The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-07-24


history. The man who has played fore
most and conspicuous part in great events
is, after all, oftenest best known to pos
terity, and even 10 his own time, by some
record made of his conversation among his
familiar friends, where he feels at ease and
speaks freely of his recollections and opin-
ions of the men among whom and the times
in which he bore his part. A special
correspondent of the HERALD sends
us from Hamburg transcript of many con-
versations of General Grant, and we may
safely recommend his letter to our readers
rs one OF absorbing interest Here the ex-
President, the commander of the Union
armies in the great war, gives his judgment
Of many men but little less famous than
himself his recollection Of some OF the
most important events in our history and
occasionally peep into what may be called
the secret history OF the period Of the war
and the succeeding years.
Though Grant has the reputation OF being
an uncommonly silent man those who have
had the fortune to come into other than
public relations with him know very well
TINT he is an extremely piquant and facile
talker. He speaks always to the point; he
seems to weigh his words carefully, and
unless when, as President, he was led
to speak on political topics of which he
himself has confessed that he knows little
or nothing, he never converses except upon
subjects of which he is master. He is never
so interesting as when he is talking OF the
events OF the war.
In the conversations recorded by the
HEnALD correspondent General Grant
touches many Of the most interesting parts
of the war. It is curious to read, for in
stance, that if he had known the soldiers
and generals of the Potomac Army better
he would hive preferred to invest Lee in
Richmond from the Lynchburg land
side as he invested Pemberton in Vicks-
burg But it is evident from what he says
| here that he was never bitten with the
notion, SO prevalent at one time i'll the
| North that Richmond in itself was of I'M
portance He always saw, with his clear
military eye, that Lee was his objective
point. On this head we remember re-
mark he made to an intimate personal
friend, when FIST he camc East
to take command. .'Well General"
| said this friend, II don't want to
ask you anything, but you mean to
capture Richmond, 1 hope?" Grant re-
piled briefly, II mean to beat Lee" and
there showed that he perfectly compre-
hendcd the vital point of his operations.
What he says about the losses in the Will
derncss campaign will surprise many per-
sons: but he must be allowed to speak from
accurate knowledge when he says that his
total losses in that campaign amounted to
only thirty-nine thousand men. Every
military man will agree with him when
he says that that campaign was necessary
to destroy the Southern Confederacy 1t
WIS necessary in order to give the army Of
the Potomac confidence in its new comman-
DER and the conviction that under Grant
they would no longer fight and fall back,
as they had so often and, in fact, invaria-
bly, done, but fight and advance.
Grants narrative of the circumstances
attending the surrender of Lee, with the
picture Of his muddy and worn uniform,
and Lees magnificent array, and the apology
each made to the other for his dress, will be
welcome to the historians who shall attempt
to describe this famous event. 1t will be
seen that the judgments he passes upon the
generals and public men of both sides
are always impartial, kindly and gener-
Gus. He praises General Butler,
wishes he had had ADLER subordinates, and
expresses regret that an unlucky phrase in
his official report should have annoyed But
Ter. He thinks Jefferson Davis did all he
could for the Coniederacy and did not de-
serve the harsh criticism he got. He thinks
Stonewall jackson might not have proved
SO effective n general later on in the
war and opposed TO men like Sherman
and Sheridan, when his peculiar tao
tics would have failed. In this he is prob
ably right Jackson ou.marched and out
mannuvred his slower antagonists, but when
our troops gained commanders who also
acted with celebrity it is doubtful if Jack
sons famous phrase to his soldiers, "When
you get into cornfield eat enough to last
YOU u week. would have. saved him
from disaster. Grant seems TO think
Lee not SO great as his reputation
speaking of him Of course as a soldier and
not as "a man. He was never so uneasy
when in front of Lee Us some Of our. other
commanders, and he describes him as
man oil slow mind, without imagination,
and o. grave dignity of domeanor. General
Joe Johnston, in his opinion, was the ablest
commander on the Southern side. OF Bragg
he appears to have but n poor opinion.
He tells q singular story of President
Johnson's desire at one time to ARE st Gen.
eral Lee and other Southern commanders
for treason, by way OF making rebellion
odious Grant and Seward had, it seems,
the manlness and good sense TO oppose
and defeat this folly and General Grant
.oxs no vould have RESIGN ed bis com,nis eion