Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1864-07-22

An interesting comparison OF Grant and
Lee as commanders appears in the n. Y.
Times, from the pen OF Prof Mahan, Of West
Point, OF whom both we're pupils. We quote
the most important part OF the article
Gen Lee Is nov advancing ia bis 6hy-dfth year lie
graduated The Muiiafy Academy 40 lS25 n hi d
twenty ilu h year, aud although sec nd ou e roll Of
meft in his cass. he made 40 marx la a. nor dd be
leave any tradition OF a0uts behind him like Mason who
was aduAied at the head OF the cla s, and Backing
ham, wh5 was loser do"n As an oth 'er Of engineers
De has rit nothing that can De polteu 70 as aeholhs
other than ordinary ability No one ever thought
of quoting IA as an authouy 10 his corps. as Ley
wound Totem Inaytr, Delantld. btrnafd aud others
soon after the mexican var Gen. Lee sent an
p ruteudtnt 90 the Military ACADEMY, in which eapacl-
y ne served fir a1lut three years hs ad ulu isauln
ui tne usutuuI Iu was respectable aud notniug more
He resigned his position lu th aca ietny aud Dts com
tugueer uhltf in 1890 i0 accept tnat Of
el enautco onrl of une Jt the nc~ cayay regiments
orBtLized 1y Jeherson Davis thea oe iet'l "i war
Paced tn command OF troops for the hfst uue during
bis uAy career his essay was generally spoken % as
alalufe sno 10 the eaut OF the 20 dirtJ qualities 1t
command. Suoseq lenty % this be spent Tie most ni
ue at Atii gton, prutracled leav OF absence,
where The secession of Nirsni4 tound HIM aud earned
We now come to Gen. Lees new career, upon vAieh
hs Ycscut CLAIMS 10 the ch Iactefsucs Of ubntaD &c
Lu. rect ui, cllef work here vas the ea,t cO p u
uti .r, probe Athat of dtfening territory eKeeed-
uslj dIihs.it teDeuate, uteuug number ot sloug
eeeusO, positions, assAlaule only AZ tne nsz OF great
0ss tlc aasAAan IN Trout aud suyecuhs MN 70 me
greater usAs hanh movement n hls aueaipts To fn
tu m Having had years 90 ume 20 prepare these ce-
fu,lvc D luts minute knowledge OF every inch OF
ground having uuuicAtlI-s 10 the Teas ample aud
uua 5tru-ted. aud upuatJn deadly husthe go the -
,adug force SeseTh must iudetd nave been bell"
me.iuefts you'd nave conducted his defensive
cauuagus a. resppcably a. g. "a. Lee has d1ue. II e
La been satisheu Siu Almus passive testa ce, aud
when he has assumed he offensive i has always been
eager look TO the reAr A. tne second Daue Of
Ball able gene al would nave let 20 50 easily
bic grasp GA The deuorauSed uooPs u foPe. 51e,c-
q4tu.y at Anuetam' WIN aa exhausted anu ain'sl de-
ID army 20 contend wth no a0e gen raj with the
aa,auasts mat Lee had already secured, would nave
failed ~ ha,e struck home, with such momeutuOus
.t.se sthiu his reach la the pefil0us u9ud uJu OF
ur sd al s6urg teq ui ed out Ordinary nii
taiy skI have dftyen his army auto the hNpPAhah.
mock Hooker aud srdgwIek owed more % Ais ~aut II
true military appieciauor ol the mo"ent 'h Lee lhAn
10 the h.htiug 4auues their troops. flnay at yet
ysDurs al e handsome hrst success, witn Ills uoops
concentrated aud well iu hand would an able general
have been sAsned get himself out Of the eciapr aud
withdraW whtu Lee did, with such pro pecls second
time before him. Fer his present pcsluon ana fepdta
uou Gen. Lee is indebted no small degree To ali
family connections aud 10 mat seryiceable iairut winch
/ h. me tower of strength OF Of medocuty depJrt
uleut Amabe, thoroughly moral aud in BIS social re-
auuns OF stct iniegsy he always ohaleuRrs respect
but vim these he Lacking ia those qualities oi co-
nan tr which beget the enthusiasm aud imph, reli-
Of the soldier under all eumst@nees' Iheie i'
more confidence elt ia ul prudence than IA ME Oolaues
Uf auoauty he has shown none.
tt,auts ees Iuni0t iu age thirteen Yeas, SD vas
graduated at militia academy fourteen years after
Lee. de is al his anna mate. a. having
cb. ~ d. al he same ums, hrm aspect, aud prom pt
/ decided manner. his cass-staudiug was amoug ma
staat lh hes live 90 the nue ui the army sot u l'
most valuable utheets nke Lyon, hey old' oedg"ek
81. Uuuke Lee subsequently go BraauaahB,he Aad non'
of he alas toward ds,tueuJn w4en social po.iuon a
rNAe life aud 10 ths oOuiu iudus general II
military hlc ahJid he pfestni eon,es' has ie'es'ea a
much himset probably, as to NJ county, MS poml
nent military usit ot lne development OF ~hieh lev
oppurtulhtes had ben previously ah5idtd Ahese ar
nuN izuulnat 20 he pubhc To neeu d"eHhB upon
II game.lu the mouleutous cauup pAgu now teud ng
has 6eeu the yey opposite 10 thai OF ecu Lee ha'n,
tue sua.esical disadvantages of constantly leus 'heu
rfIHra NFfFN y 4
geographically aItcult county, with NE hAnks OF IL
line VI communications exposed, and the tactical uLe
tuher ass4 positions seieo'ed aud cafidly prtpare
r resistance, OF else exposing himself 70 Tue iaks
faux movements sitniu short suking distance VI N
enemy the manner ia winch he has played this gam
up Go the present hour whateN aJ De the seque ma
] put the seal o. bis high "a raety IS general
Handing -cces,iuly al army Or az leSstohe huhd e
and hf, thousaua men, bfOkeA county an IA con
tact lth enemy 10 o ttsei nu small ieat OF eehri
ashp. Gen GrAat has not only done THIS out AoAhdoa
INK base aud akng up new onrin succession" ifot
the kapdan Port Royal, nom this 10 tue Whi
House. and nov iOm the " mite House TO toe Jamei
h has swung his army around irom the Whdefn,ss
Sputtsylyauia Court housti from theie To Tue NoI'
Anna from, this stream 10 the Cntekahomiuy, d no
from the Chick AhOmny the south SIDE OF the jane
with un urder aud oeleuy seldom, II ever equaueui lu
cling his opponent 70 rapid feuugrade movements Ho
strongly Intrenohed positions, Hhe G, IN eAeh ne va
held Ony long - was necessary TO nave tNef thhs
readiness for the next onward step lhe l'ss oi lie
these movements has been great out Leithtr uneApec
ed nor inoommensurate Win the Importance OF tue OF
lect tn be attatned-
The peculiar tactics OF the rtuth was vht1 pAitiai
,,ccsih Al tne outet Of IT, In every succeeding Ua
Tie their fay rite manmuveI has been met BY couut
/ one aud iulled Gen Lee. IN the peculiar style oi
dspatches, ouly thanks God that the enemy mas bee
tt4lsed. Gru, GRAFT by moving over the line om q
ksudan q the Chi kahuuty, has been able eheeual
10 drstIy the railroads from Richmond 10 Mashns'o
/ and Oy removing Lee from he very uoors OF W Ash'n
ton where he long llin, TO the defense OF nc
nond has At length been aole 10 place the army Of
Potomac in its ttue strategical position, south OF
James threatening the separation Of Lees aud John
TONS armies.
10 whatrank as general, post-ry, the only imParu
earthly Judge will ace Gen Grant, must be leii 10
future Il tenao ", boldoess sagAcity aud ski are
mong the orterions Of military capacity, he has arta
undioated his claims to high position at least III
ranks next bel0w thr grand captains of the world
may aim, with the duke Of Wellington, " thtre az
ming he does knop II is how 10 feed and handle
army.