The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-05-24
GRANT.
The NNhNnan "Prlnclple Of AttrItIoa" by
Wats.. lie Achieved His success,

ws;css. he Achieved His success.
A recent article by Gen. y. II. Maury. In
the Southern Historical Societys papers, on
stlirant as q Soldier and Civilian" SAYS:
In estimating Grant claims as general.
we must admit that one principle by which
he achieved his success Is new one II Is
known In this country as the ''principle of
attition;' and being, newly announced
cussed In paper like this. Whatever the
military student may find In Grants career
30 admire. he should not unadvisedly adopt
this principle Of attriton." Humanity re-
volts at IT. and history will arraign Grant for
the recklessness with which he dashed his
men TO death.
In Virginia. he either could not or would
not manmuvre, but knowing that for every
Thousand men who were slain by the rifles of
the Army Of Virginia, he could within ten
days receive an equal number Of recruits. he
persevered IN criminal manner In this new
principle Of war. 1t is quite remarkable that
the tactics of the late commander of the army
81 the United States and his successor, Gen.
Sherman, were so at variance and yet carried
bott. men to such substantial personal re-
wards.
pile, 81 never manruvre" Sherman never
fought when he could avoid II, except ut
Chickasaw Bluff, but Is be greatest of living
manueuvrers.
Without doubt Grant must be held respon-
sible for the .stoppage Of the exchange of
prisoners, which was the most cruel act Of
his plan Of attrition. No parallel can be
found for this double crime against hu-
manity.
After Grant came to the Army Of the poto
mac II never left the field 1t was punished
more severely under him than it fad ever
been under any OF his predecessors. Some
accounts show that It lost 100000 men l-one
hundred thousand men from the first move
boz. closed, In june 1864 Yet Grant never
suffered 1t TO get beyond his control After
this repulse at Cold Harbor h. could not got
~ to fight any more there. but he held II near
by flank to his new base on the james where
he kept 1t till the end This was what no
other commander OF that army had ever
done, and stamps him an able general.
He has been severely criticised for fighting |
all those battles and losing so many men TO |
gain position which he might have reached
without any loss at all. But. In Justice. we
can say he was not chargeable with want Of
military capacity for adopting that plan of
campaign. 1t was moral, and not strate-
gical error. on his part From unquestiona-
bile authority we know that when Stanton
tiist told Grant that he was to be placed in
command of the armies of Virginia he was
well pleased, and said Il shall at once
change the plan of campaign, and make my
base o. operations upon the James river south
OF Richmond" Stanton said, NO you must
operate from the other direction"
- nh oo sald !, Grant, IF ! do i will cost
can take Richmond" "WelI,E said stanton,
ss'you shall have the 100000 men to lose rather
than this administration. by abandoning It's
plan and route of operations, In which we
nave SO long persisted, shall be convicted
before the country Of having persisted In
error" Said Grant. "If you furnish me the
men to do II | will execute your plan" So
that, while he had military capacity to ap-
precate the surroundings OF the Secretary's
campaign, and to foresee the tremendous
slaughter Of his men which II would involve.
no consented to be the instrument of It's
nxecutonl