Three Centennial Projects

THREE CENTENNIAL PROJECTS Critics have occasionally questioned the value of the Civü War Centennial observance for what they discern as a lack of positive, tangible achievement in furthering historical scholarship. The flood of less tiian worth-whüe "nonfiction" diat descended upon a correcdy cautious reading pubhc in 1960 and 1961 at first seemed to bear out the worst fears. ThankfuUy, the inundation has almost subsided. Easier to distinguish now are several really significant publishing projects. Among the legitimate and substantial ventures emerging through Centennial inspiration are the three projects reviewed below, each by a scholar involved in die undertaking he describes. THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF ULYSSES S. GRANT John Y. Simon The idea of a complete edition of die writings of Ulysses S. Grant resulted from the meeting of two historical streams which began to flow in recent years: first, a new interest in careful and comprehensive editions of die writings of major American statesmen, and second, a favorable reappraisal of Grant as military leader and human being. The actual project began with the efforts of the Civü War Centennial commissions of three states to further knowledge of General Grant. The states concerned were Ohio, where Grant was born and spent his formative years; IUinois, which gave him his first command in die Civil War; and New York, where he chose to spend his last years. Representatives of the three commissions met in Columbus, Ohio, in May, 1962, and decided to sponsor an edition of Grant's coUected works. At succeeding meetings, die Ulysses S. Grant Association was organized, and John Y. Simon of Ohio State University was appointed director and managing editor. Offices in die Ohio State Museum in Columbus were supphed by die Ohio Historical Society, and work began on September 1, 1962. Officers of the Grant Association are the foUowing: Ralph G. Newman , president; Erwin C. Zepp, secretary; Bruce Carton, David C. Mearns, and T. Harry Wüliams, vice presidents; and Clyde C. Walton, treasurer. The Board of Directors consists of Newton C. Farr, Newman, and Walton representing Illinois; Bruce Carton, John Hope Franklin, 277 278CI VIL WAR HISTO R Y and Carl Haverlin representing New York; Everett Walters and Zepp representing Ohio; and Mearns, AUan Nevins, and James I. Robertson, Jr. as public members. The editorial board members are Nevins, chairman ; E. B. Long, vice-chairman; Catton, Wüliam B. Hesseltine, Orme W. Phelps, and Williams. The late Robert S. Harper served as secretary and a director representing Ohio. The Grant Association is currendy in the collecting phase of its operations , using the techniques developed by similar projects. Photo-duplicates of all available material written by Grant or addressed to him are being gathered. Each document will be indexed on multi-copy cards. The material written by Grant will be published as completely as possible, except for formal or routine papers which he was required to sign in die army and in die White House. It is unlikely tiiat Grant read diese, and less likely tiiat a modern reader would be interested in diem. Hence, diey will be described and located witii the utmost brevity. Otherwise, Grant's writings will be printed verbatim, and letters to Grant will be utilized as fully as space and finances wiU permit. Preliminary research indicates tiiat the Grant correspondence has considerable historical value. The first thirty-nine years of his life are vital to an understanding of his subsequent career. Most of the letters of this period have apparendy vanished, and what remains is especiaUy valuable, since those who saved Grant letters were usuaUy members of his family or close personal friends to whom he wrote his best letters. By 1862 people realized diat something written by Grant was worth saving, and for the subsequent years of his life there is considerable material. While much of the military correspondence has already been printed in die Official Records, some was unavailable dien that is now obtainable, complementary to interesting unofficial correspondence witii other officers and revealing personal letters. Papers for the years immediately foUowing die war, when Grant commanded die army and served briefly as Secretary of War, contain valuable observations on the political history of the period and provide...