The New York herald., 1863-06-08
Grant a. n General.


made speech, or 70 have told any one what'he
would like to do against the rebels. No phrases
of his live in the popular memory, and he does
not even elecriiy the nation Or ihe TROOPS under
bis command yith cpngratulatofr orders. But
ha ats great deal. He has been sneered All
he has been maligned; he has been neglected,
and has done more against the rebellion than
any other general now in the field. Like the
other Ulysses, he has "drunk delight Of battle
with his peers" on terribly contested fields,
where it seemed at the time that the existence
of the rebellion was in question, and he has
been successful always. All this a glance at
his career in this war will show.
His name first came prominently before the
public in connection with the fight at Belmont,
| in November, 1861. Price was then doing his
utmost to push the fortunes Of the rebellion in
Missouri, and there was rebel force of at least
| fifteen thousand men at Columbus, on the Mis-
sissippi, q portion Of which 1t was expected
would be thrown across to reinforce Price.
There was danger also that some small bodies
of Union troops out in Southeastern Missouri, in
pursuit of JEFF Thompson, would be picked up
by this rebel advance. Grant was ct Cairo with
small force. He could not, of course. have
hoped to make any impression on Columbus or
assume the offensive in any way upon large
scale. But be resolved to keep the enemy busy,
to protect tho detachments, and to prevent, If
possible, the reinforcement of Price, This u
the whole nature of the affair at Belmont 1t
was diversion. After successful deception
Of the enemy as to his intentions, he suddenly
landed above Belmont with only twenty-eight
hundred men of all arms With this force he
captured and destroyed an intrenched camp,
took two field batteries and two hundred pris-
oners, under the fire Of the guns at Columbus.
Immediately after the commencement of the
by his own statement across eight regi-
ments and crossed In person. Grant was thus
threatened with capture. He could not get
away, and was compelled with his twenty
eight hundred to fight this whole force. He &C
cordingly took q position in the field, from
which the rebels under Polk and Pillow made
three furious attempts to dislodge him. They
were repulsed each time, and were at last con-
tent to let Grant go to his boats and return to
Cairo, having completely accomplished his OBJ
ject and inflicted upon the enemy q loss far
greater than his own.
EARLY in the winter he arranged the expedi-
tion against Fort Henry, which work, however,
was reduced by the fire of the gunboats, with
out the engagement of the land force. From
that point he advanced at once and invested
Fort Donelson. Here the gunboats did not sue
hoc or tho
was done by Grants army. Against his right
the rebels made gallant sortie. They were
driven in after very hard fight and then,
without chance for respite, Grants left as
saulted their position, and with such force and
success that the capitulation Of the place was
the result. With the fort were taken, besides
heavy guns one hundred and forty-six field
pieces. Different accounts have been given Of
the number of prisoners taken there; but, under
the head of prisoners, the government has paid
for the transportation Of more men than Grant
had engaged against the place.
| Everywhere the news Of the fall OF Fort Don
| olson was received with extravagant demon
strations Of joy. But against Grants part of II,
| and a. an evidence that what hs had done was
not we'll done-ss IN evidence, even In The very
| face Of success, that the advance and assault
were not properly made-it was stated that
Grant was addicted 70 the use OF whiskey. Such
is the popular estimate Of hereIc achievements.
When we remember the charges made against
Gen. Grant in connection with the battle at
Shloh-charges the least Of which was that OF
incompetency-we would expect to read In the
history Of that battle the history Of national
humili alton and Of the annihilation Of our South
western army. Instead Of that We read Of
thirty thousand good troops and ten thousand
poor ones who are engaged in battle all day
with at least sixty thousand, and who hold al
the close Of the day all that which was the OBJ
ject Of the battle. And that 10 the worst of It
"By a rapid and vigorous attack on Grant,
says Beauregard, Z" it was expected he would
be beaten back into his transports and the
river, or captured, in time TO enable US to
profit by the victory, and remove the stores and
munitions that would fall into our hands, before
the arrival Of Buell." Such, then, was the Oh
ject Of the rebel leaders, and by the extent tc
which he defeated that object must we take thu
measure of Grants success or failure. He de
feated it completely; and not only that, bu
held the enemy so many hours that Buell. cam'
up, and the enemy paid for the ground he hat
won by Generalization and rout. So sure wa
the rebel general Of his ability to crush Gran
at blow that he fought as nearly a parallel
battle as the nature Of the ground would per
nit. And by what he thought Grant could d,
we may Judge of what Grant did. Instead o
] stampede we read here Of one Of the few battl
fields Of this war in which there was actual,
, some man9uvre. We read Of divisions tha
, move under fire to new positions, and are foun
/ to be just where they are wanted when the fgh
J becomes dercest, and of at least one column
; whose we'll timed and well directed advanc