The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1870-09-02
General Grant interviewed by "A
Chicago RepOrter-Uis Opinion
Of the Fight-HOw Germany
may be Whipped.
tFrom the Chicago Tlmes.l

Oh INC GNkul-hOw SeEInauy
may be Whipped.
From the Chicago Tlmes.l
The views of General Grant on the
conduct of the European war are some.
thing which all the world has an in ter
est in knowing. The enterprise of the
Times was exhibited during the late
visit of his Excellency, by obtaining,
at some length, the Generals opinion
of matters on the Rhenish frontier.
The General, in response to ques.
ton as to his opinion of matters be-
tween France and Prussia, said that
neither party understood war as he un-
derstood it.
Here the reporter of the Times ven
tured to assert cordial Endorsement of
the remark of his Excellency.
"Permit me, General" said Mr..
Scammon, Ito ask you to point out
what you conceive to be the chief blum
ders of the campaigns thus far ?"
France" said the General, as he
| lighted fresh cigar, "made blunder
in commencing war upon people OF
equal size and strength. The true way
to make war is to always have three to
your enemy's one. An illustration of
the fact was given at Shiloh. The enc.
| my there was within a third as large as
my own force. Hence, the disaster
which befel me-"
"But, General" said the reporter,
shave you no faith in maneuvering or
in strategy, whereby inferiority in
point of numbers can be equalized by
superiority of brains ?"
"None whatever. Sherman played
that out in his march to the sea. You
see, the Confederacy was only a shell,
and that is why he met with such sue
cess. He had no opposition. My own
experience proves this. In all cases
where 1 attempted any of these new
tangled operations, was beaten"
Here MIR. Colfax, with very sweet
smile inquired as to what the General
thought should be done by Napoleon.
"My idea," said the General, sis that
he should got Butler and Banks to COM
mand army corps in the Prussian forces
Then he should conscript every French
man that can carry musket, and send
him in. Prussia has only 10000, 900 in
habitants, while France has 40,000,0 900
This is clear difference in favor o.
France of 100000 Now let Napo
teon keep hammering away at the Prus
SLAMS, if it takes all summer. l am OF
the opinion that the superior activity
of the French, aided by their chassepOt
their elan, their traditions, and theil
superior navy, will enable them to kill
a Prussian as often as they can French
man. Hence it is clear case that i
Napoleon hammers away till all thu
Prussians are killed off he will hav'
100000 left. In other words, his cat
tail is the longest"
"What is your opinion of Napoleon
personality" asked Mr.. Joseph Me
dill.
"He is grant man, he smokes al
ways and never says anything. He
was once in humble circumstances. He
was never, however, in the hide bust
ness, except so far as hiding himself il
concerned"
Here General Dent broke into uproar
ious laughter. He afterward remarked
to our reporter that he was hired tC
laugh at Grants jokes; and, he added
he fattered himself he was doing a
very extensive business on very linn.
tied capital.
General Grant puffed stoically until
Dent had finished laughing, and he re-
sumed
Napoleon is my model. l have stood
before his portrait by the hour, trying
to mould my countenance into the sto
: yinexpressiveness that characterize
/ =. / am not certain but that / shal
il. tate his coup d'etat. He rose from
obscurity to be president. So did |
He rose from president to emperor; and
if don't follow suit it will be because
Congress took the trump out of my
hand when it reduced the army"
"Well, now, General, tell us wha
you think of the Prussians," said Mr.
Greenebaum.
Don't like 'em," he responded, sen
tentiously.
"Why not, your Excellency?"
swell, don't. They want Office to-
much. Why, 1 have had more than
hundred thousand applications from
Dutchmen for Office, whose only recon-
mendation was that they fought mi
Sigel.' AS voters, have no objection
to them. During the war they stoI'
everything, so that a native had nj
chance"
The General proceeded to commen
on Prussian strategy. He did not lik'
it, he said. They were in too much o
a hurry. Here, now, in less than {
month they have hardly million mel
in the field, which was shorter tim
he said, than he required to move hi
army from Fort Henry to Donelson-;
distance of onln thirty miles. This ce
lerity, he remarked, is destructive o
all precedent. The Prussians hav'
gone farther In ten days than he Wen
in ten months when moving on Rich
, mond.
He further thought the Prussial
move blunder. In place Of going to
ward Paris by way of Metz, they ough
to cross the James river and go roun'
by way Of Petersburg. There are nei
ther dignity nor sense in this way o
rushing straight at Paris with big ar
my. The Prussian leaders ought t.
hold on and see who is going to be tn
next President. This making war 70
wars sake, was not, in his opinion, tn
true principle of warfare. All war
should have the high and beautiful OF