The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1879-11-28
ARMY OF the TENNESSEE BANQUET
Eloquent Speech Of Col. ". r. Villas, Of
Madison.

|lNoe1pIobblOn W tuO pfOioauu tSstAnt VIA
which every heart Of our assembled com.
Danions responds 70 the stirring sentiment.
Hut how shall attempt 10 choose, ip the
brief compass thk ocsssisn allows, from the
thoughts that croEd the
,,,,,,H Gu. est commander, the illustIi'
Gus general whose fame has grown 10 ill |
the world-nay more, our band OF the Ten.
nessee, wss his first army. What honorable |
Of old association you, compan.
ions, may now recall. tApplsuse.
How splendid gss POUR entrance on the !
scene OF armies, The An4iohs eye OF the
north had long been fted inteDtlt on the
eastern thhaisty alm6at uheohsRisna Of the
new.formed Army of, the Tenpessee and Its
unknown general. Suddenly there fell on
tie startled ear thu roar q Sour hsht q
walked the count5y's heart TO ecstAcy, and
rupg, like prophetic knell, the, doom our
army OF salvation, bore to, rsbels-nothing
but unconditional surrender. Applause.
Then. but few days later, there burst, &C
6hilDah, upon his Army Of the Tennessee,
the fame aud fury of the first great field
fight of the war" In desperate doubt the
night fall OF the bloody day closed on the
unequal struggle. Higher, then, rose the
iron resolution of that great commander.
Urged by cautious counsel to prepare the
way for retreat, with trust in your valor he
gave the characteristic answer: 81 have
not despaired OF whipping them yet" And
Loyalty, on the morrow, was he vindicated
in that reliance, as he rode before his
soldiery, driving the enemy over the victo-
rious field Prolonged applause
How darkly comes back in recollection
the long and dismal toll In the pestilential
swamps before impregnable Vicksburg. The
sky was overhung with gloom and the
soaked earth sunk under the foot. Unlit by
the fash Of powder, uDheralaed by the
noise Of arms, in miserable darkness, the
last eheins irresistably piled his fatal work,
changing the river legees-where only was
solid ground for burial tombs for our
light bry ke from his troubled genius on the
scene, aud displayed the possible path for
valor. Breaking past the rebel battlements
and across the great river he flung our army
into the midst of the hostile host, like
mighty Gladiator surrounded by his foes,
choosing no escape but in victory. There,
with fiery zest in fierce rspidity, he smote
the foe the crushing strokes of Port Gibson,
Raymond, Jackson, Champion Hills and
Black River, and seized the doomed city
with the unrelenting grasp of his Army Of
new birthday of the republic, her
flag shook out its beautiful folds above the
ramparts of that boasted citadel, the terri.
tory OF revolt was finally split in twain, the
backb bone of rebellion was broken. Great
enthusiasm.] Such, in q glance, your splen.
did story, companions, under our FIRST com.
mander He and his Army of the Tennessee
entered on the page Of history together.
Together they achieved the first great pro.
phetic triumphs for the Union; together
they followed and fought her enemies from
field to field, pushing our advancing arms
in steady career toward the Gulf; nor were
having dlsmembered the vast rebellion, the
beginning Of its utter downfall had been
seen.
Guided by his genius, your army had
learned to fight only to conquer. Parted
from him, il forgot not the teaching. Its
march and war struck every revolving
state save two, but never general snywhert
lamented over its retreat from the field Of
arms. Joyfully may we point to that ex
allied fame, which, rising like pinnacle o.
the Alps, breaks through the armament
above to carry up the nstiie of the uncOn
| duered Grant, for it is our felicity, that OF
has written the proud legend OF the Army o
the Tennessee, which never Stunned, ant
never lost a battle with its foes.
Joined to it by such a story, and espe
cially when SO assembled, his old associate
and soldiers in war, we may rightfuliy
without censure, and without adulstion
claim and speak the Just measure of hi
merit and renOwn. Nor shall his presence
deny that satisfaction to US. His re puts
ton is not his, nor even his cNuntry's alone
It is, in fact, our peculiar posse ssion. w
who fought to aid its rising, may well re
ioice in its meridian splendor.
The foundations of his title are deep-lsit
and safe. There was reaction in the mind
of our people after The intense strain of tn
war, and many distracting subjects for atten
ton. But with regained compoEure ant
reflection, his reputation augments, and Ii
foundations appear more and more IRE
movably fixed for lasting duration. The.
spring not from merely having enjoyed pOs
session of the honors of place and pOwe
which his countrymen have bestowed
others have had them, too They lie no
specially on his shining courage and pei
sOnsl conduct before the enemy, who wa
never outdone in calm intrepidity, nor il
the splendid daring with which he eve
urged the battle he Immediately ordered
though long these will live in song an
story. Beyond the warriors distinction
which was bis earlier glory, his is the tru
genius of the general.
|
was to him a simple implement, like color
and brush to a Raphael, rot letters to th
mind. How like weapon IN giant
hand did he WELD the vast aggregations {
soldiery whose immensely oppressed Q
many mindsi How easily moved his d
visions, yet how firm the place of al
How every soldier came to feel his psrtic
patton direct contribution to the genert
SUGGEST
And when, at length, his merit won th
government of the entire military power {
the north, how perfect became, withou
noise or friction, the co operation of ever
army, OF every strength, throughout tn
wide territory of war, toward the commo
end. Subordinate every will and ever
soul-tbe profound military wisdom OF th
pitsl, even-to the clear purpose an
comprehensive grasp of the one comman:
ing mind. Then, how rapidly crumbled o
every side the crushed revolt Where sha
we find in past records the tale Q
such q struggle, SO enormous in e.
tent, SO nearly matched at the outset, 8
desperately contested, so effectively decided
Through what q course of uninterrupte
victory did he proceed from the esrlles
engagements to a com plete dominion OF tn
vast catastrophe! [Applause.l Nor shout
il be forgotten, he fought no barb rians, i'll
|
by educated skill; but against soldiers o
the finest spirit, armed with the best wesI
ons, standing on their own familiar ground
and led by veteran generals of well-traine
science, one OF whom, at least, was neve
over-matched on his chosen field before.
Spare, in pity, the poor brain which car
not see in this career more than dogg.
pertinacity! Out upon the unjust preiU
dice which will consciously disparags tn
true need of genius. Leave it where hi
intrepid silence leaves it-leaye II t
history. Leave it to the world.
But in the great cause, so well Understood
and the great results TO men, so well Rccon
plished, the basis of his renown is just
broaden ed. For the salvation Of this GOV
eminent OF freedom for mankind we too
mp arms When liberty was safe, they wer
laid again down. Risen in the highest ses
If power, he has descended as a citizen {
equal rank with all. This goes to the sol
of American liberty, ennobling individu,
citizenship above al servants in Office. Fl
is indeed the noblest grandeur of manhood
who can rise from the grasp of overtOppiD
power, above the ambition of sell, to exa
the ambition of humanity; denying th
spoils of the brief time to the last guerdO
of immortal honor. The judgment OF in
mediate contemporaries has been apt TO ris
} too high, or fall too low. But let not detra
ton or calumny mislead. They have eve
been the temporal eccompaDiments {
human greatness. The glory can not ris
beyond the clouds which passes not throug
the clouds. We may confidently accept th
Judgment of the world. 1t has been unmi
taksbIy delivered. But lately, as he hs
pressed his wandering course about th
round' earth, mankind have eveIywher
bowed in homage at his coming, as th
ancient devotees Of the East fell before til
sun at its rising. These honors were M