The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1868-07-30
HOW GRANT WAS TRUSTED.

From Dana's Life of Grant VIC make
the following extract, showing how fully
Gen. Grant was trusted by the Govern
ment and what immense power he had
in his hands during the period from his
appointment rs Lieutenant General to
the close Of the war;
In accepting the grade OF Lieutenant
General and with it the immediate di.
rection Of the army Of the Potomac, Grant
did not IN any way neglect the moro im-
portant and comprehensive duties of bis
new Office. Ills first care was to secure
for the command of the various armies.
military departments, and divisions, Cen
erals who would work tremendously and
in support of himself and each other
and his next, to devise such general
plan of operations as would compel them
all to do some specific good towards ac-
complishing the general result to be OBJ
tanned. The war had hitherto been con-
Quoted upon no well established or proper
principle. Each General had been as
signed to extended bailiwick, with an
uncertain number Of soldiers, and although
he had been left with few or no instruc-
tions, much had been expected of him.
| When Grant assumed command of the
armies of the United States, the loyal
! troops occupying the insurgent territory
were divided into twelve distinct depart
ment commands, with many minor dis
tricts more or less independent Of each
other = the troops Of which were acting
under no general system pointing to the
accomplishment of wclldefncd military
results. The different commanders knew
that the rebellion must be put down, and
that the Government would reward sue
ccssiul military operations; but notwith-
standing the fact that the President upon
moro than one occasion had issued his
orders directing a simultaneous movement
upon the enemy by all the armies, the
military organization was too cumbyous TO
admit of effective working. The team
was not only balky, but badly hitched,
/, and hence one Or two Of the best horses
were doing a.! The work. 1t will be re-
menbercd that Grant recommended the
consolidation Of departments aud armies
before the beginning Of the Nicksburg
campaign, and that nine months after the
military Dlyi ion OF the Mississippi was
established. On his accession to the
command of the armies he designated
! Sherman to succeed him in the command
of that military division, adding to it the
| department Of Arkansas. 1t has been
seen how he consolidated four depart
ments in the Virginia region into the
Middle Military Division, and placed it
under Sheridan. As Sherman collected
his forces and began to operate south
eastward from Chattanooga, a new con-
solidation of departments took place on
the lower Mississippi, with Gen. Candy
in command. by these means widely
separated regions and armises were
brought into the general plan; great
power was committed to the hands Of able
and judicious commanders, acting under
the instructions of clear headed and far
seeing generalissimo; and decided and
concentrated action followed, bringing
down, by the terrible outset of 100000
patriots, in a few months, the we'll founded
and closely compacted fabric of The slave
holders rebellion.
"Thc gcneralship displayed in this
wonderful concentration of effort and in
the unerring direction given to the na-
tional armed forces towards the vital
points of the hostile territory, shows stra-
tcgic skill seldom surpassed, coupled with
a depth and breadth of comprehension
sustained by high moral courage capa-
bic of the highest resolutions. In bring
ing the Government TO the adoption Of
such radical measures, Grant displayed
all the tact and sagacity of the profound
est craftsmanship; and it is doubtful if
in the history of the world so much power
was ever entrusted by civilized state 20
the hands of citizen, with less hesita-
ton or doubt, while it is certain that
such power was never so virtuously and
unselfshly welded, Grant, standing at
the head of nearly million of armed
men, held in the unlimited sway Of die
tator, and yet he never for an instant
forgot that he was rs far below the laws
as the most obscure private in the ranks.
III the Government ever entertained n
doubt Of his fidelity or shadow of jcal-
ousy at his success, it is not known; aud
this is circumstance as ercditablc to
tue bcneral rs IL Is W lhc Aca'uSuI anu
his Cabinet.
alt is not within the limits of this
work to give the details Of the corrcspon.
dencc aud orders by which Grant carried
his plans into effect, nor even of the opc,
rations which resulted thcrcfrom; but
enough of both will be mentioned to show
that the success of the national cause was
due to the unlimited control which he
exercised in the selection of subordinate
commanders, and in directing their move
ments against the armed forces Of the
enemy in accordance with the true prin-
ciples of warfare. ~ matter OF course
the patriotism, courage, and civil virtue
of the people. were the underlying and
primary cause of our success, but they
n -