The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-05-17

contrary, his military efforts "were thwarted
for political or personal reasons" On the con-
trary, he wrote to Mr.. Lincoln on May 1, 1851:
81 have been astonished at the readiness with
which everything asked for has been yielded,
without even an examination being asked"
THE BATTLE OF THE WILDERNESS
Gen. Badeau's second volume describes mil
itary operations on the Potomac from May 4,
1864, until the fall of Atlanta, tho carrying of
the Weldon road, aud the siege of Petersburg
Il period of not quite six months. The cam
pagn in the Wilderness decided the fate of the
Confederacy; and the story of this campaign IS
told at gceas length. On May, 4, 1861, Gen.
Grant could put into battle. on the Rapidan
$1,000 infantry, HOOD cavalry, $500 artillery
meo, with 322 guns. LEES army according to
Badeau, numbered 70 900 effective men, exclu-
sivo Of troops in the valley aud troops in the
downs of Richmond Gea ,deau takes these
figures from the field returns OF the armies of
Northern Virginia of April 20, 1864: The
nearest estimate which he has been enabled to
obtain OF the Confederate army is 69.0o0 infan-
try, and nearly 10000 cavalry and 5000
artillery. The infantry was divided
into three corps, Commanded by Longstreet,
Ewell, and A. P.3Hill, the cavalry by Gen. J.
e. B. Stuart, one OF the most brilliant OF the
Confederate Generals The weather was
warm, spring was come, and Gen. Grant tax
ing his army we'll in hand resolved TO force
LEG Out Ol buotF WUrkS u uSlG Hllu Az mid
night on the 4th of May the Federal troops,
carrying fifty rounds Of ammunition, three
days bread aid three days bsef, with supply
trains carrying ten davs' forage and subsistence
plunged into the Wilderness, Gen. Warren
leading, closely followed by Gen. Sedg wick
aud Gen Hancock. Gen. Grant started from
Culpeper "about o'clock and rode along the
columns amid the cheers OF the troops" The
day was suberb, the marching steady AMI close
and the men were i'll line spirits"
~ p ,.xf1 ~
garled as an important achievement As
son as Lee discovered the movement he put
his troops i'll motion, meaning to strike Grant
Oh the right. Gen. Grant discovered this,
faced his army west OF south, and threw him
self upon Gen. Lse without giving the Confed-
crate commander the opportunity of attacking
him. Thus began tho tremendous battle known
as the first days fight in the Wilderness. The
impression that Cant was surprised by L,e is
dispeled by the dispatch from Gen. Grant to
Gen. Meade, written b,fore O'clock in the
morning, and in which he says: If an Oppor-
tunity presents itself for pitching into Lees
army, do 50 without giving tina for dsposi-
tons By nom Gen. Warren was engaged,
encountering Gen. EwelPs force, who dove
him back. The contest WIS terrible. At 2
o'clock Gen. Hancock's column was in sight,
and Hancock himself beg All that brilliant rec
ord which, under Grant, Gsn. Badeau hand
somely details. Gen. Hancock fought outside
of his breaStworkS The battle was terrible.
"the sound was like one incessant peal of
thunder. and most remarkable to those familiar
with bittleS because so seldom interrupted by
artillery for neither cavalry nor artillery could
be used where infantry was hardly able to
force way. For hours there was no inter
mission OF this terrible, unusual soand. Mt
nelvr;ng was impossible; neither Off ;ers nor
men could sae fifty yards ahead of them, aud
WardSworth was compelled to direct the
march of his troops by the compass" The day
ended without decisive results. Gen. Grant
had drawn Gen. Lse out of his entrenchments,
aud focl him in two distinct technical en-
deavors. "The meu on both sides fought
splendidly, whether they attacked or repeied:
but the battle was a wrestle, as blind as mid.
night, in wildernes that m lda manGuvreS
impracticable as in jungle, where regimsnts
stumbled each aml on the enemy
by turns, firing sometimes into their own
ranks Gen. Grant was anxious to attack
next morning at half-past but Gen. Meade
thought he could not be ready in time, and 50
the hour was postponed until 5.
HANCOCK IN THE WILDERNESS.
During this battle Con. ,delu pays high
tribute to the generalship of Hancock, who re-
ceivel the brun5 Of Lee's attack, and although
badly handled succeeded in winning all that
he had lost. A good deal OF the delay in the
first days action is attributed to Gen. Burn
sides corps becoming, as it were, ingulfed in
the impossible density OF the Wilderness 1t
is curious illustration of the resolution of
Gen. Grant that in the very crisis of the battle,
when the result appeared doubtful, he dis
cussed with some of his officers the possibility
of throwing his whole army between Leo and
Richmond. The first day, however, passed
with undecided results. Although there were
panicky excitement and gloom in the NatiOna
camp, we learn from the Confederates that the
same condition of affairs existed in the camp
of the enemy. SIT was Fortunate" writes the
Confederate Gen. Early, "that directions came
to close the affair, as had the enemy been able
to discover disorder on our side he might have
brought up fresh troops and awaited himself OF
our condition daring the ght." The rumor
came to the effect that Gen. Ssdg wick, driven
in, the right of the army had been turned. and
| headquarters were in danger of capture. "Gen.
| Grant," says Gen. Badeau, "could not know
at first whether these rumorS were true or
FALSE but he made his dispositions quietly, Or
| dered troops to be sent to SeJGwick'S support,
the second line to be formed inside of that
| which had been broken, and when his orders
| were given went back to his pillow and slept
till morning His officers discussed the situa-
tion for hoars, and sas up TO learn tho fate OF
| Sedgwick, won ering at their chief, who slept
| amid such dangers"
GRANTS GENERALsHIP-"PUsH ON!"
| Although the 18th of My wi3 a day OF ter
| rible fighting, Gen. Grant allowed his army no
rest. ''Have the men," he stid to Gen. Burn
side, woke up and under arms at half-past 3. !"
| Gen. Mott, who did SO badly un1er Gen. Han
| cock, had his division reduced to brigade.
1
began to bs stern Although it appeared that
the President had given Grant complete con-
troll OF the military forces we see in many cases
thrt this coatrol was nominal Political con-
sideratons were still allowed to sway the So
| lection of Generals. At a time when tbs for
| tunes of the Republic were trembling in the
balance of military success such man as Sigel
was allowed an important command. When
| Grant was forcing Les into the last extremity
his plans by Sigel were entirely foiled. Butler
| f,ilod tn v,oh no bic at patarchurp
and Halleck telegraphed: "Sigel is in full re-
treat on Strasburg; he will do nothing but run
he never did anything else." Gen. Grant at
| trbuted the fault of Butler to the insubordi-
he said, "whie very able man, is obstinate
and likely to condemn what is not suggested
| by himself" The fault of Batter, the defeat
of Sige!, still superaddei t, the news of B INKS
defeat in the Department OF the Gulf, made
the campaign of new commander-in-chief
open gloomily. Grant, however. determined
to keep ahead. and formed the curious military
resolution of throwing aside his artillery, cut
ting down his cavalry, and depending upon his
infantry. All his orders at this time were to
go ahead Push, push push!", Push 81 on with
all possible vigor. Push the enemy
| with all your might" "We must not
| fail" "Act OH the offensive keep
up a threatening attitude" Eight
the enemy in whatever force you c,n fiud
him" ''Feel for the enemy to keep him we'll
employed" These are extracts from the orders
of Gen. Grant, and show the resolution which
he had in beginning his campaign and which
was to bring him victory in the end.
THE LOSSES OF THE CAMPAIGN.
From the Sth to the 2lst of May the tota
losses of Gen. Grant were 1861, of which 2,
279 were killed. Lees losses are not given by
Gen. Badeau, although among the captures
made by Grant were 4 900 prisoners aud TWEEN
ty guns. 1t is a fair presumption tina. the
killed and wounded in the Confederate army
equaed the loss of the Federal army. The
fact, however, that this famous Wilderness
campaign, which inflicted a f.t,i blow Oh the
| Confederacy, only cost 13, ,60l men is remark
able statement and puts an end TO the stories
which have been generally accepted for the
last fifteen years, that Grants losses were 3d.
900 or go, 900 at least.
/ THE EFFECTS OF THE CAMPAIGN.
Grant regarded the result of the campaign a
a virtual success over Lees army. Lie had con
quered the spirit of the .versary, and the on
ly question was to force him to surrender
There is sketch of the disastrous attack OF
Gold Harbor one of the caases of which Is at
tributed to Warrens opening with artillery in
stead of attacking in force. This whole move
ment annoyed Grant; in fact, the only Genera
who seems to have shown enterprise and abli
ty in the movement was Hancock. Gen. Ba
deau gives Gen. Lee high praise for his man
IL