Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1864-06-16
The Butchers Flag Of Truce.

Grant has at last come to flag of truce. After suf
ferpg his dead to lie unburled In the thlcKe OF tne
derness and to pollute the air about SpousyVania
Court House, after letting bis wounded perish OF thirst
or neel CT or in the devouring fames on the spot
where they had fallen rather than, by sending flag OF
truce expose his own mendacily, he has finally allow
ed himself to make this first but most conclusive admls
sion of defeat. Nohtdy suLposes that mosv,s OF hu
manitv have prompted the Butcher OF the Wilderness
in this mater HIS past history shows that no such
sentiment has ever influenced his brutal SOUL What
the Yaukees themselves think of him may be inferred
from the answer invented for him In reply TO faorl
Gated application from Gen. LeeIne haa not tlne AZ
bury his own dead but purposed to advrfce immed'
atey." There was, OF curse no truth IN the state
ment, except in 30 far that Grant had no time TO
bury his own dead. No such communication passed
between the Generals at the time referred TO- Tor the
simple reason that Lee never In position reqalr
ing hin to ask permission bury his dead; nor was
Grant ever master of the field a:ter an action. But,
rather than coness his repeated defeats and thus give
the lie to his assertions Of victory where be encounter
ed only repuses he let his dead tester in the reekpg
sun rays and his wounded die like dogs on the ground
where they had stricken down by Confederate bull
ete. Nevertheless the story shows exactly what his
own cJunrymen think OF their avorite leader and the
enthusiastic Eproval with which 1t was received by
the Yankee public illustrates The character OF tnat ex-
traordlnary people.
But The great Butcher has had to ask for truce
and we may be thai he had some reason for the
asking other the Ordinary and obvious one OF hui
mainly 10 Ln6 WOuuOe0 anu ZIG uSau Tefudps uc
has been forced to it by the complaints or femonstran
ces of his army It vas cause OF concern to Grant
that in their Wild but iruiless attack the Coincide
rate lines the Yankees stumbled putrd cofpses or
troa the remaining life out of tn ir agonz ID and i'm
plorng com AIDES but on his soldiers ,e effect must
have been very serious. 1t is not in human nature,
not even Yankee nature, to stand such sights IN
moved lor can We doubt that the brutal indifference
with which the Butcher imposed this horribly trying
ordeal On bis men, must have incensed them tar more
against their leaders than against their enemies The
growing teebeness Of their assaults may have
Deen due to this cause as we'll as to the
ascertained impossibility of breaking through
the Confederate Army At all events We may be sure
that without powerful motive of this kind, Grant
could have bten forced to send flag of truce to
u neral Lee. TO be sure, who in the habit of
telling the truth do attach much importance
the act. We know that the facts will speak for them
selves at last We know, likewise, that first duties
after battle are due to the brave who have seal
ed with their ivs testified With their blood their de-
ton to their countrys cause. But with man like
Grant, who nothing Tor the lives of his soldiers
and all of whose energies engaged in bolstering
fictitious reputation by meat of the most unparallel
ed lies the obligatoan fact, consideration at all.
Hence if he has been forced to admit the TRUTH by
Tossing defeat he must have acted under extraord
mary pressure. Richmond Wing