“Admirable summary provided by these two most competent geologists.”
| + + | Sat. R. 100: 374. S. 16, ‘05. 1620w. | |
| Spec. 95: 198. Ag. 5, ‘05. 180w. |
Hatch, Louis Clinton. Administration of the American revolutionary army. [**]$1.50. Longmans.
A monograph, “Harvard historical series X,” which first treats of the evolution of the Continental army and discusses the relation between Congress and the commander-in-chief. There are also chapters on “Appointment and promotion” of officers, setting forth the states’ jealousies; “Foreign officers;” “Pay and half-pay,” the real contrasted with the apparent pay of the soldiers; “Supplying the army,” its mismanagement and the suffering at Valley Forge; “Newburg addresses;” and “Mutiny of 1786, and disbandment of the army.”
“A valuable chapter on the subject of the ‘Appointment and promotion’ of officers, showing the jealousy of the members of Congress for the rights of their states. The chapter on ‘Foreign officers’ is the least valuable in the volume, adding little to the account in Tower’s ‘Lafayette’ and that in Wharton’s ‘Diplomatic correspondence.’ The following chapter, on ‘Pay and half-pay,’ is, on the other hand, a real contribution. ‘Supplying the army,’ the mismanagement in the feeding and clothing of the army, and the consequent suffering at Valley Forge is, on the whole, the most accurate account we have, and is stated with moderation and without sentimentality. The ‘Newburg addresses’ in the following chapter are, however, treated in a fuller and more conclusive manner. The book is well organized and well written. It is a source study of high merit. There is a valuable bibliography and a good index.” C. H. Van Tyne.
| + + | Am. Hist. R. 10: 401. Ja. ‘05. 730w. |
[*] Hatzfeldt, Paul. Hatzfeldt letters: letters of Count Paul Hatzfeldt to his wife; written from the headquarters of the King of Prussia, 1870-71; tr. from the French by J. L. Bashford. [*]$4. Dutton.
“The Countess ... says in her introduction that the letters ‘throw so much light on the great events of 1870-1’ as well as on the character of the writer, that she thinks they will be ‘interesting to many people who only know hitherto of Count Hatzfeldt’s public services.’ ... Candor, however, compels one to deny the accuracy of the first statement.... Count Paul was not behind the scenes in those great events ... his letters ... were merely family letters.... As to throwing light on the diplomat’s character, they may do that; but merely that he loved his family, wanted to be with them.... The letters were written almost daily—sometimes more than one a day—from Aug. 2, 1870, to March 6, 1871, those from and after Oct. 7, being dated from Versailles.”—N. Y. Times.
[*] “While, however, a little more care in editing might have avoided some blemishes, we welcome the volume as throwing light on many historical characters and events. The index is unfortunately poor, though fairly accurate as far as it goes. There are a few errors in the text.”
| + + — | Ath. 1905, 2: 499. O. 14. 1490w. |