The New York herald., 1863-08-17
The Generals GRANT and McClernsnd
Controversy.
TO THE EDITOR or rHE HERALD.

TO THE EDITOR or TIE HERALD.
IN the HERALD Of tho eth t6st there appears In the
Washington correspondence article General NcCsr
nand full Of overwrought praise to the susp
cion that It the work Of adroit politician rather
than that OF patriotic general Hence 70 be hoped
It was not dictated by the hitter To crcise the motives
for this praise Of General McCernand my present
purpose but to protest against tho pertnacous whole
sale and random abuse Of what tho writer calls "ths
West Point Generals" !" which often INDUCED In nos
by the most intelligent volunteer officers bat by the
ambitious aspirants after military fame who have -
other hope for such distinction.
with the especial grievance complained of In bs-
hsaf OF General MoClernand we have nothing 70
do further than 70 inquire OF his advocate whether
not It is true that General MoClernand sent
General Grant word when lighting before vicss-
tburg, that he had captured certain batteries M tAe
tenemy and gained his lines when in fact, u had made
impression on hims And. further. did AcClcrnanl
send on that OCCASION and With report Of his success
for brigade which was furnished him. and subsequently,
slaughtered through his boastul gnorances there
is terrible account OF blood against him; II false
easily disproved. II must be within the advocates
knowledge, he knows anything Of the mater, thae
there papable things assghed reasons for reev
Ing General McCernand other than the jealousy of
General Grant at McCernands rising fame. Therefore
the statement 10 untrue Nothing could be unuss
or erroneous than TO say that West Point generals felt
hatred to McClernand any other volunteer general
Tho climax Of absurdty IL certainly reached when
It is assumed that McClernand was the handspring
In "the great Mississippi river campaign" Fortunately
we have evidence TO the contrary In the report Il
| Admiral Porter who is not West Point general Is
quite time rebuke this miserable and systematic ~
tempt o ignorant, would-be soldiers 10 bring only
thoroughly educated officers into dsfavor that the poll
ticans may rule In the army they have succeeded IN
In~,ah hwcr
to brink Of ruin that will require all the available
skill learning at command 10 avert, unaided ~
| clustering demagogues or windy orators. n
The highest praise that be accorded TO General
Grant is that there Ia systematic attempt ever
made TO puff him: bis deeds speak for them
selves. There seems 10 be a strange misconceptiou
| Of West Point IN the minds Of many. II not
| Assumed by any one that that institution give
aman brans but he who has passed through Its
ordeal be above intellectual medocry. Great mill
tary genius the lot Of but few Can any doubt how
ever that education aids genius any great
Whom thoroughly educated officer Ia placed under the
command Of political gnoramus and sees hundreds of
his follow slaughtered through the inability Of their
commander jealousy that makes him protest against
tY II the COMMANDER only knew that he did aot
but i is the absurd M ecosIsm - that assume;
| 20 be qualified 10 al position without any other
the ruin Of our armies arm and the curse x our cause
II Is considered copperheadsm 70 say the rebels
better organized and ocered than ere; but have
the evidence Of o the leading republican prints that
Il Ia 30, coupled with the acknowledgment that they
less influenced than BY politics In their ap-
pontments. There passage 10 that paper singuArly
pertinent 70 The present topc-"Those officers Of o0r
army who have attempted 70 enfsrce discipline by
Furnishing disorder and crmo In their commands have
been subjected 70 the most unmerted abuse the
guilty parties writing and publishing with impunity
whatsoever they pleased while military proprety and seh
respect have prevented the commanding officer from e.
| gagng In discussions with his subordinatss." West
Point creates In It's elev NO inellect but 10 does make
them, by the education mparts better soldiers than
those who have not been 30 educated Military know.
ledge, like law or medicine, never comes BY nature.
Genius s simply capacity 70 acquire knowledge; and
when that 10 coupled with courage and knowledge oe
men, as in Banks Sickles, II respected much By
West Point generals Is admired BY the public bso
where ignorance aud prstenson the initiating elements
the bubble moro transparent 70 the educated than =
/ 70 the unlcarned.
The writer Of this viii only add In conclusion that he
u not West Pointer has General Grant y
his knowledge, and has NO acquaintance with General
McCernand but simply desires 10 call attention The
great injustice constantly perpetatcd In this seussls
outcry against West Point which the habits and training
thore acquired forbid reply In newspaper conrover.
sizes. II the mourning families all over the North could
but know what lavish Of life has been poured out
upon the altar Of ignorance In this war; West Point would
need no other advocate than the hearts OF the people,