Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-11-15
GRANT AND LEE.
Military Characteristics Of the Great
Generals Compared.

Military Characteristics Of the Great
Generals Compared.
Grant. the federal chief, says Brig. Gen.
Reyes, in his "Fifty Years Observation of
Men and Events" maintained a pressure
upon Lees defenses which knew no interPis-
slon As rule, he would neautralize the
force OF his enemy's strongly fortified points by
attacking those that were weaker; but lest his
adversary should inter that he was Influenced by
lear. ne assaed the almOstimpregnable position
at Coid darbor, at q cost to himself of 1000 men
at least. while he inflicted but trfiing loss upon
the conieder2teS. Grant has been charged with
an unnecessary sacrifice of life on that occasion.
but he must have considered his situation such
as TO justify his conduct. 1t was a maxim with
the great Napoleon that such rashness is some
times necessary for the safety. as well as the
honor. OF an army. The sustained vigor and
timely holiness of Cen Grant constitute an i'm
portrait factor in the problem am studying in
regard to his supremacy.
Gen. Lee, from the nature of things, was con-
strained to initiate the example of the Roman
tabius against Hannibal. and of Marshal
Eaun against Frederick the Great He was de-
tending interior lines against superior numbers,
ana being wOeiully deficient in TT importation,
it would have been madness for him to sally out
beyond the support of his Tamparts. Some of
his critics, however have fancled that
FRoM OVER CAUTION.
on two or three occasions, he failed to see
opportunities offered by Grant to break through
his lines and harass the invader much more
than he did. 1t is barely possible that such
censure may have been deserved. Gen. Lee
was overworked, and so dreadfully oppressed
by his responsbilitie that from time to time
nature claimed its right to repose. and Occa:
slOnally he may have fallen into that state
which | call the syncope Of the mind. state
in which energy refuses to respond to external
impressions, however obvious they may be.
Where is the man of action who has never eXpe-
rienced such state, and seen passing by and
beyond recovery precious opportunities and
golden prizes, which in his ordinary condition
he would have easily appropriated? But, what
ever may have been the faults of Gen. Lee, it is
certain that he increased the death rate in the
leheral army to degree that ought to satisfy
the most terCcious lover OF slaughter.
The series of manGuvres. battles actions and
changes OF position in the Wilderness, and until
Lee was driven from behind the defenses of
Richmond, and afterward till the southern con-
federacy heaved its last groan.
HAVE NO PARALLELS
on the continent Of America They rank with
those displays of martial genius Of ancient and
modern times which have been the study of
military men in all ages. and the wonder of the
world. They remind us Of the struggles Of
Sylla when the Samnite Te!!esenes gave him
the slip and placed the Eternal CITY in such
Jeopardy that Syla Appealed to his gods to
save him and Rome of the contests in Greece
between Pompey and Caesar before the battle
OF Pharsalia, when Pompey's sycophants felt
such confidence that they lampooned the
mighty Julins and called him lavender of
cities" and more than all, perhaps, they give
an idea of the war Of the allies upon Napoleon
In France after the campaign in Russia, when
commanders
brightly, lighting against fearful odds but to
fail.
Ours was an intestine conflict, and the glory
OF the actors loses portion of it's luster when
we reflect that in the opinion Of some men, If
good counsels had prevailed. 1t might have been
avoided. and the thousands of brave men whose
fraternal blood seethed and impasted the soil
from Petersburg to Richmond might have been
spared
In determining the relative merits of Grant
ana Lee. nave been careful to consider all the
qualities and circumstances peculiar to each,
and not only the exploits of the two generals.
out also their dispositions and temperaments
The fact that the former finally conquered the
latter Is not by any means conclusive. If l were
TO see man take up gun Weighing LOCO
pounds, place it upon his shoulder and walk
away with it, l should know without further
investigation. that he possessed extraordinary
physical strength; but the gain or loss of a
single battle would not prove man to be
SpON VI pun ScucIdl HANNIBAL, 1ucenno,
Frederick and Napoleon all lost battles, and yet
they are cited
AMONG THE GREATEST CAPTAINS OF ALL TIME
wellington never quite lost battle, but he was
seriously checked and in this respect Grant re-
sembles the Englishman At the approach of
Lee or Sherman, his army would shout more
enthusiastically than for Grant, but when the
latter came up during the fight the lines became
more steady. and the soldier would adjust his
aim with greater accuracy than before.
Sherman showed wonderful vigOr and sapac-
ity when he pushed Johnston from Chattanooga
to Atlanta, but Grant would drive his chariot
through passes that Sherman would not venture
to approach. There was an abatement in Lees
audacfy during the twenty-four hours preced-
Ing the battle Of Gettysburg, otherwise he would
have won it and gained the southern cause; but
nowhere can discover debility in Grants move
ments or assaults
Grant could hold his enemy as in vice. with
ruthessness like that of Tamerlane or the
Duke OF Alva, and when he had ACCOMPLISHED
everything, he left upon the mind of his OBJ
server an impression that he possessed
reserve OF force that had not been called into
play. am constrained, therefore, to assign to
Ulysses S. Grant the highest rank as a military
commander of all that have been born on the
continent of America.