The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-12-29
Ghe 9ailg Argns.
aocx ISLAND,
Light on a Dark story.

1t is now more commonly believed than
acknowledged that the campaign which
began with the advance of the army OF the
Potomac under General Grant, May 3,lS64,
was unsoldierlike and unstatesmanlike,
and resulted only 10 the squandering OF
costly human lives. Even the ultimate
success at Appomattox has never reconcil-
ed the country to that awful series of bat 4
ties lost and hopeless thanking marches
through which our army was moved from
the Rapidan to the James, baff1ed by a
foe 1t outnumbered three to one and leav-
ing on Its bloody way as many men as Lee
commanded. Those who have looked at
events with the purpose eff finding their
true meaning, and not with the design of
Interpreting them TO fit partisan theories.
long ago perceived that the transfer of the
army OF the Potomac to the James was
confession on the part of General Grant
that the overland campaign was failure,
and vlndication of the soundness of Gen
eral McClellan's original plans for the
capture efsthe rebel capital and the over
throw of the rebellion. When Grant de
parted from the4course of Mcclellan he
met with disaster; when he put himself in
McClellan's footsteps he met with success.
The superiority of the former as a fighting
soldier has generally been conceded but
the superiority of the latter in strategy is
beginning to be acknowledged, and, as
consequence, the righteousness of his
quarrel with the administration which re-
called him from Richmond and insisted
upon direct advance from Washington.
These are themes which now have chiefly
a historical interest, but statement made
IN some "reminiscences of the civil war;"
contributed by General Richard Taylor,
one OF the foremost of the confederate
commanders. to the current number of the
North american ReUiea1 Irevives them as
1t by the Incarnation of wizard. 1t puts
them also, we are sorry to say, in a new
and most painful light Everybody knew
that either the administration or its chosen
general had blundered in that unfortunate
campaign of the wilderness, but few have
supposed that the responsibility of either
went any further. General Taylor now
clears the military reputation of Grant by
an assertion which involves the administra-
| ton in downright crime. He states that
the overland campaign was adopted in the
| face of Grants explicit declaration that it
| would involve the sacrifice Of 100, 600 more
human lives. These are his words:
after the battle of Chickamauga, in 1868, Gen.
eral Grant was promoted to the command of the
armies OF the United States and called to Wash
ington. In conference at the war office between
him, President Lincoln and Secretary Stanton the
approaching campaign in Virginia was discussed.
| Grant said the ddroace on Richmond should be
made oy the James Rtger. aods replied that the
government required the tnterp0sitjon of an army
| betaDeen Lee d1d Washington and 9p0uId not con-
sent at that late day TO the adoption Of plan that
| mould be taken by the public as confession of
precious error Grant Observed he apdS different
as to routes, but If the government preferred its
b. Sssa ssa ne "a Gas oss gsss
men. The men e0ere promised Grant accepted ttA9
TO the end. The d60Ue came 10 me 90eU GutbeRticdt
ed and haze no doubt Of Its CORRECTNESS
This is certainly a horrible story. The
limmolation of 100000 men to avoid con.
fession of error on the part of an Admins
tration matches anything IN the annals OF
the most despetic governments on earth
To believe that the long agony which thu
nation endured in 1864 was borne to make
good the blunders of civilians involves 81
much that is revolving that nothing Blu
the reputation of the soldier who vouche
FOR the tale could make US entertain it
! General Taylcr expressly and Significant
\ says that it came TO him on good authority
5 No authority for such an accusation ca
be good which Is less than that of one c
). the men directly concerned. Presiden
v Lincoln was dead before General TaylS
came north after the war; Edwin N
Stanton was probably capable of the atroC
ious calculation charged, but he is not hk
~ ever to have had an opportunity Of con
municating it to General Taylor. Thel
remains, therefore, but one source fro
a q v ich it could have reached General Tia
lor. This consideration will make OIL
readers shudder with US at the probabili
of its truth.-N Y, World.