The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1868-01-24

the April following. During this inter
vening period of nearly two months, Grants
career was such that Gen. Badeau, insensi-
bly, to himself, perhaps. but most unmis-
takably nevertheless, drops from the role
of historian into that of an apologist for
Grant. Grants absence to Nashville with
out orders, be says, was for the purpose of
consulting with Buell.. 1t is, however,
very well known that Grant went hither for
no such purpose. Buell. resented his arri-
val, and there was no consultation. This
visit; his failure to report his strength
his devotion to everything save his busi-
ness, resulted, as is known. in his remo-
val from command, and the appointment of
Gen. G. F. Smith TO succeed him. On the
Sd Of March, Gen. Halleek telegraphed to
Washington II have had no communica-
tion with Gen. Grant for more than week.
He left his command without my authori-
ty, and went to Nashville. His army
seems as much demoralized over the vicko-
~ of Fort Donelaen as was that of the Po-
tomac by the dsfeat of Bull Run. Il is
hard to censure a successful General i'm
medlately after victory but I think he
richly deserves it. 1 can get no returns.
no reports. uojnformation o. kind from
him. Satisfied with victorY.-1e sits down
and enjoys it, without any reference to the
future. 1 am worn out and tired by this
neglect and inefisency. c. F. Smith is
almost the only officer equal to the emer-
gency." =.
What Grant was doing all this time is
well enough understood. There waanot
private in his army who could not haeE2
told the reasons of this inaction. = sHad. the.
/ General bE9n consistent member .pfs the
Good Templers, there would have been no
cause of constant. -
| Sas SHILOH.
| aOn the 18Th of March Grant was Ieli73s
ed of his disgrace and put in command zoe
the army at Pnlsburg Landing, and estab-
lished his headquarters at Savannah. We
are agrssABis Surprised by perusal of
B Badisau, 'toasieafrn" that Grant was not sur
prissdlby the Rebel attack at Shiloh, and
that tbe battle was Federal victory. Both
these facts will be new to the country.
II Grant we've not surprised. why was
he at Savannah when the attack commenc-
ed =? If the battle Ras. victory. why
were not the Rebels vigorously pursued in
their retreat?
Grant ten miles away when the attack
began and yet Ora ut was "not surprised!"
Lew. Wallace some miles down the river,
in a condition to support nobody and yet
Grant "not surprised T. There were any
number Of men at the front who had no
cartridges land yet ''no surprise !" And,
finally, Badeau himself. after writing page
after page to prove that we were not taken
uuawares, says, on page %: "Grant had
not anticipated the attack of the Rebels on
Sunday on the contrary, he had fully in
tended to move against them as soon as
Buell. should appear" In other words,
Grant anticipated no attack was project
ing an advance and yet was "not sur
! prised -
Grant agas surprised. Websters admi-
rable arrangement of seige gups and the
gunboats only saved him from annihilation
on Sunday, the 9Th The arrival of Buell.
enabled him to oppose the Rebels with
fresh forces on the morning of the 7th. If
the result was victory, as Badeau claims,
why were not the Rebels pursued ? 1t
was heavy, and dark, and wet, and the
troops were fatigued. are the reasons given
by Badeau for the lack of pursuit. Was it
any darker or wetter for the pursuers than
the pursued Were the men of Buell's
command, who had fought one day, any
more fatigued than the Rebels, who had
/ foug ght two DAYS If victory, where
were the fruits Were they in our loss
OF Is, 600 men in the Panic which the bat
tie carried through the North 10 the uni
versal condemnation that fell upon Grant ::
in the removals in the rejoicings of the
South over the result in the undisturbed
retreat of the Rebels-or in what If a
victory, it was of kind whose limited re-
petition would have swept the Federal ar
mics from existence, and secured the inde-
pendeuce of the Confederacy.
From this review Of the battle of Shiloh,
We get another general conclusion as fol-
| lows
III. The inattention of Grant at Shiloh
led to surprise which involved an enor-
nous sacrifice Of life, and which only es-
capped complete annibilation by the timely
arrival of reinforcements.
Badeau concludes his notice of Shiloh by
stating that the Rebels abandoned Corinth
because they had fought and lost at Shiloh
two months before. This is all bOch. Hal
Ieck was advancing on Corinth. slowly. and
entrenohing at every step, with an army Of