Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1865-03-16
En- glish opinion OF our eenersls


En- glish Opinion of Our Generals.
The unmsasured ridicuIc which the En-.
glish journals used to heap Upon our Con
erals and soldiers 20 longer finds place, and
scme Of them, indeed, have 20 changed
their minds az to express hearty admira-
ton of our military movements. In the
last Edinburgh Review, for instance, there
is an elaborate dissertion on tho last
Campaign 10 America" in which the writer
gives no unstained praise to our leading
Generals. Referring to the sneers with
which little minds used to speak Of the war
in America, he says
The year has closed upon a series Of
operations so vast Ia design and 20 interest.
ing in detail that il may be broadly asserted
I that modern warfare affords none more prof
| table as study when viewed with due
! reference to the conditions Of the struggle.
And the main particulars are already made
know TO the world through reports, public
and private, as Yssfiy superior in accuracy
/ and clearress to the wild extravaganza
which filed the American journals Of three
! years since, as WeIlington's dispotches TO
/ Napoleon's bulletins. The New York
weekly paper, named at the head of this
article 1.-THE Army and Navy Journal) has
alone more honest and painstaking informa-
ton as 10 the current campaigns, than the
whole pres Of North and South contained
in the days of Pope and Mcclellan. The
correspondence of one Of the chiet Gener-
ais, Sherman. will certainly bear compari-
son with anything Of its class which modern
military literature can produce, while others
are far behind him.
OF Grant and the Vicksburg campaign,
the writei remarks incidentally:
Meanwhile, another and surer path to
power 10 this great contest lay before Sher-
man and his chief in the West. The sword
OF victory which Grant waved over Eicks-
burg was destined 10 win him triumph be-
fore the year should close, and to give him
the unchallenged position of the first soldier
OF the Cniou. His late campaign had shown
well planned strategy, tiiuBphing over
I great natural difficulties and elaborate de-
lenses by the bold execution of his march
upon the enemy rear. and his after patent
watching. His next was TO prove him the
ready General, who, at close distance, can
search out the weak points of his enemys
position and ushis own forces with tactical
! dexterity to pierce them. A period OF en-
forced retirement from severe accident
4 passed by and found him restored to duty
at most critical juncture Of the war.
Again, Of Grants campaign at Chatta-
noogs, he says:
The next six weeks of the campaign of
Chattanooga are, however, Of mere interest
/ by far than our readers would perhaps sc-
knowledge on their present information.
! We would say, therefore, that the surprise
of the river passage near Brsgg's center by
Smith, aRd the manevering by which the
! Confederate lines were forced by Grant a
month later at the brittle of Chattanooga.
are as tactical achievements. far filter to he
classed with the best feats of Napoleon and
Wellington than any advantage won by any
European General since the days of those
giants of war. We assert this without fear
of any contradiction from those who ex-
anime the subject with care and give their
verdict with candor. They will find in the
well-prepared and thoroughly executed de-
tails OF these affairs none OF tho blind, un,
certain striking which Won the Alma and
Magenta"