Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1883-04-04
fFor the HERALDl

When we stated in, .onr
last Article that Grant was The apparent
hero Of this book we did it because OF
the prominence given lis exploits,
its defences Of his action aud It's un-
merlted praise ofhim. Indeed it would
seem he were ncthlng less than a
demiqod. For, it claims for him from
the capture OF Fort Donelson onward
"a senes Of brilliant SUCCESSES )" 1t tells
US ''hc has been severely criticised for
rccklessly sacrificing the lives Of lis
soldiers, but without just cause" that
Grant felt he was takin. The shortest
and best course, and tbat ''the result
proved the correctness Of bis judgments"
it says that his generalship at Chaltl-
nooga is considered by military author
tiles as the masterpiece Of the war;"
aud, lastly it proclaims that on his tour
round the world mo individual in the
worlds history ever received such a
continuous series Of ovations," and
that the crowned heads. Of Europe wed
with The common people in paying him
marked attention and that lis recep-
ton on his return home by the country
at large was no less enthusiastic"
We propose 20 show, first, that his
career was not series Of brilliant
successes.
We propose to show, in the second
place, that he was not criticised without
just cause, on accout of his reckless
disregard of his soldiers lives.
We propose, hext, to give some
reasons for doubling, on general prln-
ciples, the high generalship of that in
dividual at Chattanooga.
We propose, finally, to take a cursory
review Of his reception IN Europe and
America. ..~ ....-
To do this, we will give long series
of quotations from an eminent North
ern writer. William Swinton, whose
fine as an author is beyond dispute.
We shall quote from the revised edition
of his "CAMPAIGNs OF THE ARMY OF
THE PoT6MAc',-Story of the Grand
Army.
According to 5wlnton;-"The united
strength of the four corps gave Grant a
movable column of about 10000 men
Of alharms. The rolls Of Lees army
showed force present for duty Of So,
626 men-foot. horse, and artillery"
(p. 4l3. A. OF p.) 1t may be we'll to
note here tina; The Eclectic History has
not burdened It's readers, minds witAi
these details Of the strength of the two
forces. Grant threw across the Rapi-
dan at least 100 900 men. Lee met
him with 10000 men. for Longstreet
did not get his corps up until the Sec
ond day. Lees plan ofresntance to
Grant is characterized as lone Of the
boldest and most skilful conceptions Of
that officer" There, in that weird aud
awful region deadly grapple, of two
days duration takes place, costing the
Federals 10000 aud The Confederates
5000 men. s,. %. ..,
THAT this result was a grieyous dis
appointment to General Grant viii be
readily understood, if account be taken
of the expectation with which he set out
out upon this campaign. General
Grant at this time shared an opinion
commonly entertained in that part Of
the country where his own successes
had been won-the opinion that the
Army of the Potomac had never been
fought to the utermost. :
Taking this view, General Grant
hoped at one blow TO finish the trouble
some, ana seemingly invulnerable, ad-
versary. Aud to achieve this end, be
made little account of those arts that
accomplish results by The direction and
combinolion Of force, for at this period
The avowedly despisel manoeuvrlng.
His reliance lcas erclusirely on the Gp-
pl,catioa of brute force mGssed, in rapid
and remorseless blows or, as he has
himself phrased it, in 'hammering con-
tlnuously.' 1t soon appeared however,
that the hammer p0uld itself break on
tie anul; aud, taught a lesson by this,
he was thereafter more disposed to ac-
cept whatever aid the resources of
strategy afford. Cp. 439-40 r. of P.)
Italics not in orlglual.
Failing to dslodge or destroy Lee,
Grant made a movement to get in his
rear; but was prevented by LOngstreeps
corps making night march to Spott
sylyania G. II. A Federal assault was
repulsed with a loss to them of over
| five thousand while that Of the COnfed-
crates was not as many hundreds.
| (Swinton.)
1.-The operations Of the dav left the
Confederates In possession Of Spottsyl-
wanna Court House. Lee, in fact, had
succeeded in throwing his army across
Grants line of march; aud having
drawn upon the 'Spottsylvania Ridge a
bulwark OF defence, he was able, Tor
twelve days, to hold the Army OF the
Potomac IN check aud exact another
I heary dole ofbloOd." IA. of P. p. 446.l
| "Iu these operations before the lines
Of spottsylvania, General Grant had
! carried out with much Jfielfy but rery
Indifferent success, his own principle of
bammeriug continuously" IA. Of 2. p.
45o.l Italics not iu original.
II should be noted, however, that in
an assault, on dull, foggy morning a
salient was surprised by Hancock and
!, gour thousand prisoners, twenty cannon