The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-07-31
The GRANT SPECTRE
Opinions of the Press on the Gen.
erals European Talk
"M'CLELLAN IGNORED"
Sheridan Delegate to the Next Re-
publican Convention.

publican Convention.
TEE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HISTORY AND
"RANDoM TALK"-wHAT TIE BATTLE OF
LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN REALLY wAs-GRANTs
OFFICIAL ESTIMATE OF BUTLER.
From the Springfield Republican, July 20
We shall evidently have TO dscrim nate between
sober history and General Grants random talk In
Europe A liberal discount must be from the
accuracy Of recoectons fifteen years after the fact,
and without recorded data ut hand. There ia an in
completeness about some Of his observations which
shows that tho reporter has gwen tho most striking
and exaggerated expression to the statement and left
OF all tho modifying quail locations The statement
that the battle OF Lookout Mountain call ro-
nance" Is one of these striking cxaggcratlons, very
lar from historic TRUTH although the success gained
that day entirely disproportioned TO tho small
loss incurred. II II romance 1t was the romance
Of old soldiers like General 10 Hooker, to whom,
ALSO the country is indebted for tho participation OF
the ''couds" in the scene. General Grant had just
arrived at Chattanooga (November, 1863 in
command Of all the armies OF the Mississippi
Valley. General Thomas, in command Of the Army
Of the Cumberland, was az The same point. and
General Sherman coming up. The rebel General
Bragg held the height Of Lookout Mountain down the
river atew miles. snectaaliy commanding the federal
channel OF supplies ana menacing Chattanooga. Gen
eral Grants plans being rips Hooker was ordered TO
move on Lookout Mountain on the oath Of ovembcr.
having IN command two dvsions--aoout nine thou
sand men. Tue morning iog or .'clouds' concealed
his early movements from the rebel batteries the
HILL 90 that he quite surprised the lower positions
aud Carried them by storm From this advantage
his forces pushed on, as he says, ''climbng over
cdges and bowldcrs up hin and cowp, iurousiy driv-
ing the enemy mis- camp ami from position alter
position, until twelve O'Clock, when Gcarys advance
heroicaily rounded the peak OF the mounta.u Alter
hoI Tan
he says
"lt was now near two o'clock, when our operations
were arrested by the darkness The clouds which had
lowered over and enveloped the summit Of the noun
lain during the morning, ana 10 some exleEtiavored
our movements gradually settled into the valley
completely veiled It from view. Indeed from the
moment we had rounded tho peak OF the mountain 1t
was only from the roar OF battle and occasional
glimpses they could catch OF and standards
that our cpmrades, from whom We were separated,
report 10 General Thomas, February 4, 1SG4.l
this Is where tho romance comes IN. There Is no
question that Hooker took Lookout Mountain some
now that day; that his immediate commander, Gen.
eral thomas, congratulated him 1t haf-past me the
same evening on ms GLORIOUS success" also that on
Thomas as iollows:-
al Hookers present position on the mountain can
be maintained with small force, and It is found In
practicable TO carry the top from where hc IL would
be advisable for him 10 move up the valley with all
sabie road"
AS matter of fact Hooker had "found 1t practical
bic to carry tho top" But the rebels made very
stubborn defence, ana the actual lighting losses
we're small although our side took good many prs-
oners Colonel Maxwell, rebel stan officer to Bragg,
writes to the Philadelphia Times that under.
stood how Lockout Mountain was lost without hight
ing, and says that the announcement OF It's capture
was complete surprise to General Bragg, who
On Mission Ridge when the news was brought by q
young ohicer 'riding through the cloud" Colonel
can BIO found, viii find II In Part of the uppcment-
AIRY Report Of the Committee on the Conduct OF the
War to the Thirty -eightn Congress
General Grauts apology Tor General Butler Is
more remarkable Tor It's failure to cover the ound
than his comment on Lookout Mountain. He
thinks he may have been too severe General
butier for his iailuro a. commander of tho Army
oil tho james, but apparently iorsets that his most
severe censurc oil that General WAS In connection it'll
the Fort Fisher affair Let what is said OF
General Butler IN that succnct and probably truthful
history which Lieutenant General Grant addressed 10
Secretary Stanton In July, lS65"lhe report OF tho
operations OF Tho armies OF the United States from tho
date oil my appointment to command tho saine.n
Having made General Butler commander of the
Army OF tho James with Instructions TO move sim u
sneously with Meade and take the south side OF the
James River, General Grant was disappointed, first,
that lie delayed week before Fort Daring and thus
ost TO US the benefit OF the surprise and capture
Richmond and Petersburg" as II his army "had been
In bottle strongly corksd." THIS Is the expression
which Grant now regrets This was in May. On tho
18th Of June General Butler mado an advance, but
lost II In consequence Of not putting his troops no
the encmy's WORKS promptly. Those are the opera
uons which General Grant thinks would have Lurued
out differently, II he mad gwen his subordinate u
couple Of good corps COMMANDERS.
In December the expedition for tho of Fort
Fisher ana VI Wilmington, tue most important rebel
port, was planned Goueral Grant quotes his instruc-
tions TO Gonerai Butler anu says:-
GENERAL Butler com mandins tue army from which
the troops were taken Tor this enterprise and the
ritory within when they were to operate, military
courtesy required that all orders ana Instructions
should 20 through him. They sent; but zen.
erai ethel nas since officially Informed tnat he
never received Tho foregoing instructions no
aware OF their existence until he pead General Buffers
published official report OF the Fort Fisher failure. l
had idea OF General Butler accompanying the ex-
pcdien until the evening before IL got or from Ber-
mudn Hundreds and then did not dream but Con-
crM Weitzel had received all the Instructions and
would DO In command rather formed the idea that
GENERAL Butler actuated desire 10 wne ss the
explosion oil tho powder boat"
This coniemptuous estimate, which General Grant
has not yot soitened, Is confirmed by almost every
subsequent sentence regarding tho Fort Fshcr afair
General butler recalled his expedition before 10 ~as
airly at work, and ''in direct violation OF instruc-
lions" rc-omDarked his troops. Several officers ira
namcd who voluntarily reported TO General Grant
that they were almost in the fort when recalled Tue
next month General Terry out with substaG.
italy me same Instructions and the Same troops Us
General Grant takes pains to say and captured tho
oral Grant significantly adds, "At my request Gem
erai Butler was rohoved," aud his department was
assigned to General Ord. We believe this remains the
last word OF the commanding general this closing
performance OF General Butler the the req
toration OF the Union.
GRANT AS A HISTORICAL CoNTRIDUToR--
BLIND AND UNTRUsTwoRTHY AS AUTHORITY
on MILITARY AND POLITICAL MATTERS.
From tho Newark Journal, July 2Ql
We have doubt whatever that the very interest
Ing andsexhaustivc correspondence Published In tho
NRw YORK HERALD recently, purporting to give table
talk utterances of exPres.dent Grant, Is fun and