Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1864-07-29
ELLSWORTH MAINE FRIDAY, JULY 20, 1864

tOm clalmed victory Dut on tnc OUTSIDE
world, which looked on without knowl-
edge Of the interior facts, lauded Lee as
u great general, and accorded him high
credit for successful termination of his
raid. Any vigorous commander, how
ever, could have easily terminated his ca
rser, and made him the laughing shock of
the military schools.
He was next saved from defeat at
Fredericksburg by Franklin tying up the
services of forty thousand men, whom,
against orders, he withheld from the sup
port of Meade and at Charlottesville he
was thoroughly disgraced by having his
position turned in broad daylight, by an
army which lay directly underneath his
eyes. He had boosted his position on the
heights of Fredericksburg was entirely
impregnable yet Hooker, swinging his
army in manner tho world has never
seen equaled with such host before,
landed in his rear so that his battlements
we're walked over by our soldiers on the
third succeeding day. The history of
Lees generalship, and the career of the
Army of Virginia, would then and there
have been wound up, had not the same
motives operated to the betrayal of the
federal commander, which had previously
struck the ground from under Pope and
Burnside. We need not recapituate the
circumstances. 1t is enough to say, that
having been bafiled for want Of coopera-
ton and obedience, Hooker returned to
his camp with his army, after having oc-
cupicd Lees stronghold, and inaictihg
on him such punishment that he dared
not fire gun at him in retreat.
The contederacy, which had lost Jack
son in this episode, felt that it had been
disgraced, and Lee was obliged to pro-
ject another raid into Maryland to restore
prestige. This enterprise, which was
still more senseless than the first, was de.
tected at once by Hooker. who, placing
himself, by rapid marches, in front Of
Washington, held Lee at bay long enough
to enable the Government to concentrate
its troops near Frederick. and to isolate
Maryland, from the main Confederate
army, so as to oblige him to fall back to
the neighborhood Of Gettysburg. Just
at this period, however, Hooker finding
that Halleck was unable to support him,
fel. obliged to throw up his command and
the impending battle, which his man
oeuvers had devised fell under Meade
The country knows. that though it result
ed in victory which utterly dcmoraized
the rebel host, pursuit was not given for
three days Extraordinary rains, however
came on as our auxiliary. and Lee was
detained at Wiliamsport until our VIC
torious aud much superior numbers had
come up to his trout and ranged thcm-
selves within the distance of barely halt
Il mile. Escape for him now seemed to
be impossible, and it has since been as
certained that he had barely seven rounds
of ammunition in his camp. Besides
this the impassable Potomac was raging
in his rear and it was obvious that even
u few trees, hewn from the banks a mile
or two above and cast into the stream
could surely interrupt any prcliminaries
tor pontoons.
We doubt not it was Meads desire to
annihilate the rebel army but he had
had some experience in the crosspurposes
of his prosavery chieftains. Most Of
them were ambitiously signing for his
place and, as he had seen them betray
his predecessors, partly throug envy and
partly through aspiring hope, he proba-
bly, thought it would be prudent to ascer-
tain how far he could rely on them to put
tnisher OH Lee and make himself a
great man. He therefore called a council
to ascertain if they would stand by him.
whereupon they voted against an attack,
and thus virtually replied that they would
not. In half an hour after this decision
was recorded, Lee (who seemed to have
received information Of it) began prepar-
ations for his retreat across the river !;
aud during the next twenty-four hours he
l,surey accomplished it: Had he been
STRUCK BY Meade while venturing this op-
Grafton he must have been demolished !;
and he would have vanished from the roll
of heroes with an expression Of derision,
that would, as We said before, have been
disgraceful to corporal.
Such were the exploits which Lee, at
the outset of this campaign, opposed to
the arduously acquired and signal victor
les of Grant. What has been developed
since, is in keeping with their respective
qualities and records. Each new struggle
has resulted in the rebels giving ground,
and every fresh obstacle which laborious
obstinacy could rear against our progress,
has been evaded by Grant with the ease
of master dealing with pupil. We
believe it will be SO to the end; and it is
for the purpose Of contributing our share
Of confidence, in offset to the disloyal sug-
gestions which are intended to depress the
public mind, that we have been induced
to make this short comparison between
Grant and Lee.
ABOUT BAcHEIoRs.-" In the good old
times it was considered unpatriotic in a