Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1874-04-28
Grant and Lee.

= The London Times, reviewing Col
, onel Ciesney's essays. saws:
Colonel Chesney's estimate of Gran
, as chief comedies for the most mar
f with our own. The American com
mander is certainly not a stratepist o
OF the hrst order, and in the great com
binatiOns of war be but slowly ar
rlves at sound conclusions. But hi.
7 tenaclty deserves the highest praise
on the field he has often shown true
insight; and he has this quality o.
greatness, that he can perceive his
mistakes and correct them with per
severance and energy. He seems. al.
SO, 10 nave generally apprehended the
true means OF overcoming the SOuti,
somewhat sooner than most of his
Northern colleagues and if he unduly
iaVlsbed the blood of his meE, he al
ways cOmmanded their respect and
esteem. These characteristics NAV be
plainly seen throughout the course OF
his arduous campaign. Like Colonel
Chesney, we cannot excuse him for his
operations in the summer of 1864
| even if we believe he yielded to Lin
cUln he should not have moved as he
did at first on Richmond, and his mur-
derOus and useless waste of his trOops
| would have been fatal to him two
] years before. In fact his strategy Oh
| this occasion was inferior to that of
| the decried Mcclellan and Grant also
was all but fOiled by the skilful Beau
| regard at Pittsburg Landing, and was
| months discovering the weak points of
Vicksburg On the other hand, his
attacks on Forts Henry and Donelson
show real decision and force of charac-
ter, his movements against both
Vicksburg and Richmond were ulti-
mately what they ought to have been,
his conduct at Chattanooga was able,
and he is perhaps entitled to the chief
credit of the conception of Sherman's
march through Georgia. We have
ourselves, like Colonel Chesney, COM
pared the American commander to
Messena; but if he has not surpassed
the French marshall in war, he is in
finitely above him iii all moral auali-
ties.
This determined soldier is not, how
ever-and Colonel Chesney agrees
with our judgment-to be compared
with his greatest opponent, in the |
highest attainimentS of the military |
art and us Hannibal, notwithstand- |
ing Zama, towers over the very infer |
I0r Scipio, the figure OF Lee eclipses |
Grant, though Lee succumbed to the |
Northern chief. Colonel Ghesney's
essay on the brilliant career of the re-
nowned leader of the Virginian army
Is too short to do the theme Justice.
but 1t IS very attractive and full of in
terest. We have 10 space TO notice
the pleasing description he has given
us of the private life of Lee, nor vet to
comment on the public virtues of the
citizen who drew his
sword reluctantly in what he thought
the rightful cause, and bore himself
like true patriot when reproach and
disaster gathered around him. A few
words are all that we can devote to the
powers of this great captain
and they are, indeed, superfuOus, for
their best monument is the battle
fields of the American War. It NAV
he said, however, that Lee has a
place i'll The foremost rank of modern
he possessed in the very
highest degree ability the great opera
ions of war; few generals have ever.
II Colonel Hamley's phrase, "inter-
Dreted the theatre" with equal insight
md known as well how to turn it TO
account; and no one certainly since
he time of Napoleon has conquered
against such immense odds and has so
ong and tiercely disputed the prize of
'lciory with failing resources His
indeed, bear a striking
resemblance i'm many particulars to
hose of the Emperor; like him he
gained astonishing success by the
yeli-planaed use of interor lines and
Ioid movements against divided foes
Ike Hlm he avoided the timid system ;
IT passive defence as a general rule,
nd seemed the aSSailant, though on ,,
he defensive, like him he possessed a
und of resources in his own genius
ftected wonders, like him, too, he
vas swift and terrible in availing
himself of the mistakes of an enemy. ,
thus it has happened that his cam +.
,algnS have much in common with
hose of Napoleon, and fascinate the
eader for the same reasons. They
xhibit the triumph Of profound INTEL !
lgence, OF calculation, and of well-em- /
'lOyed force over mum bers, slowness, !
nd disunited cOunsels, like those or !
796 and 1914, and his victory on the .
in 1862 and out T.
of Grant i'll 1864 may fifty t.
ompare with ArcOla or RIvoli and :
1ith the immortal struggle on the !
larne and Seine. Lee, too, has never u
cen surpassed i'll art of winning the e
assionate love of his troops, and, as
nth all generals of high order, his
looked up to him with
erfect confidence and saw in his COM
hands presage of victory. As an 4
however, this great a
Ommarder, Colonel Chesney tells US, r,
as not successful; he too easily over u
'oked faults and was somewhat care o
'ss of such important matters as the n
and similar departments. :.
nd, resembling Napoleon in this also. ,.
e trusted too much to the effects of a.
rategy, and was not sufficiently | q,
i've to the value of discipline and a II
bod military system. He appears Il;
so never to have bowed Mr.. Davis n
nd his cOunsellors to his will; and n
lough he was certainly aware that n,
le rulers of the South made capital q,
istakes in invading the North, in II
an useless force in the
'est, and in continuing the hopeless -,
,fence of Richmond he never contriv- 81
to change their purpose. Yet the Il,
ave that covers Robert Lee hides IN
e dust of one of the greatest men of vf
lr age, and the time has even now Of
me when the victorious North can He
ink of him as of her foremost citi- ~
rs. -.