Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-05-03
pADEAU's LlFE OF GRANT.
A Fair but Pungent English
Criticism.


eral Grant, BY General Badeau, says:
1.-The officer whe for months welded
all the United States armies during
the war between the Northern and
Southern States, and at length subju-
gated the latter. is one who assuredly
deserves that careful and exhaustive
history shoald be written of his career
as a commander. Sixteen years after
his browning triumph such a history
has been given to the world. The
author is that officer who was General
Grants military Secretiry during the
period OF his command in chief, and is,
therefore, Ia position which secures
him both full iniormstion as regards
facts, and an accurate knowledge Of
his chiefs plans, l6e and feelings.
In addition he has had access to all
the correspondence of the headquar-
ters of the different Northern armies,
all papers under the control Of the
War Department, and a mass of the
reports and returns Of the Southern
armies. Still further have his ma
terials been swollen by communicA-
tions from many of the principal
Northern general staff and naval Off
GERS, as we'll as from Mr.. Stanton, Fed
eral Secretary Of War during the
gigantic struggle. Under these favor
able conditions the work could hardly
fail Of being worthy of the subject,
riven-frst. reasonably good literary
skill; second, a we'll balanced, Impair
tial mind on the part of the writer.
As regards the first requisite, We think
it will be admitted that General
Badeau has arranged his story well,
and writes with clearness, il not with
brilliancy. As to the second requisite,
we cannot pronounce so favorable a
verdict. A bitter feeling of personal
dislike to all Southerners is apparent
in every line, and colors the narrative
so strongly that, though we may ac-
cept facts, we are rendered suspicious
about criticisms and deductions.
Among the better classes in the
Northern States it is considered bad
taste to speak or write with rancor of
their opponents in the war and to
characterize them as rebels. Time is
supposed to have condoned any
offenses that may have been com.
mitted and tits deemed true patriotism
to cast a veil over the events of 1861 8
| Gen. Badeau is profuse in his use Of
the terms rebels and rebellion and
writes of the gallant men againss whom
he fought with an amount Of vituper-
alton and petty malice which ssvors
more of the lower class of Yankee pol.
| itician than professional American
soldier. So great is his virulence that
he never dreams of holding up to pub
lie disgust the authors of some atroc-
Titles undoubtedly perpetrated by the
general government and officers, and
rarely blames any Federal commander,
savewhen he is antagonistio to Gen
eral Grant, or has failed to carry out
his wishes. Indeed, one would almost
imagine that he was describing, not
an open regular war between two
groups of the North American States,
but the suppression Of mutiny akin
! to that which broke out in India in
1857. OF Confederate Generals his
praise, when given-which is rarely
is grudgingly bestowed, aud, if posi-.
Bile, qualified. Even of Lee he speaks
with affected disparagement, though
what with his scanty resources, he
accomplished, is more creditable tC
him than that which was effected bJ
|. his conqueror.
Making, however, all due allow
ances for partiality on the one sidt
. and prejudice on the other, we be
! lieve that this book will greatly rails,
! General Grants reputation as a CON
: mander. An impression has beer
), prevalent that, having an enormou
? superiority in numbers and stores
! General Grant merely hammered ava,
till by brute force he smashed th
: Confederate army. L. may be tru
! that Wellington, Napoleon, Vol
y Moltke or a Robert Lee would, b
!, superior tactical skill, have effecte
y his object with less loss Of life. Still
it must be admitted that the condi
J tons OF the war we're special, and tina
granted that the clogging system wa
:, best adapted to the circumstance
! that system was carried out with muc
: 6rmness and ability. 1t is very Gel
: tain that General Grant was SONS
y thing more than a mere clogging Ger
eral and that he possessed any OF tn
; qualities ola commander Of the fir
: order"