New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-08-29

mgtOu, the poor relation OF noble lalhlIS' pul
what men would call accidents Every man has ms
fate II will como to him, sooner or later. 1t Will
fud him under any concealment There is
beauty and comfort in the thought that this end
less hcayiug disturbing sea called Destiny is
constantly destroying and creating; taking life and
giving life, svaying into its innermOst depths the
sham rcrutatious the false and badly learned nOtO
ricty called fame, and throwing to the surface new
aud fresh and good men. Take from history the
men called accidents, and it would DO tedious story
of imbecty and mcdiocnty.
Those who walk in the sunshine of fame will be
followed by the shadows of envy. With the night
time the shadows depart. 1t is high day with Gen.
Grant and we see him. shadows and all pam
mediumsizcd middlc-aged gentleman-who may
be seen any day gallopng rapidly along the VIDE
and muddy streets Of Westinghouse quietly STROLL
ing down the Avenue smoking his cigar-lan able
correspondent once detected him eating peaches and
made the act historical)-not to astOnish you,
but seemingly intent upon minding his own
business. and permitting other men to mind
theirs Look INFO his FACET gives the impress
sion of reserved and subdued strength-a temper
under perfect control. His hands and feet are
small which IN ancient times would have been
said TO show gentle blood. quiet adiniIa-
bly-pOsed man. without velvet or tinsel, persistent
without briliancy, going steadily to bis cohciusion
sometimes slow, but never crratc, with haVuio
that rises to every emergency-l0ngendurlng' as III
the Vcksburg siege, quick a. lightning " 90'10
those moments which may be called the Ihsp" ",'o"9
of victory as ut Fort DOnelsor-Wheh ne oi"Ci'"
Con Smith IN advance or at Mission Ridge, when
he sent sherman and Thomas and sheridan surghg
over the mountain ridge. A gentleman, IN the fullest
sense of that fine wOrd-nOt the gentleman OF the
mercer and haberdasher. anOinted and perfumed
and rippling with small talk, but considerate
patient gentle, forgivng. believing that human ma
ture is honest that the world is full OF justice
and cbarity-a gentleman of the Lincoln school,
such a one as in some respects we found IN
Louis Phihppe-abOve scandal, kind TO subor-
dinatcs making all burdens gentle, claiming
NO honors but what he had fairly won, fond OF ms
friends and constant in his friendships the same at
all times and under all circumstances-even-minde
not given to profanity, and shrinking with wO-
manly modcsty from all things vulgar, not a book
mana steady podder at West Point, who
did his work reasonably well, and made little
impression on his tutors. nature of slow and
patient growth its fullness coming late not Adde'S
cent too early boy until the last hour Of his boy
hood, and then a fresh. lusty, muCh-enduring man.
History sometimes passes judgment in SEN
tence OF an epithet 1t will be difficult TO do this
with Gen. Grant. The fame is empty which merely
finds expression in The Great TennysOn
reaches the measure OF true compliment Nutu ne
speaks of Wellington as rich in saving common
sense" Grant has something more. His critics tell
us that be was great because he served by such
captains as Sherman, Sheridan, and Mcpherson. Yet,
he found one rusting away in the engineers corps,
busy with bastion and parallel, and another quar-
termastcr, managing horses and cOrn-and the third
asuspected unatic only tito be trusted with camp
of drafted men, One-half Of Bonapartes genius is
shown by his discovery of Lannes aud Duroc and
BessiGres. Genius is divinng-rOd and discems
genius even under the rocks. Great as Sherman Is,
Tor instance, Grants nOblest deed was performed
in spite of his earnest protest. The campaign Of
VicksJurg is in some respects a comedy Sher-
man did not believe in the Port Gibson and
Grand Gulf movement. Halleck was in Washington,
burdened with strategy and from his serene map
gazing eyre watching every movement of the great
armies-with the cold interest of the mathematical
pcdant So Grant found himself alone, fighting
campaign against the orders of his superiors, and
in spite of the entreaties of his most trusted
subordinate. 1t one of these tremendous
risks that most great men take at some
time We can hardly understand how great q
risk it was. Senators were slamming the Presi-
dents door in his face because he refused to
this incompetent drunken laundering general. The
President, however rather liked the man, and
would stick by him" little Onger-a royal quality
in Lincoln, which made him support Mcclellan
and Buell. long after less patient men demanded
their removal. bad quality we thought in
our moments Of petulance but good in this,
that 1t saved us our great captain. We
Grant gradually creeping down the river to get in
the rear of VcksbuTg. The Washington authorities
were clamOrOus for the union of Grant and Banks On
april we have Halleck telegraphing Grant TO move
down the river and join Banks. Tho President,
who seems to be rather impatient about matters on
the Mississippi" also had Port Hudson in view. and
was constantly asking questions On May II,
tho day that Grant severed his cOmmunica-
tions with Grand Gulf, and moved with a rush
toward Jackson and the rear of Vcksburg, Halleck,
ignorant of the plan, and probably spurred by
an impatient President who asked questions,
ordered Grant if possible, to join Banks. In four
days Jackson fell in ten days Yicksburg was in
vested, the Rebel armies were defeated, Johnson
utterly severed from PembertOn. Grant wedge
between them, his batteries closely investing the
town. when we find Lincoln himself telegraph
ing his anxiety that he should join Banks There
can be no doubt that if Grants purpose had been
OWNED in Washington it would have been arrested.
The persistent steady, reticent man. however quietly
accomplished his campaign although had he failed he
would certainly have been removed. Success is the
rudest but strongest test, and fails TO meet
enthusiasm. "In boldness of plan, rapidly Of exc
cutOn and brlliancy of routes these operations will
compare most favorably with those of Napoleon about
Ulm." This was Hallecks judgment when you
got below and took Port Gibson, Grand Gulf and
vicinity" wrote Mr.. Lincoln, g thought you should
go down the river and join Gen. Banks, and when
you turned northward, east Of the Big Black
thought it a mistake. l now wish to make the
personal acknowledgment that you were right and
was wrong"
90