The Washington herald., 1907-09-22
Some "IfS" in American History.

cesslon Of untoward incidents which not
even the greatest Of military men could
f0resee or prevent. Napoleon was a
greater soldier than Wellington, who de-
feated him. Lee was a greater soldier
than Meade who blasted the hopes of
the Confederacy az Gettysburg No bat
tle IN history IS so set about with Ifs
as that Pennsylvania fight which decided
the issue Of the preservation OF the Union.
-Four and a half months after the bat
tie was over. President Lincoln dedicated
the National Cemetery on the field. That
Gay Edward Everett said that If 81 had
not been for the Provideutial inactivity
OF the Confederate forces on the second
day OF the battle, the result would have
been WoefUl disaster 10 the Union cause.
as the long cessation of lighting gave a
chance for half OF Meade's men 20 get
On the field and prepare for the attack.
II IS now known that Gen. Lee on the
night before had ordered the attack 10
begin az daybreak. The forward move
ment was not begun until nearly 4 O'Clock
IN the afternoon. That delay meant the
defeat OF Lees army Had he been VIC
torl0us there. il would have meant the
recognition Of the Coufederacy by foreign
powers and the separation Of the Union.
Who was % blame for that DELAY? has
been a matter Tor heated controversy.
But the mighty ''if' Is there
The tales that are told Of this battle
are uumberIess. One says that Gen. Lee
had a very short bit Of soft lead pencil.
He wrote an order with It. but Il was so
dim lhat be feared it could not be read.
He threw it on the ground. where Il was
picked UP by q Federal soldier and re-
suited In the occupation Of Little Round
Top the key % the Federal position. II
Is known that The occupation Of Little
Round Top was ordered by Gen. Warren,
chief Of engineers. acting without au-
thority, and not a moment TOO soon, as
the Confederates were ciambering up its
slope when the Federals reached the sum-
nit from the other side
The first DAYS fighting az the battle OF
Shiloh resulted IN a defeat Of the Fed
erals which would have been a rout il
Gen. Beauregard had not ceased fighting
IN the face OF the protests Of his officers
and men. lie was IN command because
Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston had been
killed in the battle. If fighting had been
pushed that afternoon. Grants army
would have been destroyed before the re-
Inducements came up. and the name OF
Ulysses 5. Grant would not now stand
at the head of the list Of soldiers OF the
United States. Johnston was wounded In
the leg, and his death was from loss OF
blood. If he had Needed the entreaties OF
his surgeon and submitted 10 treatment
when he was first wounded he would have
lived The wound was Insignificant, but
from II poured blood until his high jack
boot was filed and he reeled from his
saddle dead
The people of the United States have
shown their admiration for war heroes by
elevatlng more than one OF them to the
Presidency jackson. William Henry Har-
rison. Taylor. Grant. and Roosevelt. The
desire 10 become a popular war hero
has kept at least one man out Of the
highest office in the land If Benjamin
T. Butler had not deemed himself a great
soldier and indispensable In the field, he
would have been nominated for Vice
President with Lincoln in 1864 instead OF
Andrew Johnson. The possibilities ex-
pressed IN that particular 'if' are un-
| bounded and immeasurable.
If Henry Clay had not so earnestly
espoused the cause Of the war party IN
Congress in 1912. that war, in all prOba-
bnity. would not have been fought at the
time it was. That il was fought brought