New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-09-26

case, acquire a position which was the kew o
II wide theatre of operations he did no
merely beat or disable the orposiug force, h
left no fragment Of in existence except IL
prisoners of war subject to his Disposal
''If anybody is so ohttse or so wrong
headed as not to see nothing great in Gen.
Grant beyond his marvellous tCnacity of will
let that doubtcr explain, if he can, how il
has happened that, since Grant rose TO high
command. this quality has always been ex-
crted in conspicuous energy precisely at the
point on which everything in his whole
sphere of operations hinged. There has
been no display Of great qualities on small
occasions no expenditure OF IIerculean eff
fort to accomplish objects not Of the first
magnitude. 1t is only very clear-sighted
and a very comprehensive mind that could
always thus have laid the whole emphasis of
an indomiable soul so precisely on the cm-
phatc place. How, if he be not n general
of The first order of intellect as well as of
the most heroic determination, does it hap
pen that in assigning great and brilliant parts
! TO his subordinate commanders, he has never,
when the results Of his strategy were fully
unfGlded, appeared in the picture except as
the central figure? However it may seem
during the progress Of one cf his great conf
bined campaigns, it always turns out at last,
when il reaches that completeness and finish
in which he contriycs to have his campaigns
end, that we see him standing in Tie fore
ground and 1.-The grouping is always such
! that the glory Of the other generals instead
Of cclipsing his own, gives il additional lus-
! tire. 1t is the sureness of Judgment which
sees precisely where lies the turning point !;
which sees precisely what ave the objects
that justify the utmost stretch 81 persistence;
| il is this ability to take in the whole field Of
| view in Just perspective and duc subofdinatioa
OF parts that is the mark Of a superior mind.
| Gen. Grant has taken ont OF the hands Of all
critics the question whether il belong to him.
| He has won his greatest triumph over the
most skilltul and accomplished Generals on
the other side over a General who fUiied
him long enough to prove his great mastery
Of the art Of war and the completeness Of
whose defeats a testimony to Grants genius
such as a victory over any other General of
the Contederacy, or even al earlier victory
over Lee himself could not have given.
Apply to General Grant what Test you will
measure him by the magnitude Of the ohsta-
clcs he has surmounted, by the value Of the
positions he has gained, by the fame Of the
antagonist over whom he has tIiunphed, by
the achievements of his most illustrious CO.
workers, by the sureness with which he di
reefs his indomitablc energy to the vital point
which is the key of vast field corporations,
Or by the supreme test ofconsummatc ability,
the absolute completeness of his results, and
he vindicatcs his claim to stand next after
Napolean and Wellington, among the great
soldiers Of this country, if not on level
with the latter"
We close for to-day with the testimony Of
A. II. Stephens, the rebel Vice President, the
most remarkable of all as we'll as the most
unconditional and generous as to Gen. Grants
great ability and wonderfully correct judg-
ment of men. 1t is taken from his "Consti-
tutional Views Of the Late War Between the
States"
Mr.. Stephens gives an account of the mis-
sion Of himself and Mr.. Il. n. I. Hunter and
Judge Campbell, of Mobile, commissioners
on the part of the Confederate States, to
part Of the United States, at Fortress Mon
roe, to try and arrange some plan by which a
satisfactory termination Of the war could be
brought about. To reach the place Of meet
ing the Confederate commissioners were COM
PEELED to pass through Gen. Grants military
lines at Petersburg, and to obtain his per-
mission and safe conduct. The time was in
the winter Of 1851. Gen. Grant, il appears,
had sent note to the commissioners au-
thoIizing them to pass through his lines, etc.
The following is what Mr.. Stephens says:
ain pursuance Of this letter, we were met
on the evening OF the same day at that part
of the lines ut which We had, i'll the mean
time, been notified to appear at four O'Clock,
by an escort under the conduct Of Lieutenant
Colonel Babcock, OF Gen. Grants staff, and
were conveyed by railroad 10 City Point.
Upon re.., hing that place we were inmed-
ately taken to the headquarters of The COM
man er-in-Chef. There, for the first time,
me sen. Grant himself"
.,laior Holster" What impression did he
make upon you on first acquaintance? How
did he compare with Gen. Lee in your csti-
nation? '
| Mr.. Stcphens-''Why. sir, the idea Of
drawing a comparison between them did not
occur to ne. / should Just as soon have
thought of drawing q comparison between
Louis Napoleon and Washington. But, in
answer to your question rs to what impress
sion he made upon me, | will say, in the
first place, that was never so much diSap-
pointed i'll my life, i'll my previously formed
| opinions, of either the personal appearance
or bearing of any one about whom | had read
and heard so much. The disappointment,
| moreover, was III every respect favorable and
agreeable. l was instantly struck with the
great simplicity and perfect naturalness Of
his manners, and the entire absence Of every
thing like affectation, show, or even the
usual military air or mein of men III his posi-
ton. He was plainly attired, sitting in n log
cabin, busily writing ON small table, by Il
kerosene lamp. 1t was night when we ar
rived. There was nothing in his appearance
or surroundings which indicated his official
rank. There were neither guards nor aids
about him. Upon Colonel Babcock's rap
ping ut his door, the response, come in, was
given by himself, in n tone Of voice, and
with Il cadence which | can never forget
His conversation was easy and fluent, with
OF. the least effort or restraint In this
nothing was so closely noticed Ivy me as the
point AMI tersencss with which he expressed
W.. teyci he said. lie did not seem either
to court az avoid conversation, but whenever
he lid - ,eak, what he said was directly to
| tn point, and covered the whole matter
| in Il few words. saw before being with
him lcn@ that he was exceedingly quick
OF per,p lion, and direct in purpose, with
a vast Zeal more brains than Tongue,
as rea,iy as that was at his command.
We wefs here with General Grant two
days, a The correspondence shows. lie fur
nished III comfortable quarters on board one
of his dispatch boats. The more l became