Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-07-16

virginia Campaigns Compared.
The invasion of Maryland by the rebels
and the Withdrawal of a portion of Gen.
Grants army to contest the occupation Of
that State with the enemy's forces, settle
the question that Gen. Grants movement
against Richmond has failed, so far as this
campaign Is concerned. AS q matter of
course, this state of affairs provokes COM
ment and criticism, and all over the coun-
try men are comparing the conduct and
fate of the two great campaigns against
Richmond-that led by General Met Clellan,
and the one commanded by General Grant
In the first place, It is known that Gen.
Mcclellan commanded aoraw, green army.
There was not a soldier in his ranks that
had been nine months In the service, and Q
majority of them. were enlisted, only four
or five months previous to the opening Of
the campaign. Not only was that the con-
dition of his soldiers, but all, his officers
were raw, from the Generals down. Gen.
Grants army, on the other hand, is a veter-
an army; all Of the men have been trained
to fighting, by years of steady, bloody
work, and no better officers can be found
in the world, for they have been trained In
actual battle. The conditions, therefore,
so far as the armies were concerned, were
entirely in favor of General Grant.
Then as to numbers. 1t is undoubtedly
true that General Grant, from the time he
crossed the Rapidan to his arrival at the
Appomattox, has constantly been in COM
mand of an army much larger than any
General Mcclellan controlled after the cap
ture of Yorktown. II is safe to say that
General Grant had one-third to one-half
more troops than had General Mcclellan at
any time during the Peninsular campaign.
In this respect therefore, the advantage
was altogether with General Grant. a,f
In the next place, General Mcclellan was
harassed In his movements. He was or
dered by the President of the United States
to do certain things against his own judg-
ment, and he was compelled to obey. He
was commanded to keep his army between
Washington and Richmond, which placed
him at sore disadvantage in fighting the
enemy. He was denounced for the diseases
generated by the swamps of the Chicka-
hominy; yet it was Mr.. Lincoln who was
to blame for that location of the army. On
the other hand, General Grant has been al
lowed full liberty to move his troops where
he pleased, and how he pleased. He. there
fore, had no drawbacks from the Admins
tration.
Then, again, it is notorious that General
Mcclellan was denied reinforcements,
which were within reach, while tremen-
dous clamOr was raised against him because
of Richmond with his comparatively small
army, and fear was attributed to him;
whereas it is now obvious that he under,
stood the military problem to he solved
better than any of his military superiors
and critics. But General Grant,, instead Of
having soldiers withdrawn from him when
about commencing an engagement, had
troops sent to him in profusion. He has re-
peatedly said that he had all the soldiers he
wanted. With these advantages on the
side of General Grant, the country will not
fail to notice that he has not won a single
battle from the Rapidan down to the Appo-
mattoX. There have been various fights, but
every attempt he has made to carry the reb-
el line of intrenchments by main force has
been defeated. Our men have fought
gallantly, and no real disaster has happened
to any considerable portion OF our army;
but, at the same time, our military annals
have not been enriched by solitary victory
through the whole of this bloody and terri
BILE campaign. On the other hand, it must
not be forgotten that several very important
victories we're gained by General McC Clellan, &
in spite OF the odds against which he con- r
tended, and the restraints which were put
upon him by the administration. York!
town, Williamsburg, Fair Oaks, Seven
Pines, Hanover Court House, and all of the
SCFOu . udOtiSS, odNO OuCf OiidO vi bdiuCo
Mills, were clearly and Enthusiastically
Union victories. That is to say, the rebels ,
attacking our army were every time de-
feated and driven back, and at Malvern Hill
with great and bloody losses. In spite Of
the disadvantages under which he labored,
General Mcclellan managed to get much
nearer Richmond than has General Grant.
There is much more that could be said to
the same effect; but we do not wish to be
understood as disparaging the hero ofVicks!
burg and Chattanooga. We think it, how,
ever, due to General Mcclellan that in this
great contest his superior abilities should
not be overlooked. So long as Gen. Grant
was winning victories in the West manyi
people supposed he could win them in the
East; but Lee is not Pemberton or Bragg,
and the rebel army of Virginia is composed
of sterner stuff than those armies he over
came so easily in the West. @'aI
We do not desire to underrate General
Grant. He has proved himself to be to-
nacious and skillful officer, though to be
frank, altogether too lavish of human life.
If he had been as careful of his men as
General Mcclellan was Of the army under
his command, the country would not to-
day be called upon for militia to defend
Washington and Baltimore and the borders
Of Pennsylvania. There Is no Disgusting 1t,
there has been an unnecessary. and fearful
waste of human life during the recent CAM
Daign, which has produced no result. conlsf
with our terrible lossesa5l IL bnss
]. Il i 4 4