The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-06-05
The Army Of the POtOmac-The Chan
eeS Of Richmond and Then.

The army of the Potomac has now
reached the region of It's movements
under Mcclellan two years ago Where
in is its chance of capturing Richmond
better now than it was then2 We don't
suppose that there is any great differ
ence in the relative strength of the ma
tional and rebel armies, in presence, at
the two periods. Both armies are
larger now, but probably with about
the same preponderance in our favor.
If the location of the armies is not ma
terially different, nor their relative
magnitude, why have now so much bet
ter grounds for confidence?
And first, the different route the ar
my has now taken to get to its present
position has given it great advantages
it was without then. Then it could re-
ceiye no material reinforcements with
out exposing Washington to danger
from the swift columns of StOnewall
jackson, which constantly commanded
the Shenandoah Valley. Now all dan
ger of that kind has been averted by
the policy Of choosing route in which
terrible blows could be given the enc
my without uncovering Washington
and by which, too, all the railroad com
munications north of Richmond have
been so broken up as to be practically
useless The necessity of protecting
Washington is no longer a clog to any.
military movement that may be deem
ed advisable This a great point gain
ed. But pet it is a small point in COM
parison with another.
We mean the fact, that while Lees
army, since the other campaign, has
lost its two best corps commander
jackson killed and Longstaeet dis
abled-the Army of the Potomac has
gained Immensely in the efficiency Of
its leadership. The old personal jeal-
ousies and different gradations of 10y
atty, which used to prevail among the
corps commanders, and make it almost
impossible to secure concert of action,
no longer exist. Absolute devotion to
the cause and perfect singleness of
purpose actuate the present leaders
There is no strife but generous emula-
ton for the most thorough performance
of duty. And now, for the first time,
are seen a complete unity of spirit and
a perfect discipline, not only among
the led, but among the leaders, indis-
pensable to the full efficiency Of an
army, and in which Lees army has al
ways greatly excelled.
But the great capital point in the i'm
provement of our leadership is that the
chief leader is Lieut. Gen. Grant, and
not Mai Gen. Mcclellan. The army
under the latter, two years ago, never
fought battle but on the detsnsigs. Not
in a single instance was it allowed to
assume the offensive. Its business was
to await attack-to hold its ground if it
conquered, to fall back if it were van
quished. Even when it repelled its
foes, and swept in upon their broken
ranks, as it did two years this very day
at Fair Oaks, it was not permitted to
take advantage of its success, but was
held in check, though it is almost GER
tain, that had an immediate pursuit
been ordered, according to the desires
of some Of the corps commanders,
Richmond would have been captured
with little or no further fighting All
this absurd system of carrying through
a great aggressive campaign on defen-
sive principles, has given place to
a policy as completely the reverse as
can be conceived. 1t IS a policy Of mo-
ton, not rest; of attack, not defence.
Grants dominating element is yigor
McClellan's caution. Grants disposi-
ton is to make the best of what he has
Mcclellan to worry about what he has
not Grant scorns an excuse; McClel-
Ian delights in them. Grant has the
sublime self-reliance that is always in
spired by true genius. Without fear,
he moves away from his base, and cuts
clear of it altogether, and in all his
strategy and tactics shows an independ-
ence Of book msxims that has charac-
terized all the great commanders. Nc
Clellan, though he can put himself on
paper with good deal of dpLomb, in action
invariably magnifed danger or difficult
tv, always shrank before it, and was
never known, in single instance, to
deviate from the most timid military
method
The difference in the mental and NOR
al constitution of the two men is per
feet in the simple fact that, while it
has taken Grant only twenty-seyen days /
" INdCu lis pACoCAA PS14sASAAf eA--S~s 81 /
an almost continuous storm of battle, |
and in the face Of line on line of most /
elaborate earthworks,..i 1T took McClellln |
over fifty days to reach the same neigh /
borhood, though finding in his way
nothing but the weak works of York |
town, defended by few thousand only, /
yet besieged for month, and the works 4
at Williamsburgh, which, in the absence /
of Mcclellan, were rendered untensble 4
by Hooker and Hancock, after a few .
hours fighting, and which, in fact, might /
have been turned without any fighting /
at all
In view of all these undeniable facts, /
the conclusion is pretty safe that this
campaign viii be no such failure as the I
other.-N j. Tines.