Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-01-15

traces his career TO the battle Of Chstta
nooga. A writer in the Chicago Times ha
reviewed the book ia 3 most ineisive man
ner, and from a different standpoint from
the Generals staff. We make the sub
Joined extracts, which possess a local a
well "a a general interest e
BELMONT.
The reviewer says that Grant was or
dered by Gen. Fremont TO make ode
monstration" on Columbus to check tn,
sending of supplies, etc, from that point
90 Price in Mississippi. Instead of making
demonstration, he got himself into a fgh
and a defeat, with loss Of one sixth of hi
men. The writer concludes:
The battle of Belmont involved a who'll,
needless sacrifice oflife, and was the resui
ofa recklessness which Transformed simple
demonstration into an unequal and un
necessary fight.
FORT DoNEIsoN.
After reciting the capture of Fort Hen.
ry by Commodore FoOte, the writer pro.
ceeds:
Why did not Grant follow up the de.
@orali1ed aoI.I garrison that fed from For!
No haste was used. The gunboats we're
sent mp the river, and we charge, in thip
place, that Grant, instead Of proceeding to
invest Fort Donelson, spent nearly a week
in social rejoicing over Foote's capture OF
Fort Henry. Grant, the day of the cap
ture Of Fort Henry, telegraphed to Halleck
that he would take Donelson on the 9Th.
Why did he not do it? In place of this,
he returned to Cairo, bringing the Rebel
commander, Tighlman, as a trophy; and
occupied himself in indulging in q species
of felicitation that bore most disatrous
fruits.
Let us look, for a moment, at the con-
tlict. On Friday, Commodore Foote en-
gagged the water batteries Of Fort Donelson.
and was forced to Withdraw, badly Grip
pied. On Saturday, the 10Th, at dawn, the
Rebels massed against our right, and made
a furious attack, and achieved a partial
success.
Where was Grant az this moment? Was
he supervising the operations Of the battle :?
Gen. Badeau says that he was down on the
hagSship, in consultation with Commodore
Foote. He adds: "Grant was returning
to his headquarters from the flagship, at
about 8 o'clock, when he met an Aide GAL
Looping up to inform him of the assault.
Ihis luus the first information he had ofthe BAT
ae." Il il not singular that, of all the
army, Grant alone was ignorant of the
fight The writer of this was not half a
mile from Grant during the attack upon
McClernand, and he knew of its progress.
Everybody knew of it, II was less than
three miles away, and the roar of the guns
and the volleys Of musketry were heard
with startling distinctness. Everybody
knew Of the fight, and had the most gloomy
forebodihgs OF its ultimate result.
Now, where was Grant during the pro-
gress of the fight ? The writer Of this was
at point where the road which led back
of Fort Donelson meets the river Along
this road, on fierce gallop, came orderly
after orderly in search Of the Commanding
officer. OF these orderlies, some came
from the struggling right, and others from
the veteran Smith, on the left, asking per
mission TO make an assault, in order to
create diversion in favor Of McClernand.
Where was Grant2 He may have had
consultation with Foote bat during the
most of the time he was on his own trans
port. What he was doing all these hours
was easily understood when, a little past
noon, the General and his staff, red in the
face, and unsteady in their position, went
galloping TO the front.
In reviewing the operations at Fort
Donelson, one cannot resist three conclu-
sions, to-wit:
]. Immediate pursuit after the fall of
Fort Henry would have given us Donelson
on the succeeding day.
2. Grant knew nothing ofthe main battle
that occurred during the investment of the
place.
3. To Gen. C. F. Smith, more than to
any other man, is the country indebted for
the capture Of the works.
The facts in the Donelaon matter will
warrant a second general conclusion, as
follows:
III. The inexeusable delay of Grant in
marching upon Donelson, and his absence
from the field during most of the fighting,
led us into the presence Of a disastrous de-
feat, and which was turned into a victory
through the pressing demands, the .iudg-
mens and gallantrY, of 4 subordinate officer,
GRANTS VISIT TO NASHVILLE.
The capture Of Fort Donelson occurred
on February Is, and the battle of Shiloh
in 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 a historian into that of an apologist for
Grant. Grants absence to Nashville with
out orders, he says, was for the purpose of
consulting with Buell.. Il is, however, very
well known that Grant went hither for no
such purpose. Buell. resented his arrival,
and there was no consultation. This visit
his failure to report his strength; his de-
votion TO everything save his business, re-
suited, as is known, in his removal from
command, and the appointment Of Gen. C.
i. Smith 70 succeed him. On the Sd Of
March, Halleck telegraphed 20 Washing
ton: 9 have had no accommodation with
Gen. Grant for more than a week He leff
his command without my authority, and
went 10 Nashville His army seems as
much demoralized over the victory of Fort
Donelson as was that Of the Potomac by
the defeat of Bull Run. 1t i4hard 20 cen-
sure successful General Immediately after
victory, but think he richly deserves it,
| can get no returns, no reports, no infoT-
nation Of any kind from him. Satisfied
with victory, he sits down and enjoys it,
without any referenoeto the future / am
worn out and tired BY this neglect and ia
efficiency. c. F. Smith is almost the only
officer equal to the emergency"
What Grant was doing all this tims
is we'll enough understood. There was
not private in bis army who could not
have told the reasons of this inaction.
Had the General been a consistent mem
Der Of the Good Templars, there would
have been no cause Of complaint.
SHILOH.
On The 18th of March Grant was re-
lieyed Of his disgrace and put in command
of the army at Pittsburg Landing, and
established his headquarters at Savannah.
We are agreeahly surprised, by 3 perusal
OF Badeau, 90 learn that Grant was not sur.
prised by the Rebel attack at Shiloh, and
that the battle was a Federal victory. Both
these facts will be new 20 the country.
If Grant were not surprised, why was he
at SaYannah when the attack commenced 2
IL the battle was a victory, why we're not
the Rebels vigorously pursued IN their re-
treat2
Grant ten miles away when the attack
/ began and vet Grant was I" not surprised y