National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-08-05

been restored, and It's orgauiIaton PetioesSN -
General Grant, he was again called 70 another
Geld Of action, to revive the dropping eoandenee
ofthe Union forces.
IN VIRGINIA
the most renowned soldiers of the nation had. one
AFTER another failed TO contend SUCCESSFULLY with
the Fabian policy Of General Lee. There tie war
stiIls'draggsd its SLOW length along" General
Grant, without . aurmur, repaired to the new |
scene Of conflict. Here he found himself CONFRONT |
ing 3 new adversary Of great ability, with troops
Of different PERSONAL on which to rely, and sur
rounded BY circumstances requiring an adaptation
Of his policy 70 the peculiar purposes Of the Gov
eminent. In Srder 70 proper understanding Of
General Grants military career while in CON-
mAnd Of the Army OF Virginia, the first inquiry
which presents itself 10, what the object 70 % 40
eomPlishedG OfcOurse It vas to drive Genera
Lee from HIS position, whore he stood 81 Ba.to
over the Confsdsrate Government At kiehmohe-
and this in the shortest possible time and WIN
the least pssSIble cost Of blood General Lees
Dolicy vas a PabIan one defensive IN its chArae-
Ter. Nearly ali the great battles during the var
we're fought ain line" one army preclpitatag
themselves on the other behind breastWorks, which
thew frequently improyised for the occasion.
This Il mainly owing to the face Of the country.
There ts 50 little Of very large areas Of open
country, 20 much Of dense forest to obstruet mill
tAry eVolution, % few bridges over our large
bLehWAf ~ l0N uuu SUN AuulAOIouh E0e1s WIZ
pared TO those Of Europe, that while there ts 90
little opportunity for military genius to display
itself either IN strategy Of planning campaigns, or
in tactics Of delivering battle, yet these very con-
alterations neeesstate the greater tenaeity OF pur
pose and daring courage in action and the greater
GOODNESS Of perception in watching the pivot points
Of battle.
Gen. Grant saw that in order to dislOdge Gen
Lee from his position, and thus remove all danger
b.ohf rH I'm Uh q ahould
20 on to Richmond, there 10 Terminate the war,
It could be done in no other way than by the dint
Of desperate battles. General Grant has been
charged by partisan martinets with being mill
tary butcher, with having no regard for human
life and with being Indebted for his success to his
reckless expenditure Of the lives Of bis soldiers.
There never was . greater fallaey INDUCED. The
great secret or General Grants success IS that
he pursues no routine system IN carrying on war.
He varies and adopts his policy to the energen-
eies surrounding him. He saw Il must take 3
great sacrifice OF human life to dlslodge General
Lee, and then pursue him on 70 Richmond. But
II had 10 be done. -aa -a. as
He calculated and concluded IT would be sconO-
mixing the lives Of his men and saving time, and
Fastening the conclusion OF the WRr-by fighting
battles, sharp, steady and bloody, at heavy cost
Of life instead Of BY delay and caution, ultimate
ly losing double the number OF men IN double the
length Of time. Then again, he we'll calculated,
as . sagaciouS commander should have done, that
he could we'll afford to lose three men for the Con-
federates one. He knew the quickest way 70 finish
the war and stop the effusiOn Of human blood was
BY the defeat and decentralization Of General Lees
army. The truth Is he was thinking more Of moral
resuts-of the ending Of the war and the integrity
Of the Union-than he was Of his own reputation
and glory. When he precipitated himself again
and again upon Gen. Lees compact lines ct Chan
cellorsvllIe, the Wilderness, SpotsylVAniA and
other bloody hslds his forces had frequently TO
recol before the terrific IRE and heroic defence Of
the enemy. But never was he defeated In the
proper sense Of the term. He never suffered
rou he never had to collect together the scattered
fragments Of q demorAIIed army. He always
brought Oh his forces in order and without panic.
| He was always ready to deliver battle again In
few days. The result was a. he had calculated.
Gen. Lee, constantly weakened BY battle, with
resources falling, and communications threatened,
! was called TO Richmond to guard the Confederate
government against surprise and capture, and to
make the last desperate struggle In favor Of dis
union. So that, so far from Gen. Grants succeed
ing by the reckless shedding Of the blood Of his
men, there Is not doubt buttha his policy econ
omized human life. He acted upon the principle
| that Il was wiser and more humane to accomplish
necessary result with So 900 lives in three months
| than with IOO, 900 In twelve months,
Wesee that when Gen. Grant invested Richmond
and Petersburg he acted upon an entirelydiHsrent
system. He now saw that the fan Of the Confed-
| crate government was . mere question Of time.
He saw the hopes Of the Ooniederatss were grow
ing weaker every day. He saw that Gen Lees
forces were diminishing BY desertioD. He saw
that the resources Of his enemy, both In men and
provisions, were nearly at an end. He saw that
| Gen Lees communications with the distant parts
Of ths South, on which hs pad peep relying for
| :uccor, we're being out Of day BY day. he FUR
Their saw that Gen. Lees lines we're strongly en-
trenehed, to storm which would require . useless
expenditure OF life. He therefore wisely con-
oIuded TO avail himself Of the aids Of time, oppor.
tunity and circumstance. True, wherever the
chance was presented for striking telling blow,
he availed himselrof It, and sometimes with Sc
we're loss 10 the enemy. The result proved thai
never was calculation more closely and correctly
made than BY Gen. Grant in the siege Of Rieh
| mond. He Stormed Gen. Lees lines ct the yeFy
time when the cost TO him In the lives Of his meT
was comparatively small.
Gen. Grants military character 10 not based on
any iron rule which he lays down for his guild
aaoe-not upon any merely routine system, to b
adhered 10 under all circumstances. And herein
lies his genius as . military man. In every pur
suit and calling in human affairs true genius con
sists in the capacity to conceive the peculiar cir
cumstanceS and surroundings Of Affairs unde
emergency, and the tact and SelEposssssion r.
! avail thereof ct the critical moment Where sue
cess crowns the effort, the question Of genius Is n
longer q problem. Try Gen. Grant by thes
tests and truth EFFORTS the admission that b
possesses military genius OF the highest order
Where severe and unremltting lighting was neee'
sary as at Fort Donelson; or deliberate csleu
laton as 70 the timely aid as at Shiloh; patien
endurance united with untiring energy, ~ Q
Ylcksburg; or daring and impetuous ValoT, as q
Missionary Ridge; or the lavish expenditure 0
blood temporarily with view to the ultimat
saving Of life, as at ChAncellorsTille and SpotEy
vania; or patiently and calmly "biding his time,
i relying upon what he foressW would be the d.
: velopments OF the future, a. at Richmond. Q
every one OF these occasions We see the evidences
Of unmistakable genius In adapting his action
, the exigenciss Of the times.
: General Grapt has equally exhibited b
1 genius in his bearing and department ~ . maj
Genius rarely undertakes itself IN Its estimate
D | Of its own powers General Grant is Rwsre
9 what no has accomplished, but he never vGuni
, | Of his achievements. No man is less exaeting
|. | claiming all credit 70 himself. He has alHa!
3 been willing that bis comrades In arms shoul
! share the honors and the glory Of victory Wit
e himself. No man ever wore his hono1 mo-
: meskly, or was less disposed 70 presume upC
{ them. He suffers not himself 70 be annoyed
the unlind criticisms Of the enVious upon his nj
itary course. To his enemies, whom conquere
4 he has always shown himself generous and 70
o bearing 1t is said he refused 10 receive the ts
r dered sword Of General Lee. II 90, what strong
d proof could be have offered Of his sympathy ~
. magnAnImity toward fallen greatnessf The pa
8 cannot be undons. General Grants reputati
o and fame rest upon foundation too strong 70
% shaken By the ntful gusts Of dstraction. EnV
Il and mGlignity can neither coax nor deter q
{ muse Of history from recording his achievement
d as those Of one Of the greatest military col
y manders OF his age. The idea Is fast and hTec
> the American heart that TO General Grant mo
Of than TO any other man inoomparably Is due q
e credit Of having saved the Union from disruptio
ID and transmitted It, with its teeming blessings,
O. posterity. In far distant time he viii be O.
3 onIred a. having saved from dismembermens
ID country-that country Of which Washington
'. the fonnder and father. JUSTICE
N THE COST OF ENGLISH ROYALTY
o The Crown Princess took with her to Germa
ID fine fortune in British gold; the Processes Al
'e and Helena both married almost psnniiess @
he man princes who have ever since been burd
10 some pensioners on English bounty; the Prime
81 Of Wales brought with her little more than NJ
d trousseHu, and in this case the brdegroom's eo
IL try had 70 vote the doHry; the Princess Mary
rs Cambridge added, in the person Of the Duke
ID | ractr vat a third Teukonfe danandent on the