Year: 1875

COMMENTS BY THE COMTE DE PARIS.
FRENCH OFFICERS OPINION OF AMERICAN


sTRATEGY-THE MOST COMPLETE HISTORY


OF THE AMERICAN CIVIL wAR-FoUR BULKY


VOLUMES BEFORE THE PUBLIC, AND FOUR
MORE IMMINENT.


Two more volumes of the Comte De Paris's
history of the American civil war are now
ready for delivery. The two first volumes
OF the same work were published last year
and met with general favor from the critics.
OF this perspicuous and admirable history
the New York Herald critic says: As each


pair of volumes carries the history forward
about a year. and as the last two years OF the
war were not less full Of events than the
first two, the completed work is likely to
consist of eight volumes. It is
the most ambitious and elaborate and
promises to be the most complete
and instructive narrative OF the
events of those four momentous years that


has been yet attempted on either side OF the
Atlantic. 1t is a great deal more than
lucid recital OF the military operations OF the
period. 1t explores their causes, traces their
consequences, places them in correlation, so
as to reflect light upon one another; dis
poses them in a connected picture, with due
light and shade, aud puts them in frame or
cadre which sets them forth in their full
significance. The first volume was particu-
larlv rich in comprehensive surveys, in


tended to render the history intelligible.
such. for example, as the detailed account OF
the organization of the American army, ex-
hibiting the nature OF the instruments
with which the military results were
ACCOMPLISHED; the careful typographical
descriptions, which show under what very
different conditions war is conducted IN


Europe ana in country OF vast distances
and immense areas OF forest; the nature OF
our political institutions; the bearing Of
slavery on this contest, and various other
topics. which were handled with the breadth
of statesman, the detailed accuracy c. a
statistician, and the insight of philosopher.
These preliminary discussions, which gave
so favorable an impression of the scope,
force and clearness of the authors intellect,
give place, in the subsequent volumes, to
narrations of the actual operations of the
war in style of transparent clearness and
singular elegance, which show with how
much profit the Comte de Paris has studied
the


BEAUTIFUL MODELS OF HISTORICAL WRITINGS
of which his nation has furnished many
within the last half century. This work is
likely to be the source irom which nlsiority
of intelligent Europeans will draw their
knowledge of our civil war for long period
to come. Whether this interesting and vol
luminous history will permanently hold its
place as standard authority may, perhaps,
admit of doubt. It is probably too early for
a comprehensive and classical history of our
civil war which will stand the severe tests
to which the publication OF original memoirs
like those of Gen. Sherman and the private
correspondence of actors will expose it. The
Comte de Paris has, indeed, advantages which
no other contemporary writer is likely to pos


sess. Tor obtaining full and accurate mate
rials. His illustrious rank, the chivslry with
which he initiated the example of Lafayette


and the pleasing impression he made upon


all who met him while he was in this coun-
! try unlock Tor him the memories of all the


distinguished actors TO whom he might ap-
| ply on doubtful points, for no American


would refuse him the courtesy OF such as
sistance. But his modesty and his conf
dence in pu blished materials may have pre-


vented him from making much use of this
resource. There is another iin portant source
OF information which is not accessible even


to the Comte de Paris, and will not beto any,
body Ia this generation. Our civil war was


watched with deep interest by foreign gov
ernments, and its result often trembled in
the balance of their intentions. Their diplo-
them with secret information gathered in
confidential conversations, and the inter-
course and consultations of those govern
ments with one another on the question OF
intervention, must be also OF considerable
historical value The mass of secret infor-
nation buried in the archives of foreign gov
ernments will be jealously guarded for a
long period, because il tends 30 compromise
the actors and revive old animosities. We
therefore conclude that all the set histories