The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-06-04

and unprepared. The waste In the first
part of the war in none and blood was
appalling at the time, and now in
long retrospect appears so unncccs-
slry, so di"sproportionate an expendi-
ture for results achieved that while
the author does not draw or anywhere
suggest a lesson" from the experience
of those times for the enlightenment
Of these. the parallel" is irresistible
without setting forth in historically
progressive sequence the experiment.
ing with various commanders ana the
slow adjustments in the Cabinet de-
par,mente. Mr.. Bra..fUra's ,astches
place before us IA plain picture of che
personalities that had to he welded
slowly and painfully into n smooth
running machine.
McC1ellan's vanity weighs against
his high ideals and fine feelings. His
ccrcralship and his loyalty have both
been attacked. The military question
Is still more or less open to debate.
and must always be. because even the
best knowledge of strategy can never
be quite certain what might have
happened. III" But the personal
question IL long since closed: an able
soldier. n man of real power. hut too
suddenly confronted with supreme OPP
~portunity. certainly Mcclellan was "a
true patriot and u loyal gentleman
n nan "of singular purity and elcva-
ton Of character with n Wonderful
power of winning men"
1t Is in the lack of this power that
Meade contrasts with Mcclellan.
Meade had courage not fiery but
steady. not the lighting fury; char
aCter distinguished for purity. and
brains not brilliant but intellectual.
To say that he was faithful. patient.
earnest. candid but modest is not
enough; II was the balance Of his
qualities that marked the man. And
Mr.. bradford does not fall into tho
easy error " making men devils or
angels: Meade. for instance. Is shown
n~ervouslv irritable on the battlefield
without weakening Of The impression
NJ patient endurance given in the
broader view. With all these fne
qualities he had not the personal
power ever the affections Of his mon
that Mcclellan possessed.
Recognizing that "typically Amcri-
81 - IL W. y EtAllllE lDlSpT I'LL
the time. Mr.. bradford Vet applies II
to William Tecumseh Sherman, be-
cause OF the nice combination in him
" restless fancy with vigorous logic.
His greatest lack was OF patience,
and 1t was fortunate that he pos
sessed enough m~aGnaminity Of atone
ment to sooth the wounds his impetu-
osity of speech too often caused. His
sympathy, simplicity and sincerity
made him. lie Is contrasted with
Thomas. who oncc said: Colonel. I
have taken a great deal of pains 10
educate myself not to feel" In his
sketch in this volume the assertion is
made that tho usual view OF Thomas
AZ cold" "statuespue." IL superficial
and erroneous. still, when placed be-
side Sherman he leads TO this:
Thomas inSt!uctivc'y hides himself. To
Tet a. his soul YOU have 80 watch koenlv.
20 pick M Hne threads Of self.rev.lation
In n waste % conventional ro-meN,v and
follow their light tissue With the closest
care.
sherman turns himself inside ont even
~ an ofHc'al document ~. wore his Goa,
unhu,torcd. and hi, heart also exposed
g. Utmost llninEs 20 all tho wind. 90.
heaven This perpetual exposure is Amos,
~ banning as Thomas concealment W.
Ike n soul 10 10 orer, and clean. and
wiuil'own. nut ' am no. si-. hat u.
Ike - soc 1t always .hrashing on tho
clo;hesline.
sherman. with an "acute imarin,-
tion of military possibility" made war
II business. He was indifferent To
slaughter. not because no lacked hui
manity hut because, counting tho cos..
he paid IL uutlinclingly when IL had
10 Ice paid to gain the end VT the
injury don 10y him seldom directly
affected anything hut property" At
the bottom OF a page Of his Memoirs
as Mr.. Bradford points out. is the
injunction, with regard 10 soldiers
killed In battle, There should he no
real neglect Of the dead" why?
Turn the page: Because il has "A
bad effect on the living" lie could
order widespread destruction because
j. was n military necessity, in his iron
logic. Yet 40 out of his way To help
individual sufferers. "Interfering 10
protect a poor widow from the misery
his abstract theories Of destruction
had brought upon her" he said:
'Ei;hcr III" army must move or she"
summing mp: He had ny depth
quit" in proportion to his splendid
breadth and vanity And there was
"A little excess If purpose In his life"
To both Thomas and Lee grateful fol-
low citizens offered the gif, Of a house
purchased by public subscription.
Both refused. requesting that the
money be applied To the relief of dis
ahled soldiers. When a similar cift
was rendered TO sherman he was
willing TO receive 1t. not for himself
but for his fam!ly-3rovidcd II was
accompanied with bonds 10 assume
payment Of the taxes. Finding in this
nothing discred!table or even indcli-
cate. the author cites the incident as
illustrative ~ the essential difference
between the Two Nirg!nians and the
Northern leader, sherman. he repeats
IN conclusion, Il n typical American
and perhaps 7 cannot better enpha-
size The ahsurdity Of that word 'typi-
cal than by expressing the wish that
there were many more Americans
like him"
china To-day.
ITO any one who seeks nossihle