The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1864-06-07
THENAECHEgTER JOURNAL
MaerfrsTFn -
Vest fsnl gradnabt aHd llHhsE
hHfFali

the country. he people had cnifati-
cd tie management ~ the War 20 those
uho lad especially been trained Up
Tor the defence u ibe country, and IN
der their management the couniry had
experienced nothing bai disaster. The
operations u Virginia 70 which the At
Geniion d the nation bad been parlic-
ularly directed. were not calculated to
inspire it With much faith in the abil-
hy Of cur military Institutions 70 pro-
vide successful generals for rs wants.
Mcclellan. the pride Of West Point,
Who had made the most 81 al lie ad
saniages IN his youth and enjoy ed The
opportunity d continuing the studies
there begun by personal inspection Of
all The great armies Of Europe, ialed
ID his ar.g great campaign. In bis
second. 10 which be exhibited many
a lie qualities u soldier more par
,icularly looked ueon as the results o.
rood military education, he failed 10
make Use Of his victory. Ills success
SIR led The Army Of the Potomac across
a large river into Il circle d batteries
planted on steep heights, and but for a
dark and stormy night, AID qualities
Of bis adversary very much like those
displayed BY Mcclellan after Aniie-
tam, would probably never have
brought il Back again. Hooker cross
ed the Rapidan, and because he failed
10 rout the enemy the first day, began
to doubt tie probability Of success,
feared that the supplies might BE- short,
took into consideration the possibility
Of ra n and The chances of rise of the
river. and came back again. BY this
time the country had become quite
convinced that Gen Halleck, who IN
his position at Washington had the
general oversight Of these campaigns,
was very much Of a martinez and very
little Of a general. These aud many
others who had given the country sim.
I liar disappointments, were all honored
/ graduates Of our military institution.
Then The oulburst against the West
Point was fearful. The editorial col
umns Of the city papers were filed
with compilations Of pie names Of West
Pointers who had done nothing but
execute mastery retreats ; orators Of
Y the school Of Wendell Phillips drew
forth great applause by their coarse
wit at the expense Of the venerable
institution and, il our memory serves
US right, a Senator went so far as to
introduce a resolution providing for
the suspension of the establishment.
Now all is changed. Most of the
civilians who were advanced to high
positions are in disgrace, and with one
exception every army in the field is
commanded by graduate Of West
Point. The popular opinion which
then went to one extreme, now goes
to the other. As they forgot then to
make out the list Of West Pointers
who had served well in less conspicu-
Gus positions, SO now they forget to
count UP the score or so OF civilians
who after gradual advancement are
now doing well as division and corps
commanders. The editorials Of the
city papers are now full Of the praises
Of West Point the orators who then
abused the institution now harp on
other sslJects; and the people are
quite willing that Congress should vote
all appropriations necessary for il
maintenance.
4 The expectation Of greaflhings from
civilian generals in their first campaign,
and the unlimited confidence placed
in al graduates Of West Point, were
equally foolish. West Point cannot
make great generals without the nat
ural ability TO work upon, and w DO
moi believe that the transfer Of man
OF great abilities from civil 10 military
life can make him fool. True, his
ability can do him no good unless be
knows how % apply to the work At
hand bus SIC had rather see civil.
ian Of great natural capacity and abil-
/ lily to learn readily, put in high COM
mand, ilian an ordinary graduate from
Yves, Point who has never seen any
actual service. 1.-THE time ever comes
when West Point furnishes no really
great men, he nation bad better rely
upon talented civilians by giving them
an opportunity to qualify themselves
BY exercising command. In the case
81 Cen Grant We see combined all
- 49,. - -. - -.al.,t.. ~.