, 1868-06-26
A Republican Senator on General Grant.

Republican Senator on General Grant.
In the United States Senate, May 6, 1862,
10 reply to Mr.. Sherman, of Ohio, speaking
of the battle of Pittsburg Landing, Rev.
James Harlin, Senator from Iowa, said:
"From all that can learn on the subject,
do not think that General Grant is 6t to
command great army in the field.
''The Iowa troops have been in battle re-
peatedly under command of General Grant.
They have no confidence in his capacity or
fitness for the position he now holds. They
regard him as the author of the useless
slaughter of many hundreds of their brave
comrades in arms 1t is not necessary, nor
is it right, to compel them to serve under
him. The speech of the Senator from Ohio
might, if unnoticed, induce those in author
ity to continue him in the field.
81 understand he has been virtually suss
pended, that he now really has no command,
that each division and army corps of the
Western Department is under the command
of another General, and the whole under the
command of General Halleck that General
Grant is second in command of the whole,
which is, of course, merely nominal. In my
opinion he ought not to have multiplied
thousand of men placed in his hands after
the record which he hasa made And the
only practical tendency of that part of the
speech of the Senator faom Ohio, would be
to induce the President to assign him an ac.
tive command. This l cannot consent to
have in the presence of my countrymen,
manned and slaughtered, as l believe, through
his carelessneSs or incompetency. l say
this not on account of any public or private
orievance IF
my convictions are correct, it would be a
crime for me to remain silent, and suffer
influences to originate in the Senate CHAINS
Der which may result in restoring a General
to an active command whom L, aud the
people in part represent, deem unworthy
of such trust.
"And he shall not with my consent be
continued in command There is nothing
in his antecedents to justify further trial
of his military skill. At Belmont he com>
mitted an egregious and unpardonable mil
itary blunder, which resulted in almost an.
Initiating an Iowa regi nent.
cat Fort Donelson, the right wing of the
army, which was under his immediate COM
mand, was defeated and driven back several
miles from the ememy's works. The battle
was restored by General Smith, the enemy 8
works were stormed, and thus victory was
finally won. And so on the battlefield Of
Shiloh, his army was completely surprised,
as believe, from all the facts l can pro-
cure, on Sunday, and nothing but stubborn
bravery of the men fighting by regiments
aud brigades, saved the army from utter
destruction. The batttc was afterwards
restored and conducted by General Buel aud
other Generals, who came on the field dur
ing the evening and night, and our forces
ultimately succeeded in routing the enemy
Now, sir, with such a record, those who
continue General Grant in active command
will, in my opinion carry on their skirts the
blood of thousands of their slaughtered coun'
trymen. With my convictions, | can neither
do it my self nor silently permit others to dc
it." See Congressional Globe, I'd Session,
Thirty>seVenth Congress, pages 2,036 and
2,037.l
Was not Senator Harlin right? Did moi
misgivings come true Did not those who
continued General Grant in active command
crimson their skirts with the blood of thous
ands and hundreds of thousands of theil
slaughtered countrymen? Read the history
of the reckless, cruel, objectionable and
brutal slaughter of hundred thousand Of
our couutrymen in the battle of the Wilder
ness. So great was that reckless slaughter
of Northern soldiers that it has been said
'FGrant entered Richmond over a bridge o
human bones" Verify, the prediction Of
Senator Harlin was feartuly verified Vest
chester (Pa.) JefersOnian.