, 1864-02-09
SPEECH OF
BON. E. B. WASHBURNE.
On The Bill to Revive the Grade
Of Lieut.. General.

On The BILL to Revive the Grad,
Of Lieut.. General.
In the House, on Feb. LIST, the bill to rcylr,
the grade Of Lieutenant General being unde,
discussion, Mr.. Nashburne said.
had not intended to submit any remarls
on this bill. ! have made 10 preparation
should be unable to do so on accopnt Of the
present state Of my health. No subject Of less
importance than this, no bill In which I felt q
less degree Of interest, could hayo brought
me to the House to-day, had not looked for
TIE opposition to the bill which has been man
| The proposition is to revive the Grade Of
| Lieutenant General for the purpose Of con-
terIing 1t not only for the recognition Of dis
tlDguiehed and exceptional services already
rendered to the country, bnt for the practical
purpose Of investing full command Of the
~ subordinntlon, Of course, to the
Communicating Chief under the Constitu-
ton. do rot propose to enter upon the
control the House, in passing this bill
Those reasons must suggest themselves 10
They spring from The admiration which I
great and lnagnanimous people must ever
feel for deeds Of heroism and for public ser
vice Of untold value, and for which no re-
ward can be esteemed too great. The question
has been raised Us to whom will be appointed
under the bill In the event Of its passage I
take it there is no gentleman upon this floor
who has really any doubt upon whom this
appointment will be conferred. Under the
language Of the bill, referring to most emil
nent and distinguished service, think one
individual, and one individual alone, ID
pointed out SO distinctly that no man can
misunderstood.
great deal has been said as to what might
have happened if some such bill had passed
two years ago; that such or such q man
might have received the honor, and implying
that the party upon whom the honor may be
conferred unter this bill may prove himself
unworthy. How much, would ask, is now
have the confidence Of this House? Has not
General Grant earned that confidence and
proved himself worthy Of full trust In the
greatest positions? demand to know what
would have been our position as nation In
our present struggle had it not been for the
achievements Of General Grant2 Where eau
you point to series Of greater tr1umphs
tlhn he has achieved, q more complete snc-
ccseion Of victories, which are unsurpassed
In history, md which for the briiliancy Of
their achievement, and In furthcrance of the
great cause in which lie hos SO nobly fought,
have made his name md lis fame as lasting
as the history Of the nation?
/ have spoken Of the interest I feel in this
bill, but if l know myself it is feeling that
arises far above the considerations Of person.
nj friendship which entertain for tho distin-
g1lislcd soldier whose name has been con-
nectcd with it. I'M not here to speak for
General Grant. No man with his consent has
ever mentioned his name In connection With
any position. 1 Soy what know to be true
When allege that every promotion he has re-
ceived since he first entered the service to put
down this rebellion was moved without lis'
EnrJF}nHrn Nr ennEanf nd Tn ,rdt rs
very matter Of Lieutenant General affcr the
bill Was introduced aud his name
mentioned in connection Herewith. lie
wrote me aud admonished me tlmt
he had been highly honorcd already by the
Government, and did not ask or deserve any
ton; and that q success over Tie enemy was
What hc craycd above everything else; that
he only desired to hold such IN influence oyer
those under his command as to use them to
the best advantage to Secure That end. Such
is the language Of this patriotic aud single
country and doing his whole duty. Sir, what
ever this House may do, tho country will do
Justice to General Grant. We can see that
i tlink can appreciate that myself.
Alter the battle Of Shiloh, little less than
two yenrs ogo, wave Of calumay and de-
power that would have overwhelmed any
man of less strength and courage. Ny neigh
bor md my friend, appointed upon my own
RECOMMENDATION. sougat In my plaec on
this floor the earliest occasion to tell the !
country something Of this General, denunci-
the country to the other. believe cain say |
scarcely had the sympathy Of single mot1- |
brr On this floor In making that speech, |
which was only regarded US somewhat cx-
t1aTagallt defense of friend. Willing to |
take the responsibility Of standing by my re- !
cord then I IN For
Justification, and ask If General Grant hus !
not far dansccndcd every thing that claimcd /
for him.
It cannot certainly, Mr. Speaker, be ncces-
sary tor nc to enter into any detail OF the
services of General Grant to the country; !;
They are as familiar as household words to
our constituents, II not to us here. Why
necessary to recount that long list of tri.
unphs and Of victories from Belmont to |
Lcokcnt Mountain? Look at what this man
has done for his country, for humanity and
civilization-this modest and uupretending
general whom gentlemen appear to be So
much afraid Of he has fought more battles
and On more victories than any man living;
he has captured more prisoners and taken
more guns Than any general Of modern times,
rendered seryicciu opening our great chan
rel Of communtcation to the ocean, SO that
the great Father of Waters now goes .sun-
Tcxcd to the eea," which cndears lin to all
o9r hearts, Sit, when his bluc1egions crown
cd the crcsts Of Vicksburg, and the hosts Of
rebcldom laid their artns at tile feet Of this
great conqueror, the rebel confederacy was
cut In twain and the backbone Of the rebel
lion broken.
speak Of the fall Of Vicksburg. might
speak Of What went before. It was my good
fortune to be with Gen. Grnnt and with that
noble army, every man of whom Is hero, ut
the commencement Of the expedition wAieh
eliminated In the taking of VicksbuIg. We
oil know how Ill ut case the public mind was
last winter pending Gen. Grant's operations
On the lower Mississippi. The expedition By
Grenada, the opening Of the canal, the OPEN
ing Of the bnyous, had not succeeded; the
country saw all the attempts to flank that
stronghold likely toproye abortiyc, and there
was great anxiety. Bnt, with unshaken con-
ildcnce in himself Gen. Grant pursued the
cncc nEon Lis success in the plan finally
adopted, and which could not be undertaken
until tie river and bayous should sufficiently
ceede to enable him TO move.
Then, efr, WAS seen that bold and daring
conception which say is without parallel ID
md his transportation By land On the Louis
Ina side from Milliken's Bend to point be-
low |ickEbutE., and then run the frowninr
ontteries of tint rebel Gibraltar, with its hun
aFeds Of guns, with his transports, md thus
enable him TO cross the river below Vicks~
z
country was startled at the success which
1ttendcd the running Of those batteries bY the
ETail Mississippi steamboats, used as trans-
ports, and the rebels stood arhast when they
.aW seven or eight transports, and all Of POr- i
Ltr'E Eunboats below Vicksbur1,
There was something in this nntter Of
running those batteries By the transports
which deserves more than passing notice.
1s showing tile indomitab1c spirit and cour-
lge Of that magnificent army. Certain boats
were detailed for the extraordinary and haz.
srdons service Of running the batteries. but,
with one exception, the crews Of all the bouts
Fcfuscd to 60. The Provost Marshal was
hen ordered to beat mp for volunteers. No /
sooner was tie notice given than soldiers
ruehed IN for the service, and ut once many
[i1ucB the number that was called for WIS
illcd-pilots, engineers, fremen, deck hands,
= the greatest numbers, offered themselves.
From one regiment, known us the Lead Mine.}
resiment, raised in my own section, no less
hun JIG men and sixteen commissioned Off.
:ers, volunteered for that dangerous, yet glo-
1ous service, The consequence Of ill this
vas thnt resort Was had to lot, as to who,
should hnve the privilege of riskIng life Ia
hat unparalleled adventure. One noble boy |
rom my own city, who had drawn the prize.
1as offered s100 in gteenbacks for his chance,
= Thich he rt1used to take, but courageousIy !
ltl1 on, and successfully passed not only the
Vickeburg, but the GRIND Gulf batteries,
Hhat language can do Justice to an army ami !
mated by such 6pIrits What triumphs md
THAT glories might not justly be expected
rom It?
The transports nul gnnboats below the bat
erfes, the army reaches By land marches Per- ,