The Portland daily press., 1877-06-18
General Grant.

The London Saturday Review of June has
long article on the visit of ex-President Grant,
in the course of which it says: With the excep-
tion OF three or four famous Germans he has
commanded larger armies than any other living
general, and he was the most prominent among
the soldiers who fought the civil war to sue
cessful conclusion. Some Americans think
that Sherman displayed higher military ability
than Grant; but the occupation of Richmond
and the subsequent surrender of Lee, were the
most striking and decisive exploits of the war;
General Grant was the first of the Northern
generals who stemmed the tide of Confederate
success. His capture of Vicksburg had the
great effect in determining the fate of the
struggle in the West; and in his final campaign
in Virginia he showed that he thoroughly un-
derstood the use which might be made of over
whelming numbers. 1t was asserted at the
time, perhaps with little exaggeration, that
General Lee in his gallant defence OF Virginia
inflicted on the Federal troops losses exceeding
the number of his own entire army; but Gen
eral Grant, with inexhaustible reenforcements
at his disposal could not fail to secure the
final victory. Sherman's march to the Eastern
coast had be.n concerted with the commander
in chief, and formed part of the general oper-
ations.
General Grant, when he received General
Lees surrender at Appomattox, anticipated in
his courteous demeauor the wise generosity of
his cOuntrymen, which has in q few years al
most obliterated the bitter recollections of a
formidable struggle. There is no other instance
in history of so liberal a policy as that which
has been adopted since the victory of the North.
The brave enemies who had with characters-
tic freedom of Speech been denounced during
the war as rebels and traitors, found as soon as
peac was restored that they were safe not only
from vengeance, but from obloQuy. No capital
execution, except for private crimes, disfig-
qred the Federal victory; and already, after a
dozen years, the military merits of Confederate
officers are recognized in all parts of the Union
as justitiable causes of patriotic pride. The
vice president Of the Confederates has since
sat in the American Senate; and Con-
federate officer is, with the approval of
Republican President, governor of
South Carolina. The commander-in-chief of
the victorious army may therefore look back
on his achievements with unmixed satisfaction.
His exploits in the field, as we'll as the high
civil rank which rewarded his success, entite
him to respectful attention during his visit to
Europe. 1t fortunately happens that in all
countries great soldiers habitually rank with
great mobiles, and next after princes. No we'll
bred Englshman would fail in Difference and
courtesy to the former chief of great nation,
yet General Grant will perhaps be more fiat
ton than even by the precedence to which he is
entitled in virtue of his former office. Unlike
great Continental soldiers, he will not be sur
prised in England by the absence of military
display consisting in great masses of troops.
His own country almost dispenses with stand
ing army in time of peace, although in case of
emergency it commands the services of hun
dreds of thousands of men, and of accomplished
generals to command them.