Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-07-24


The President pre- tempors-The Chair
thinks il proper 70 remind the Senator that
debate on the resolution is continued only
by the unanimous consent of the Senate, TO
the exclusion Of the special order; but the
debate will be allowed 10 continue until
some member shall call for the special
order Of the day. The Senator from Iowa
will proceed
Mr.. Harlan-I shall detain the Senate
for but moment longer. General Halleck,
in an official Communication addressed 10
the AdjHtant General Of the State of Iowa,
has mentioned the Iowa troops at the bat.
lie before Fort DOnelson "a 'the bravest sf
the brave" Nor do 1 know that General
Grant, or any other General, has ever with
held Just eommendatiOn. / therefore re-
peat that l have no personal grievance to
redress for myselfor for the troops of my
State. And | would have remained silent
on this subject in the Senate, if the speech
Of the Senator from Ohio had not made II
necessary for me to speak for 4 do not
deem the Senate Chamber the proper
place for criticisms on the conduct of a
General in the field. think il much bet
ter 10 present onT personal convictions in
relation to the character of our Generals
to the Secretary of War and to the Presi
dent. For myself, ] uniformly pursue this
course, and regret that ii has in my iudg-
ment, become necessary TO depart from il
in this case. But, sir, it is often as danger
Gus and as wicked to praise the unworthy
and incompetent as to detract from the
meritorious. If my convictions are cor
rect, it 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 / and the people, ] in part represent,
deem unworthy of such trust. Iowa has
sent to the field about 10000 troops. They
have behaved, / think, we'll on every bat
tle-Geld where they have appeared. As
far a. | know, no Iowa regiment has
ever flltered in the discharge of duty, how
ever perilous. Their Numbers have been
reduced by the casualties of the field and
camp nearly one-fonrth. They give their
lives with tirmness to aid in restoring the
supremacy of the laws. But, sir, they be-
lieye, and | believe, that large per cent.
of this loss was useless, and is justly at
tributable to the carelessness or inability of
Gen, Grant. And he shall not, with my
GUllheut, ne Guutluhcll AhfAC
is nothing in his antecedents to Justify
further trial of his military skill. Al Bel
mont he committed an egregiOus and I'M
pardonable military blunder, which re-
suited in almost annihilating an Iowa
regiment. At Fort Donelson, tie right
wing of our army, which was under his inn
mediate command, was defeated and driven
back several miles from the enemy's works.
The battle was restored by Gen. Smith, the
enemy's works were stormed, and thus a
victory was finally won. And so on the
battlefield of Shiloh, his army was COM
pletely surprised as | believe from all the
facts | can procure, on Sunday, and nothing
but the stubborn bravery of the men fight
ing by regiments and brigades, saved the
army from utter destruction. The battle
was afterwards restored and conducted by
Gen Buell. and other Generals, who came
on the field during the evening and night;
and our forces ultimately succeeded in COM
pleteIy routing the enemy. Now, sir, with
such a record, those who continue Gen.
Grant in an actiee command will, in my
opinion, carry on their skirts the blood Of
thousands of their slaughtered countrymen.
With my convictions, | can neither do it
myself nor silently permit it to be done by
others