The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1879-05-13


lad not been so well supported, but they
we're not 90 much trusted. Lincoln loved
Pope and Joe Hooker more than Grant:
,ut he could draw bigger draft because
ne was bigger man.
This campaign overland Is poorly
shown in the public mind. The impfes-
sion exists that It was very long aud the
much involved. This Is
Il was the usual campaign, only
conducted with never failing vigor. No
of Early and Breckenridge
could draw this army back. They pen
etra'ed to the environs Of Washington,
but Grant stuck to Petersburg and Rich
mond. He was the greater in numbers,
but he did not know the roads through
the Wilderness, where Lee had great
sdvsntass6 The railrosds which Grant
could scf3Seiy use, c6Bcsntfs to~sfq
Lees base, Npd the country was made
ready at most places for defense. The
@ ,artermaster's Department Of Grant
worked like q clock, however, and be
went over rivers like q duck.
GRANTS LossE-.
In the eleven months ia which Grant
vas in command of the Armv, of the
Potomac, be lost 696 officers killed, and
q few short of IL, 900 enlisted men kill
ed. He had 1924 wounded officers and
7,235 wounded common soldiers
There we're missing 587 officers aud 49,
900 men.
The most disastrous battles in the field
we're: First, Spottsylvania; second, the
Wilderness; third Cold Harbor and Be-
thesda Church. ~
In the. different assaults on Peters
burg. covering nine months, he lost 69U
officers killed and wounded, and nearly
Is. 900 men. !;
After taking Petersburg the losses
were sill considerable. AT Amelia Court
House, Farmville and Appomattox, they
amounted to IL officers killed and 200
men, and 56 officers wounded and more
than 600 men. In short, the great cam
paign in Virginia in 1864 and 1865 COS,
Grant, Butler and Sheridan, who were
acting in harmony under the same gene.
raj orders. 99.772 men, Of whom IA 60l
we're killed. s,s,.si,. -;-.s.s
Mr.. Lincoln. the last great loss OF the
war, left Grant. for. the last time April 2
and was killed IL days aiterward. One
of the last dispatches Grant sent bin
said: 1--WE have taken 10000 men since
the army started out cunning"
The Adjntant OF the army, Seth Wi
liams, whom Grant sent to Lees head
quarters with Dag Of truce, became in
sane soon after the war ON account of thu
tremendous mental labor he had had t.
perform as the Adjutant General of tha
great column.
Grant owed much OF his Rnal success
TO the impe:uosity OF Sheridan, who va
in perpetual distress on account OF th,
sIowness of Meades movements.
One of the best things Grant said t,
Lee at the surrender, when Lse remarked
that he Was sorry he had omitted to pu
in the articles of surrender that many o
the horses in the cavalry and artillery
we're the property Of the men in charR'
of them. Grant at once said: "All mel
who own their horses can retain them
like the officers. They will need then
for their spring plowing."
The morning after Lee surrendered
Grants nephew came in from the rebe
lines In gray uniform preceded by BIZ
name on piece Of paper. "Are yo'
one OF Aunt Rachel's sons ?" "Yes, In
Charley" "What are you doing here ?
II have been fighting in Lees army;
want to 60 home" Grant gave him 85'
and horse. Perhaps this romance ha
not been without its influence in Grant
uniform good treatment Of individus
rebel.. The last life OF value shed II
Grants army was Gen. Theodore Read
of Wisconsin, who undertook to stoI
the whole OF Lees army at Farmvill
with two regiments OF infantry. R'a
did hold Lees advance until O1d got u
In force. The gallant Custer, Sheridan
right hand, captured four trains Of cars
which we're the last hope Of Lee to fee
his famished troops. The last strok
made ny Lee was under the present Sen
ator Gordon, who undertook to cut hi
way through and had staggered the cav
airy when the long blue lines Of Or
we're revealed ready for battle, and the
the r-bel line grew silent as death. The
had had enough.
THE LAST MARCH FOR RICHMOND.
From this spot let me recite the stor
OF the campaign Of 1884.
On the morning Of May 4, 1854. .Grar
broke up his encampment of 1900
men, and marching rapidly for the RAE
idsn crossed it with 1000 wagons earl
in the afternoon, and pushed for the ceI
ter of the Wilderness. A portion of Ii
army stopped on the old battle field {
Chancellorville. Grant, knowing thu
LIE was ouifisnked, thought that tn
Confederate army would fall back I
Gordonvill". Lee, however. resolved
strike Grant in the center Of his lonI
moving line.
At the Wilderness tavern Grant on
i Meade established their headquarters q
i the night OF the same day, the 4th, ha'
ing marched nearly 80 miles. The
were two dirt roads leading through Il
wilderness by which the army starte
for the South. expecting to clear tho
woods in a days march. Tue secor
day at 5o'clock the troops we're und
way, but Lee Was up even earlier, ,resol
ing to attack Grant before he could g
II out of the woods. Before ordinal
| breakfast time Warren's whcle corps VI
!, engaged-it hardly knew with what.
Grant, no ~ever, discovered that Lee h'
| anticipated him, and had all his cor
5 brought up. These were seasoned troo
who had fought at Gettysburg. T.
: Confedera,es repeatedly charged the Fe
eral battlefront, and endeavored to tul
their hank, but at O'Clock In the afte
{ noon began to fortiiv. The woods we
e go thick that, while the axes could
: heard ringing, no man working in o
: line could see across the swamp hollo
: to the enemy on the other. A small pc
E lion of Hancock's corps held the jun
e ton Of the two principal roads throu,
e the Wilderness, and resisted the M
t Confederate attack until Hancock got
- -hola oorna mn and oave eomo of 4