The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-01-20
FIRST EDITIO N
@ R n ~ II.
The Generals Early Career-A
Curious Chapter from the
History Of the War
The Battles in the
Southwest.

The n. Y. Times Washington correspondent
has unearthed some interesting facts from the
archives of the War Department relative TO
General Grants early command in the South
west. They have not heretofore been publicly
known, and their publication now will prove o.
interest. Speaking of Grants operations In the
vicinity of Vieksburg, the correspondent says:-
Passing now rapidly forward, we come to the
operations that hlled up the autumn of 1862,
and the early months o. lS63-to those Duiner
ous tentatives against Vicksburg, the deeply
interesting story OF which has so often been
told It is well known that these attempts were,
each in succes ession, lamentable faiIu Well
again polticlaDs, press, puOllc ana mlltaty
superiors grumbled and clamoTed. McCler-
Dand, a VAN and ambitious polltlcai general,
declared he was "tired of furnishing brains
for the Army Of the Tennessee" and was
assigned TO an Independent command. The
old rumors about Grants personal character
were revived. he was pronounced utterly des-
titute of genius or energy. Even Lincoln's
limitless faith did not % extend , beyond mtryiSg
gauntlet of the batteries and turned eastward
TO invest Vcksburg from the rear, the audacious
enterprise called forth condemnation from head
quarters. The kindly President afterwards
wrote him that he thought 'he had made
mistake" 1t may be imagined that the dissatis
faction was not decreased by the occurrences
that attended the early period OF the siege.
He was blamed for inacton, and 1t was sagely
predicted that Joe Johnston would fall on his
rear and destroy him. Then he was censured
towards the end of May, another assault OF the
works, which was also a failure Aud then
there was that done at WASHINGTON which has
not hitherto been knOwn-au order was sent 10
General Banks Uhen investing Port Hudson)
directing him to 90 and take the command OF
the army from General Grant aid to assume it
himself.
have said that this fact has never hitherto
been publicly known. l. Is not only in none of
the Lives OF General Grant--not even in that OF
Badeau, who bad access to every scrap OF known
d<nr 1rtu ma ot.arIaI there
written trace OF the secret among the archlves
of the War Department or OF the Office OF the
General-inChlef.
fact-,he secret of this critical passage IN his
life was, until within month, never known
even 10 him it so closely touches was never
known to General Grant blmselt!
The officer who was directed to supersede
Grant in command of the army investing Vcks-
burg was, as have already said, General Banks.
The order was an imperative one. Nevertheless,
General Banks did not obey the order. He
replied, expostulatiug against it..
:. The considerations on which that officer
based his eXpostulatiOn VIII appear when This
remark able correspondence sees the ngnt. rms
much, however, may be said. lie pointed out
that Tor him to abandon his position at Port
Huds on would be to give up the key OF the mis-
sissy pI, imperllirg not only the tenure OF New
Orleans, but ieopardIang our possession OF any
point OF vantage on that vital water.llne.
To this rejoinder came from Washington
renewed command to supersede Grant, and
when the impolicy OF the step was again pointed
out by Banks. he was severely censured tor dis.
Well. this remarkable correspondence went
on and on, and bade fair to be indefinitely pro-
longed, when suddenly Vicksourg fell, and the
military gentlemen and policians who at
Wae hing on had been plotting Grants destruc-
ton, were forced to tune their pipes in peaus
and 10 Iriomphes to the laurel crowned COM
mander. .
Every scrap of paper bearing on the subject
was spirited away rom the archives in the
departments, while Banks, putting the writings
safely by, kept mis- own counsel. How IT came
about that short time since the GeneTal-ln'
Chief got wind of this secret, and, obtaining
copies of the correspondence, learnt for the first
time this notable episode IN his career, it is not
for me here 10 tell. Let us rather follow out
one or two OF the lines of suggestion thatradiate
from this pregnant fact.
And, first one cannot but note the absolute
manner in which the destiny OF the captain who
brought the war TO a close depended, in its
keenest crisis, On the will and decision OF one
man. The examples are frequent OF generals
who were made or marred by what men call
chance or fortune. Bat this is not q case OF this
nature: it is thing apart and unique.
For thing is more man Test than that, had
General Banks carried out his instructions and
relieved General Grant at Nicksburg, Granps
historic career would have been abruptly and
forever closed. VicSsburg was the knife
balance Of his fate. Triumphant there, tue
prestige Of his victory gave HIM command of
larger means and ampler opportunities, and so
on along the entire chain of Iuterdependent
events, up 10 this hour.
IL.
mand a month before the tall OF The stronghold
on the Missssslppi? Woulu not his have been q
cdyrtpTe nDaqNee--a failure! Recall 10 mind
what has all eadY been set forth that he had
fallen NJ der the dlsp'easure of the military
chiefs who ruled at Wa WashngCOn-chets who
had before removed him from command, 10
which, indeed, he seemed to relaose
merely by hazard-chiefs who had pre-.
5ferred before bIm, in one case, second rate
Doltician, in another an obscure quarCerniaster
That would have been but a beggarly prologue,
which including Belmont and Shiloh and
Halnes' Bluff, stopped short, and rose not to the
swellng themes of Vicksburg and Chattanooga
and Five Forks. 1t saggers the mind to
attempt to follow out the lines of conjecture
that suggest themselves in the event thai
Banks had obeyed his orders and displaced Grant
but the inference would certainly seem TO ot
fair enough that the opportunity for whateye
the President elect has grown to, as well In th'
military as in the political way, he owes directly
to that officer who, being ordered TO supersed'
hin, dectlTfd to supersede MIN. 1t is Warrauta
bic to assume that Vlcks5urg would equally
have fallen, without reference as to who mig h
have been in Command; for the surrender wa
the result OF the blockade, and was an ineVita
BILE result. But had VlcksOurG capitulated Il
Banks not Grant, what different history o
the war would there have been TO write
The New Cable.
: Tha ,andon Sfnr eaus at for tho mast fou