Evening journal., 1915-04-30
New News Of Yesterday
The Real Originator OF
the Civil War Strategy
BY Holland.

While reading brief and interest
ing semi-centennial history of the
closing days of the civil war, made
timely by reason of the fact that the
month of April. 1915, is the fiftieth
anniversary of the close of that con-
test. | was reminded of a conversa-
ton l had some years ago with Fred
erick w. Seward. who is now the last
survivor of the first official family of
, President Lincoln. Mr. Seward became
Assistant Secretary of State, having
been appointed to that Office by Presi-
dent Lincoln at the request OF VIII
liam II. Seward LincOln's Secretary
of state and father of Freedrick W.
Seward. II was deemed imperative
nv Secretary Seward that he should
have i'm intimate association with him
in the direction OF the State Depart
ment one in whom he had absolute
confidence both as to ability and also
TO discretion.
Mr.. Seward said to me that the pre-
vailing impression throughout the
country is that the strategy which at
last was successfully employed in
securing victory for the Federal cause
was something of slow growth. The
popular understanding was, Mr.. Sc
ward said. that this strategy was an
evolution and that IL took at least
three years for it to be brought to
perfection.
"The fact is said Mr.. Seward, "the
identical strategy which Gen. Grants
career and Cen Shermans march
identify was formulated at the very
beginning of the war. ! presume that
nor any of the Union leaders knew
that this plan of campaign had been
formulated early in 1861 But Presi-
dent Lincoln knew il because it was
laid before him by Gen Winhelc
Scott
Gen. SCOTS corpulence and his age
made it impracticable for him TO take
active part i'm the war. but his mine
was as clear as it was when he fought
in the war of 1912 or. later. i'm Mex
leo He had no illusions about th'
strength of the Confederacy. He knew
from the beginning that the contes
would be prolonged and desperate. HI
was familiar with the earnestnesi
and sincerity not only of the leaders
but of the people Of the South.
"The plan of campaign which Gen
Scott worked out and submitted Il
President Lincoln informally wa
this: First of all. strong defenses o
Washington should be built and tn
capital protected by an adequat
army. Next. the Confederacy was L
be cut in two by securing Fedora
control of the whole length of IN
Mississippi river Next. the grea
army in the West was to advance eas
terly from the Mississippi Will
another great army should advanc
from the Potomac southerly Tn
ports of the Southern cities shoul
be effectively blockaded and, If praC
ticable. a third army operating be
tween the eastern and the wester
armies should advance from the Obi
river. constantly marching forwar
until the sea was reached. either ;
Savannah or at Charleston.
"That.-in a general way. was ii
plan which Scott formulated at IL
beginning of the war Had he bee
AS young in 1861 as he was at Il
time of the Mexican war, he wOul
have made strategy of that kind po
sible at least two years earlier tina
II was adopted and as the evei
proved. successfully. Evolution cons
ouent upon many demoralizing exp
riences at last developed the stratel
which Scott recommended early
1861"