The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1878-05-31
MONROE LOUISIANA, FRIDAY, MAY 81, 1878
GRANTS MILITARY CHARACTER.

! VhANI'S MlL1IAkA CHAkACIEK.
| A recent article by Gen. ID. H
Maury, in the Southern Historical
Society's papers, on "Grant as Soldie,
and Civilian" says:
In estimating Grants claims as q
general we must admit that one prin.
cipIe by which he achieved his success
is new one. It is known in this
country as the 'sprinciple Of attritiou,' y
and being newly announced principle
of war, may be appropriately discussed
in paper like this. Whatever the
military student may find in Grants
career to admire, he should not unad-
visedly adopt this ssprinciple of attri-
tion." Humanity revolts at it, and
history will arraign Grant for the reck-
lessness with which he dashed his
men to death.
In Virginia, he either could not or
would not mannuvre, but knowing
| that for every thousand men who were
slain by the rifles of the Army of Vir-
ginia, he could within ten days receive
an equal number of recruits, he perse-
vered in criminal manner in this
new principle of war. 1t is quite re-
markable that the tactics of the late
commander of the army of the United
States and his successor, Gen. Sherman,
were so at variance, and yet carried
both men to such substantial personal
rewards.
Grant announced and acted on the
principle, "I never man9uvre." Sher-
man never fought when he could avoid
it, except at Chickasaw Bluff, but is
the greatest of living 1naneuvrers.
Without doubt Grant must be held
responsible for the stoppage of the ex-
change of prisoners, which was the
No oparallel can be found for this double
crime against humanity.
After Grant came to the Army of the
Potomac it never left the field. 1t was
punished more severely under him
than 1T had ever been under any of his
predecessors. Some accounts show that
1t lost 100000 men - one hundred
thousand men from the first movement
in May, 1864, till the battle of Cold
Harbor closed, in June, 1864! Yet
Grant never suffered it to get beyond
his control. After this repulse at Cold
Harbor, he could not get it to fight
any more there, but he held it near
the victorious army, and marched it in
order by flank to his new base on the
James, where he kept it till the end.
This was what no other commander of
that army had ever done, and stamps
him an able general.
Grant has been severely criticised for
lighting all those battles and losing so
many men to gain q position which he
might have reached without any loss
at all. But, in justice, we can say he
was not chargable with want of mill
tary capacity for adopting that plan of
cam paign. 1t was q moral and NOT a
error, on his part. From
unquestionable authority we know
that when Stanton first told Grant that
he was to be placed in command of the
armies of Virginia, he was we'll pleased,
and said, 81 shall at once change the
plan of campaign, and make my base
OF operations upon the James river
south of Richmond" Stanton said,
"No, you must operate from the other
tsBut,' said Grant, ssif I !
do it will cost us 100000 men before
we can get to where we can take Rich
mond." ssWell," said Stanton, "you
shall have the 10000 men to lose
rather than this administration, by
abandoning its plan and route of ope-
rations, in which we have so long per-
sisted, shall be convicted before the
country of having persisted in error"
Said Grant, eff you furnish me the
men to do it, will execute your plan.'
So that, while he had military capacity
to appreciate the surroundings of the
5ecretary's campaign, and to foresee
he tremendous slaughter of his men
which it would involve, he consented
% be the instrument of its execution
PAYING TAXES.