HISTORY OF THE CIVIL WAR IN AMERICA, BY THE COMTE DE PARIS. 



Since the preceding portion of this work was stereotyped, the first two volumes of the history 

 of the civil war in America, which, it was understood, the Comte de Paris was engaged in prepar- 

 ing, have appeared. These volumes have been translated into English by Mr. L. F. Tasistro, of 

 the State Department in Washington, and the translation has been revised and approved by the 

 author. The American translation forms one octavo volume of six hundred and forty pages.^ 



It is not the object of this notice to review the Comte de Paris's work, but only to comment on 

 such passages in it as relate to the subjects treated of in these volumes. It may, however, be 

 said in passing that it is, so far as it extends, (to the close of the year 1862 namely,) probably the 

 best history of the civil war yet produced. In the difficult art of describing the localities and shift- 

 ing operations of a battle-field, so as to be clearly understood and followed by the reader, the writer is 

 singularly lucid and successful. His estimate of the causes which brought o.bout the rebellion is 

 characterized by a philosophic tone and judicial fairness worthy of the countryman of Ue Tocque- 

 ville, and from his copious references to orders and letters he would seem to have had free access 

 for his copyists to the bulky archives of the War Department. 



It has been frequently asserted that an impartial history of our great civil contest cannot bo 

 produced while we are yet so near in lime to the epoch of the stirring events which composed it. 

 This is doubtless true as regards the estimate that will finally be made of the deeds and capacity 

 of the foremost men on either side. There are various motives which produce reticence in relation 

 to living men, and it is only when his career is completed by death that the soldier or statesman can 

 take his destiued niche in history. It is also iirobable that for like reasons some documents of 

 importance may for the present be unattainable, which, in later years, may be surrendered to the 

 historian. If, however, the general intelligence and capacity for letter-writing of the great volun- 

 teer army of the North, and the marvelous ubiquity of the agents of the newspapers be taken into 

 account, it will be obvious that the power of concealment, even if the desire to exercise it were 

 felt, must have seldom existed. On the other hand, it is certain that, with the lapse of each succes- 

 sive year, many of those will disappear irom the scene whose knowledge and recollections would 

 have been of inestimable value to the historian of the war. No writer in another generation, 

 delving in the records of the past, is likely to find much niaterifil of value more than is now accessi- 

 ble to the diligent inquirer. The numerous comnuiniciitions in the reviews and journals etiuced by 

 the publication of General Sherman's spirited memoirs shows that the surviving actors in the 

 mighty drama are not unwilling to testify as to their own acts or those of their comrades and com- 

 manders. 



The Comte de Paris, it will be remembered, served for some time on the staff of General Mc- 

 Clellan; and he not only speaks with the authority of an eye-witness of many of the events he 

 describes, but he has been iu correspondence with prominent men as to all the more important 

 operations he portrays. 



It would be unjust in this notice of the Orleans Prince's work not to advert to the admirable 

 manner iu which the translator has performed his part. Its highest praise is that the original is 

 not only accurately translated, but is rendered into such genuine English that it would not neces- 

 sarily be taken for a translation. 



' History of the Civil War in America, by the CoJiTE de Pahis, trauslated by Louis F. Tiisistro, and edited by 

 Henry Copp<!e,LL.D. V.il. I. 8vo. Pliiladclpbia. 1875. 

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