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A Sketch by
The John M. Rogers Press
Wilmington, Del.
1904
[Illustration]
William Farrar Smith, the subject of this sketch, graduated at West
Point in 1845, fourth in a class of forty-one members. He died at
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on the 28th of February, 1903 in his
seventy-ninth year.
The publication of the Rebellion Records puts within the reach of everystudent the official reports of the various campaigns and battles ofthe Great Conflict, but something more is needed. They deal butslightly with men's motives, and still less with their personalpeculiarities. They give only here and there any idea whatever of theorigin of the plans of campaigns or battles and rarely any adequatedescription of the topography of the theatre of war, or of thedifficulties to be overcome. They describe but superficially theorganization, equipment, armament and supply of the troops, and leavetheir trials, hardships and extraordinary virtues largely to theimagination. They are entirely silent as to the qualities andidiosyncrasies of the leaders. Neither romance nor personal adventurefinds any place within their pages, and fine writing is entirelyforeign to their purpose. They are for the most part dry andunemotional in style, and are put together so far as possiblechronologically in the order of their importance without the slightestreference to literary effect. While nothing is more untrustworthygenerally than personal recollections of events which took place over athird of a century ago, those which are supported by letters anddiaries are of inestimable value in construing and reconciling theofficial reports. But this is not all. The daily journals and othercontemporaneous publications are quite important and cannot be safelyleft out of account. All must be taken into consideration before thefinal distribution of praise and blame is made, or the last word iswritten in reference to events or to the great actors who controlled ortook part in them.
In the list of the most notable men of the day the name of MajorGeneral WILLIAM FARRAR SMITH must be recorded. He belonged at theoutbreak of the Civil War, to that distinguished group of which Lee onthe Southern side and McClellan on the Northern, were the center.Joseph E. Johnston and William B. Franklin were his most intimatefriends, and I but recall what was then the popular belief when I statethat they were widely regarded as the best educated and the mostbrilliant officers in the service. They were in middle life, in thefull enjoyment of their powers, and it was the confident opinion ofthose who knew them best, that they were sure to become conspicuousleaders in the impending conflict. Great things were expected of them,and in this the world was not disappointed. They all reached high rankand great distinction, but only one of the group was fortunate enoughto enroll himself amongst the world's great commanders. Johnston roseto the leadership of an independent army but failed to win a greatvictory or to secure the entire approval of his superiors. Franklin waswithout doubt a corps commander of sound judgment and unshakablecourage, but he also failed to achieve the success that was expected ofhim, and to secure the support and confidence tha