Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1864-07-29
From Wilkes Spirit of the Times.
The Military Situation.
Or GRANT AND LEE.

AAS AhAAAAOsSA y s~ASNAe%OAo4As
OF GRANT AND LEE.
The disloyal elements which flourish in
this City, New York. are jubilaut over
the fact, that Secretary Stanton has dis
continued his war-bulletns, and they
translate this pause as an acknowledg.
ment by the administration. that General
Grant has recently suffered series of
defeats, Along with this rejoicing, new
claims are put in for the superiority of
OF Lee, and a disposition is evinced by
his admirers, to accord him genius sup
erlor even to the most renewed command
er Of the European world. To us, how
ever, the temporary cessation of the Gov
ernment dispatches conveys a different
lesson while the recent revelations Of
The military problem in Virginia, are far
from changing our frequently expressed
opinion that Robert Lee should rank
third among the confederate chieftans.
and that he will 60 upon the record of
the future. scored with errors, that vould
disgrace the reputation of a .srporal.-
That Grant is his superior in strategy as
we'll as tactics, stands proved ny every
step which has been made since the last
crossing Of the Rapidan and by none
has the superiority of the federal COM
mander been more clearly manifested,
than by the masterly maneuver by which
he withdrew our whole army from the re-
bel front, and conveyed it without mol
estation to the south side Of the James.
That previous flank movements. by the
left. which had crowned the battle of the
Wilderness and Spottsylvania with vast
reaches towards our objective point
could have been reduced in brilliancy
only by an exploit like this; and the
lookcr.on, who does not detect in the
Northern soldier the master of the scene
must be utterly besotted with treasonous
hopes. That he will remain the master
to the end, we do not doubt; and we
have equal confidence, that, while he ex-
plodes the pretentions of an inferior in
in arms, he will relieve the country Of
its long perplexity, by the utter destruct-
ion of the rebel host under Lees com.
mand.
The reputation which Lee has acquir-
ed as general, has been obtained mainly
through the deficiencies and insurbordin-
alton of certain Of our commanders. 1t
was his fortune to be confronted for a
long while, by a man of irresolute pur-
poses and feeble nature and it was his
still more marvellous luck when that in
cubus upon our martial energy was set
aside, to have our army still emascu'ated
of its vigor, and distracted in its efforts,
by the sullen and jealous partizans whom
the discarded chieftain left behind
Throughout the whole campaign of the
Peninsular, (which Lee was allowed to
prepare for oy the amazing pause at York
town. he was never vigorously or con-
sistently confronted and it is in proof
upon records Of the Government. that on
more than one occasion, our overwhelm-
ing numbers were clumsily divided. once
even by river, to receive the condensed
assault of the entire Confederate torce-
1t is in testimony, also. on the oaths of
generals, whose patriotism and veracity
there will be none to question that the
simple dowa, ight valor Of our soldiers.
under such desultory leadership as they
could get, would have carried us. on three
seperate occasions, into the rebel capital,
had they been permitted to improve their
hard-earned victories. The most me-
morable of these opportunities was that
Of Malvern Hill, where Lee was utterly
routed. and mi ght have been driven head
long into and out of Richmond but our
troops instead of being allowed to follow
their success, were suddenly recalled by
a commander who had been absent from
the fight, and who preferred the refuge of
a gunboat to the perils of the field
Upon our side, then fell despondency and
gloom, while the bells of the Confeder-
acy peaed joyfully for Lee, as the saviour
of its fortunes.
At the second battle of Manassas, the
combinations formed by Pope would have
triumphed in the destruction of the army
of Virginia, had he been seconded in good
faith by the legions of the Peninsula,
which the vigor of the War Department
had brought to his assistance. Instead
however, Of marching to his aid, the
minions Of Mcclellan remained sullenly
upon the road, and one of them even, who
had reached the front, actually walked
his divisions from the field, to render
Pope's defeat more certain. Lee was
then made vict,r when, by every law Of
opportunity and combination, he might
have been thoroughly defeated. In-
toxicated with his marvellous success, for
he had set out after Pope entirely alone,
the rebel general had the audacity to
march his columns into Maryland, with
the whole Army Of the Potomac grouped
directly in his rear. So unwise, nay,
utterly reckless, did this movement seem
to military men, that some of them laugh
iugly declared, they supposed he had an
assurance from the Federal authorities
that he should not DO moested in his en-
t.rprse. The truth was, doubtless, he
had ascertained the dissensions and in.
subordnation which existed in our camp,
and knowing also the timidity and ir-
resolution OF the federal commander, he
ielt certain always Of margin for re-
treat. We have seen that he was follow
ed at tho rate of about five miles a day,
and after nine days Of ravage, was