Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-04-15
The Lessons OF the war.

The Rochester Union says that the military
lessons OF The war arc not alone noticeable Tor The
instruction they have given the people aud their
civil servants, but also for their justification OF
the few civilians aud the educated soldiers yno
from the outset had a correct view OF the rebel
lion and its requirements. II We had had the
ordering Of events ard desired simply TO yindi-
cate the plans and policy Of Gen. McCLELLAS,
there is scarcely one link in the chain Of occur
reuces stretching from his farewell 70 the army
Of the Potomac to the present time shat We
you'd have emitted or changed And il is quite
amusing nov. in glancing al the comments OF his
most viEulent deiractoTs. 10 note the unwilling
compliments they pay him in their euicgies OF
GR.sr, as for instance tie following from The
New York Times. whose military critic led in
the panic At Solferino and tipped the " elbows Of
tho Mincio:
..yeside the policy Of concentration, tohich
Gen. Grant iaaugurGted. aud to which Se have
been indebted for the happy results Of the last
years lighting, We owe him also that remarkable
concert of feeling aud action among the gener
sls trifLouf trhieh plan Of operations could
haze done much good.
The Times admits that the "happy results"
Of the Iass years. fighting are due to the policy
Of concentration" the Inauguration Of which II
attributes to Gen. GRASr; and it comedies that
no plan Of operations could have been equally
successful without perfect concert of action and
feeling among the subordinate generals. All
fbis is true; but if Gen. GRASr's predecessors
Old not insuguraie the indispensable policy and
secure the requisite co operation j. Was not their
fault, and it is due To them TO state the fact.
General M'CLELLASs constant efforts were di-
rected towards these ends, but in vain. IL -ss
utterly impossible for him TO beat their necessity
into the head OF either the President or Sec
rotary OF war whose brain Was diseased with
some confused notions about "the spirit OF the
Lord and picayune warfare in the dsys OF
Joshua" Perhaps those Who such
gloriou. results from the policy Of concentration
and the late Sighting of the united forces south
OF Petersburg can appreciate the situation
of CLELLAS when in moving upon his cana
paign VI DosELLs corps OF - 900 men and
BLxSKxss division OF 10 900 men-ons third OF
his entire army-were taken from him and when
"a,
enemy before Richmond. McDowgLL with at
army of 40 900 men, as officially stated by SrAS-
TON, was resting in dleness and uselessncss At
Freiercksbnrg. General McCLKLLAx in his Har-
rison's Landing letter TO the president of July
eth. 1862, urged that she national forces should
not be dispersed in expeditions. posts of occupa-
ton and numerous ssmies, but should be mainly
collected into masses snd brought TO bear upon
the armies OF she confederate states" Again,
IN he report OF bis campaigns, he said: +" In the
arrangement and conduct of campaigns the d.
rection should be left TO professional soldiers
Everything should be left to the responsible mil
itary head without interference from civilians y
This done his convictions were: Z" | ara convinc
co that by the proper employment Of our
resources IL il entirely possible TO bring this
war TO successful military issue
believe that 4 necessary preliminary to
the re establish ment OF the union ia the entire
defeat or virtual destruction of the organized
military power of the confederatcs and that such
result should be accompanied snd followed by
conciliatory measures: and sha. by pursuing the
political course have slwsys advised il Is posi-
bic to bring shout permanent restoration of the
union; reunion by which the rights OF both sec
tons shall be preserved and by which both parties
shall maintain their self respect while they respect
each other"
General GRANT was permitted TO practically
insuguraic tho military polio, mapped out by
General MoCLrLL.S. Hence his success. Now
icy advised by him. equal sucoes. in the civil
order will follow We commend the report of
McCLkLLsSs campaigns. embracing his papers
on civil and military policy and plsns, TO the
perusal of those who would understand properly
what has been done and what ought 10 be done