New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-17

act to the best advantage when he was called
upon to equip the forces he found under his com
mand as major general OF the Revolutionary
army His active service in the French and
Indian War terminated with the campaign
against Fort Frontenac when ne settled down
at The Flats with his young wife and chill
Gren. But nothing could efface the memory of
the hardshps he and his fellows had undergone
or undo the lessons then learned. He now n
derstood. Mr.. Tuckerman tells US, the methods
of moving large bodies of men in country OF
rivers and forests the precautions against am
buscade. the building and management of boats.
The collection and distribution of military stores
had been intrusted largely to him. and at the
conclusion of the war there was no young man
in the province who understood the duty better.
His natural mental gifts and the constant asso-
citation during five years with military officers
had taught him what a soldiers life involved
the Importance of discipline. the provision for
the future. the necessity of meeting varying
conditions with new expedients."
1t his strictness in the matter of disci-
pline that later aroused in his militiamen such
a spirit of INSTRUMENTATION and dstrust. That
Schuyler at times naughty and overbearing
is shown by letters from which Mr.. Tuckerman
quotes but this does not extenuate in his opin-
ion, the conduct OF the volunteers who would lay
down their lives for their country. but would
not brook authority. Almost from the outset
of his career Revolutionary leader Schuyler
had trouble with his His action at Ticon-
deroga in setting the New England troops to
work at boat building in preparation for the in
vasion of Canada, was bitterly resented by
many who looked upon him tyrant, and
did not realize that the ills that were affiict
ing them in barracks were largely due to unac-
customed idleness. Often Schuyler lost his pa
t,f,
concerning him that filtered from the barracks
to the homes In New-England. adding to the
prejudice already existing n result Of his
yielding pro- New-York attitude in the matter
Of the Hampshire Grants, Gradually these pref
udices crystallized into definite suspicion OF his
loyalty. and he was accused OF entertaining Tory
sentiments. The truth Mr.. Tuckerman insists.
was that from the first he had taken a patriotic
stand. and never were suspicious more unjust
Their existence could not be denied. and
resented them more bitterly than Schuyler. To
add to his discontinue he had a return of his
malady rheumatic govt. the eve OF the de-
parture OF the expedition to Canada. and was
obliged to abandon all idea OF accompanying
Montgomery and the army OF invasion. Return
ing to fconderoga he busled himself with the
work of collecting and forwarding supplies. and
later rendered signal service in insuring the
lam Johnson. the conqueror OF Lake George. had
died. and his had turned Tory. melting the
red men to make war on the Colonials despite
the fact that he had given Schuyler his word
that he would remain neutral An expedition
being sent to arrest him. he received warning
and escaped Forthwith the old charge OF dis
loyalty was renewed against Schuyler and it
was freely stated in New-England that his
Tory sympathies had induced him TO connive
at the escape.
From this point Mr.. Tuckerman devotes many
pages to the discussion of "New-England hostil-
ity" and the efforts of Gates to supplant Schuy
Ter In the command of the Northern army. This
portion OF his volume Is calculated to aggrieve
those who look at Schuyler from the New
England point of view" but, we have said.
the author shows a commendable degree Of self
restraint in defending the general He is not
blind to Schuyler's defects. He does not, with
mistaken zeal, seek to elevate his hero to
verdict:
His career, honorable to himself, useful to the
community in which his lot cast, and to
the nation which he helped to found. owed its
success to sterling qualities of head and heart
Without genius. without extraordinary talent in
any particular, he had that combination OF
ability and character which makes Il trusted
leader. genuine love of country lay at the
base of all his public actions. The fair land
which his ancestors had travelled so far and
worked hard to possess, he rejoiced in pos
sessing and improving. The noble river which
attracted the affection of his earliest youth and