatious under
terrific FIRE. gained possession Of the crest OF
the ridge and drove the Confederates. panic
stricken from the field.
General Boynton's comment on this descrip-
ton speaks for itself II is:
Sherman had made no previous attack on the
Confederate right. beyond occupying by mista Ike
the day before some outlying hills which had
not been held by the enemy. At the
time Sherman attacked, Hooker was on Lookout
Mountain, nine miles away. He was ordered
the opposite extreme Of the battle line on Mis-
slohaIy Ridge, WAlch was eight miles from
sherman. and the Idea Of sending him TO Sher-
mans assistance WAS never suggested by any
body. Further than that. Sherman had more
troops than he wanted, Ia evidenced by his
sending back Baird's strong division. which had
been sent him from the centre The proposition
that the failure OF Hooker or any one else 10
come up placed Sherman lin precarious DO
sition" IS as ludicrous as the statement that
Hooker failed him.
Sheridan and Wood. against the Ccnfederat To
centre two DAYS before Shermau's at
TACK, ana Whlle ne was stu on the other side OF
the Tennessee River. This demonstration by
Wood and Sheridan. which was on November %
is here confounded with the assault on Mission
airy Ridge on the afternoon Of November % by
the divisions OF Baird. Wood. Sheridan and
Johnson. The expression the steep hill'' OIfs-
sonary Ridge presents decidedly inadequate
idea OF a range eight miles of which was occu-
pied by the Confederate battle line and three
miles OF which was carried by the assault OF the
Army Of the Cumberland.
MisapprehensiOns and perversions of this sort
are. we fear more prevalent among American
historians than many hasty readers may sus-
pect DR.. Woodrow Wilson. the president of
Princeton University. published not long ago
History OF the American People" widely her
aided as a brilliant achievement in historical
composition. Describing the battle OF Gettys-
burg-the greatest and most decisive battle ever
fought on this continent-AIr. Wilson SAYS:
He Qee) threw his men across long. open
spaces against the federal troops. strongly
posted and intrenched. For three days he beat
uoggedly upon them. The second day he drove
their lines partially in and took a part Of their
position. But the third day the lost ground was