The Van Buren press., 1874-03-17
GRANT AND LEE.
Col. Cheney New Story sf the Ssr.
render Of Gen. Lee.

world has sesn-have not received the
careful attention which they merit, owing
to the distractions Of the more recent
continental campaigns. As Colonel Chss-
ney truly remarks: There 10 . dispo.
siton to regard the American generals
and troops which they led: as altogether
inferior to regular::soldiers. This Ireju-
dice was born out OF the blundsrs aud
want Of conference exhibited by undiseip
lined volunteers at the 0utset--fauits ao.
ply atoned fer by the stubborn courage
tdfspiaycd on both sides throughous to
rest Of the struggle; while, IL . mans
claims to be regarded as . veteran are to
be measured by the amount Of actual
fighting he has gene through, the most
seasoned soldiers Of Europe are but 10
conscripts compared with tie survivors
Of that conflict
The essays on Gen Grant aud Lee are
most valuable and exhaustive studies.
His structures on Grants reckless sacri.
fee of his troops in attempting the i'm.
possible by fighting the battle Of Cold
Harhor, after he should have learned by
the experience OF the long and butcher
ing battles of the wilderness and Spott.
sylvania, that the continuous hammer
ing" in which be had somewhat beast.
fully trusted might break the instrunent
while its work was yet unfinished, are
beth severe and we'll founded. He calls
the battle Of Cold Harbor /" the darkest
spot on the career Of Grant % eem.
mander. II requires" be cor.
tinues, more excuse than has anywhere
been offered for the sacri6ce. II may ~
that Grants usually imper.urbablc tsm.
per was rufiled by the continued readiness
with which bis adversary met him, or
that he believed the Confeierates d.
ready so worn down by their unsupplisd
losses as to be unable to man their
works, or that he judged that his new
command had not been sufficiently put
to the proof by the stern doings Of the
month just passed, or that all these
causes acted together. Possibly be was
Influenced more than all by the uneasy
consciousness that be had brought the
criticisms OF the whole world upon bis
strategy by his famous dispatch. / pro.
pose to aght it out on this line II It takes
all summer; for had not this line been
already abandoned and ne result won 7"
Col. Chesney accurately apportions bs.
tween Grant and Sheridan the merit OF
the final effort which forced Lee 10 sur
render, Of which merit Americans are be-
coming more and more prone to assign
an undue share TO the subordinate cor
mander.
His sketch Of Gen. Lee cannot be Goa.
denscd. Like Napoleon, his troops
soon learned to believe him equal TO
every emergency which war could bring.
Like Hannibal, he could speak lightly
and calmly at the gravest moments, be
ing then himself least grave. Like Rag.
Ian, he preserved q sweetness Of temper
that no person or circumstance could
rufile. Like Caesar. he mixed with the
crowd of soldiery freely, and never feared
that his position would be forgotten.
Like BIucher, his one recognized fault
was that which the soldier readily for.
gives, a readiness to expose his life be.
yond the proper limits permitted BY
modern war to the commander in. chief
What wonder, then, II he commanded On
army in which each man would have died
for him; an army from which bis parting
wrung tears more bitter than any the fall
Of their cause could extort; an army
which followed him, after three years Of
glorious vicissitudes. into private life,
without one thought of further resistance
against tho fate to which their adored
chief yielded without murmur2' But
with all this warm eulogy he impaPtially
points out the faults and failings Of Lee
how he made no attempt to check In.
discipline never used his authority to
purge his command ofincllcient officers;
failed to enforce on the government the
vital necessity of bringing the furnishing
of supplies more directly under his eva
control, so that his army starved in Rich.
mond while large supplies we're available
bad proper energy been used by the war
department; and, lastly, how be marched
his cavalry off their legs, that in their
last campaign the Confederatss were left
almost destitute Of that most necessary
arm. But these shortcomings, although
iL.- ..:l.s... .ss~~sS.s~ ssss'~s .'~'~~-.
but the inevitable speeks on the bright
surface of an illustrious military charsc
ter on Lees personal character there
fingers no breath Of tarnish.
lnexprcssibly pathetic in its simplicity
is Col. Chesney's briet account Of the bit.
ter ending Of his long struggle and
matchless strategy. Gordon had sent
back the word that the way OF escape
was completely barred, and now there
confronted him but the inevitable capitu'
lation. "For moment those who look.
cd on him saw him almost overcome;
and the 6rst words of complaint ever
heard from his lips, during tho war.
broke sharply forth, ] had rather die
thousand deathsw Masing sadly for
few seconds, as his mems fsvcrite cry
broke on his ear. There's Uncle Rob
ert in deep, sad tones he said to those
near him, How soon could end all THE
and be ut rest! Ills but to ride down
the line, and give the word. and oil would
be over. Then, presently recovering
his natural voice he answered one who
vged that tho surrender might be misun.
derstood: That is not the question.
The question 10 whether it 10 right. And
il it Is right l take the responsibility
Then, after a brief silence, he add,d.
with a sigh, 1t is our duty 10 live. Wha.
will become Of the wives and childreA o.
the south il we are not here 10 protect
them 2 So saying, he sent IN bic nag 81
trnco without further hesitation 10 Grant.