The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1868-03-11
Harlan and Grant.

At this time, when General Grant, hand in
glove with the radicals, is attempting % be-
come foremost man in all this wor l." it
may not be uninteresting to glance back,
and notice what friends OF to-day thought
Of him in 1862.
In the United States senate, May s 1862,
in reply to Mr.. Sherman, of Ohio, spanking
of the battle of Pittsburg Landing, Rev.
James Harlan, of Iowa, said:
From all that can learn on the subiect,I
do not think that General Grant is lit to
command a great army in the field =
The Iowa troops have been in battle repeat
eddy under command of General Grant
They have no confidence in his capacity and
fitness for the high position he now holds
They regard him as the author of the use
less slaughter of many hundreds of their
brave comrades in arms. Ii is not necessary,
nor is it right, to compel them to serve IN
der him. The speech of the senator from
Ohio might, if unnoticed, induce those in
authority to continue him in the field
l understand he has been virtually sus,
pended that he now really has ID COM
mand; that each division and arm corps
of the western department is under ne COM
mand of another general. and the whole un-
der command of Gen. Halleck that Gen
eral Grant is second in command of the
whole, which is, Of course, merely nominal
In my opinion he ought not to have multi
piled thousands of men placed in his hands
after the record which he has made. And
the only practical tendency of that part of
the speech of the senator from Ohio would
be to induce the President to assign him an
active command. This can mott consent
to have done in the presence OF my country
men, MANNED and slaughtered, as believe,
through his carelessness or Incompetency. l
say this not on account of any public or PR
vate grievance of a personal nature.
1t my convictions are correct i would be
a crime for me to remain silent, and suffer
influences to originate in the senate chamber
which may result in restoring general to
an active command whom l and the people
| in part represent deem unworthy of such
a trust.
And he shall not with my consent be con-
timed in command. There is nothing IN
his antecedents to Justify further trial o
his military skill. At Belmont he committed
an egregious and unpardonable, military
blunder. which resulted in almost annihiiat-
ing an Iowa regiment
At Fort Donelson, the right wing OF our
army, which was under his immediate COM
mand, was defeated and driven back several
miles from the enemys works. The battle
was restored by General Smith, the enemy's
works were stormed, and thus victory was
finally won. And SO ON the battle held OF
Shiloh, his army was completely surprised,
as believe, from all the facts can procure,
on Sunday, and nothing but the stubborn
bravery of the men fighting by regiments
and brigades saved the army from utter de-
struction. The battle was afterward restor-
ed and conducted by General Buell. and 9TH
er generals, who came on the field during
the evening and night, and our forces ulti-
mately succeed in completely routing the
enemy. Now, sir, with such record, those
who continue General Grant in an active
command will, in my opinion, carry on their
skirts the blood of thousands Of slaught-
cred countrymen. With my convictions
can neither do it myself nor silently permi,,
others to do it, Congressional GLOBE, 20
Session, 7hirty-sepenM Congress, page =
o36 and 2,037.