The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-05-18
Il Prep 'so ttI isht it Cut on this Linz
lit Takea all Summer"

There is something positively sublime
in this brief and simple but compre-
hensiye expression of General Grant in
/ his modest despatch of Wednesday
! last to the Secretary OF War; pro
pose TO fight it out on this line, if it
/ takes all summer" There is nothing
here of the pomposity of Caesars "Ve Z
oiai, Uici, nor Of Napoleon's grandilO-
quent allusion TO the pyramids; nothing
more than the statement of a fixed
purpose, in the plainest possible terms
and yet nothing has ever been written
which so clearly defines this model sol
der in his true character, and nothing
50 well adapted to inspire the highest
confidence in his complete success, az
this simple declaratiOn-"I propose to
fight it out on this line, if it takes ali
summer"
These words from General Grant viii
thrill the public ear like the blast Of
trumpet, and viii be interpreted by the
public mind from the records of Fort
Donelson, Vicksburg, Chattanooga and
the Wilderness" They viii be &C
cepted as signifying that against ali
impediments and all possible contin-
which he has entered will be pursued
to the end, and that there viii be no
intermission from which the enemy
may repair damages from the telling
blow already administered ln this
unpretending nero OF the West the
reader Of history will detect, a high de-
gree, the terrible energy Of Richard
the Crusader and Charles the Hammer,
the untlinching tenacity of Oliver
Cromwell, and the unfailing resources,
daring expedients, sagacious calcula-
tons and wonderful endurance of tile
Little Corporal"
Ia strategy, skillful combinations and
tactics, and in stubborn fighting, there
are few generals Of the present day su-
perior 10 Lee; and there are few that can
surpass him in conducting a retreat |
But his strategy and tactics, and his |
massive combinations on the field, are |
thoroughly understood by Grant and
even his skill in retreating, we dare
say will fail this time to save him to
fight another campaign. When astfug
gle between armies equally brave IS re
duced to a mere question Of endurance,
that army which outnumbers, and is
better fed, better equipped, and better
supplied in every way than the other
must inevitably win. 4 victory thus
achieved must also be inevitably deci
sive 1t must determine in this case
the issue not only of the campaign, but
of the war, inasmuch as the strength Of
the rebellion is the army of Gen Lee.
In illustration Of the ready resources
of General Grant, we have. a striking
example in the result Of the two days
battle in the woods of the
" Wilderness" At the close Of that
second day, Friday, the en-
envy had gained decided and danger
Gus advantage, in dislodging from its
position portion of the right wing Of
our army. There was the danger to
General Gr' n of being turned on that
side the ne, t morning, and cut off from
the river nd his base of supplies. TO
guard against such disaster General
Grant, according to the books" ought
TO have fallen tack upon the river du-
ring the night, and over it if possible.
But Grant saw the opportunity, and in
stantly seized it. He widened the gap
between his right and the river by re-
moving a whole corps from that side
around to his extreme left. His object
was to draw the enemy between himself
and the river, in order to bring him to
the test of battle from which thee
could be no retreat General Lee in
the morning recognized a defeat in this
simple experiment by marching off with
his army towards Richmond.
When Gen. Grant, therefore, says ~
propose to fight it out on this line, if it
takes all summer" he knows that,
when crowned with. success, this cam
paign in Virginia will be the end of the
war Terrible in this view as are the
losses of our brave soldiers; this short
sharp and decisive war policy of Gen
Grant even in the light Of humanity,
is the best We have reason to believe
that very few days now will settle the
fate of the rebellion. 1t is staggering
10 its fall from the Gripping blows Of {
Grant, and cannot survive the summer
~ J. Herald
WASHINGTON, Wednesday, May IL {
Il:30 p. NJ To Mej Gen Dir: Dis {
patches from Gen Grant, dated at 3 '
o'clock this morning have Just reached ,
his department. He says:
eve have now ended the sixth day '
IF very heavy fighting. The result to I
his time is much in our favor Our 4
osses have been heavy, as well as {
hose Of the enemy think the loss '
IF the enemy must be greater We {
nave taken over 5000 prisoners in bat t
lie, while he has taken from us but ]
ew except stragglers. PROPOSE TO i
FIGHT IT OUT on THIS LINE, IF G
II TAKES ALL SUMNER. !
The Government is sparing no pains t
o support him. /
EDWIN NJ. STANTON, Secretary of War i