Abstract

An Artist in War

The article focuses on the book "Sherman Fighting Prophet," by Lloyd Lewis. General Sherman was a rare man among those whose activities have taken a public form: he refused to regard consequences when he believed either a course of action or an ideal to be right. His military career was therefore a series of successes, for men adore to be led by a ruthless leader, and his civilian life was a confusion of embarrassments, for men hate to be told the truth by a forthright person. It was only in his last years that he became acceptable to the general public, whose opinion he never valued except in so far as it afforded satisfaction for the vanity he shared with his fellow-men. General Sherman was born an eccentric and died a popular after-dinner speaker. Lloyd Lewis has written the account of his career with admirable thoroughness, with clarity of insight, and with sympathetic understanding.