The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1873-10-11
THE PACIFIC
Commercial A0Otrtisrt
SATURDAY. OCT d
President Lincoln as a -strateg.st.

This affair concluded, Jle Pr-Iden, seemed
disposed "a proI1Dg the interview. Our CONVEX
eation took military direction, and embIac,i
the various movements being made or known L.
be in contemplation. Mr.. Lincoln seemed pleased
70 discuss the war .n fact, the Informal nature
0l our conversation Wa % relief O. his mimi.
oveFworkei and aided Us ho was by an lie care.
Official anu political. To- winch he was daily SUI
iected. Presently De startled u- lbs declaring
that H. saw no hop" Tor any II rWr aaluraigm-
now beng opened
Having gone thus TAR. anu seeing aug -%u-lrl-
and perplexity. he =erened animated hv "a le>.l-
10 Justify his statement. Going u tbs wall. ami
again taking down the large map which he had
pressed into service on the previous occasion. lc
proceeded 70 inform Us, which he did not POSI-
lively know before, that there were now three
important movements being attempted by our
forces toward points against which our efforts
had previously proved unsuccessful. One OF
these. he said. was against Richmond. 90 yLy
same general plan substantially attempted by
Burnside, one against Charleston, by the sen. by
the combined land and naval forces and one
against Eicksburg. by way oil hazoo pass and the
network Of bayous and small streams by which
Mississippi is hanked and through some of which
it was hoped 10 transfer Gen. Grants forces u q
point from which n successful assault might be-
made on that great stronghold, which had thus
far detied our most determined attacks.
AM / cannot see how either of these plans
can succeed, said he and forthwith throwing
aside all reserve, and speaking with a. much
apparent frankness rs though conyersing with his
confidential advisers, he freely criticised the con
duct Of the campaigns in question, going into
all the details of a military argument and logic
ally demonstrated in advance that Grant would
again be foiled in his strategy against Vicksburg.
that Hooker would fail to reach Richmond, and
that Du Pont and Hunter would he compelled L.
retire bafled from before Charleston. | do not
now remember the reasons lie gave for his iudg-
ment in regard TO the two movements last named.
but / r~ecollect well his clear descriptions of the
narrow and winding water-courses through which
General Grant was endeayoring to conduct his
gunboats, generally impossible for large craft,
either through too high or low water, and capa-
BILE of fatal obstruction in the forests which they
penetrate, by an enemy intimately acquainted
with every feature of the country, and who had
proved himself only too well informed Of all our
and equally active and successful in
opposing our progress into his own country.
1t was known that Mr.. Lincoln entertained
military opinions quite independent OF and often
mt variance with those of his advisers and | had
before had a striking proof Of the correctness of
his Judgment. | confess, however, that ] was as
much astonished as disheartened by this unrc-
served condemnation of the conduct of the war
ON the part of the government of which be was
the head and | scarcely knew whether | was
most astOnished by his remarkable frankness or
annoyed at his convincing argument said
:" If you feel so confident Of disaster in all
these movements. Mr.. President. why do you
permit them to be made"
- Because | cannot prevent it,. he replied.
:" But you are Commander-in-Ch Chief, = lrejoined.
My dear Sir, = he replied, - am as pOwerless
rs any private citizen to shape the military plans
OF the government. | have my generals and my
War Department, and my subordinates are sup
posed TO be more capable than | am to decide
what movements shall or shall not be undertaken.
| have once or twice attempted to act on my own
convictions, and found that it was impracticable
10 do so. | see campaigns undertaken in which
l have no faith, and have no power TO prevent
them and | tell you that sometime, when | re-
fleet on the management of our forces. [ am
tempted to despair my heart goes clear down
into my boots"
With this characteristic climax, he practically
closed the discussion. Rising from his chair he
moved uneasily about the room, as though to shake
of some feeling that oppressed him. Suddenly
he seemed to realize that he had been speaking
too freely.
"Of course, gentlemen = said he, l." we are
talking in confidence, and as friends. None of
this must get into print, or be repeated.
We took our leave soon after, but | was long
haunted with the recollection of what | had heard.
My admiration for the man and his high moral
and intellectual qualities was increased, and my
in our military chieftains, never very
HiSH ploNioupIJ wills pIOIoIGIoIdUCiy uImLllSIlCu.
AS before, the events justified his prediction.
Our attacking forces were beaten off from Charles
ton the Army of the Potomac was hurled back
upon the north at Charlottesville and Grant
and Porter were completely bafled in their i'll
experiment in the hostile swamps of the
Mississippi, which they attempted to penetrate
through streams too narrow to turn q gunboat in.
and surrounded by Il restless foe ever ready to
exhaust all the means of impediment and destruc-
ton. And though Mr.. Lincoln's opinions may
owed their correctness to accident. yet |
could not resist 4 feeling that he had a strength
Of brain and soundncss of Judgment which meas
supplied the want of military training,
and which fitted him better to plan campaigns
than any of the professional soldiers 10 whose q.
views he felt himself compelled to yield Three
aeih President Lincola." by T. VI. 4
W5ncheH. IN JuIy GALAXY.
A - ~. Ill