The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1885-07-31
GRANT AS A SOLDIER.

EIOul oil dlICCOOUdl I0llllIIiSCCIlt hICICl6
by General Adam Badeau, on the charac-
teristics of Grant as soldier, in the May
CENTURY MAGAZINE, we quote the follow
ing " At the close of the war, the man
who had led the victorious armies was
not forty-three years of age. He had
not changed in any essential qualities
from the captain in Mexico or the mer-
chant in Galena. The daring and re-
source that he showed at Donelson and
Vicksburg had been foreshadowed at
Panama and Garita San Cosme the
persistency before Richmond was the
development of the same trait which led
him to seek subsistence in various occu-
pations. and follow fortune long deferred
through many unsuccessful years. De-
yeloped by experience, taught by cir
cumstance, learning from all he saw and
even more from what he did, as few
have ever been developed or taught, or
have learned, he, nevertheless, maintain
ed the self-same personality through it
all. The characteristics of the man
were exactly those he manifested as a
soldier-directness and steadiness of
purpose, clearness and certainty of judg-
ment, self-reliance and immutable deter
mination.
Grants genius, too, was always ready;
it was always brightest in an emergency.
All his faculties were sharpened in bat
tie; the man who to some seemed dull,
or even slow, was then prompt and de-
cided. When the circumstances were
once presented to him, he was never
long in determining. He seemed to
have faculty Of penetrating at once to
the heart of things. He saw what was
the point to strike, or the thing to do,
and he never wavered in his judgment
afterward, unless, of course, under new
contingencies Then he had no false
pride of opinion, no hesitation in undo
ing what he had ordered but if the
circumstances remained the same, he
never doubted his own judgment. I
asked him once how he could be SO calm
in terrible emergencies, after giving an
order for a corps to go into battle, or d.
recting some intricate manoeuvre. He
replied that he had done his best and
could do no better others might have
ordered more wisely or decided more
fortunately, but he was conscious that
he had done what he could, and he gave
himself no anxiety about the judgment
or the decision. OF course he was anx-
ious about the accomplishment of his
plans, but never as to whether he ought
to have attempted them. So, on the
night of the battle of the Wilderness
when the right of his army had been
broken and turned, after he had given
his orders for new dispositions, he went
TO his tent and slept calmly till morning
Not that he was Indifferent &c
human life and human suffering.
have been with him when he left 0
hurdle race, unwilling to see men risk
| their necks needlessly and he came
away from one of Blondin's exhibition:
at Niagara angry and nervous at the
sight of ore poor wretch in gaudy clothes
crossing the whirlpool, on wire. Bui
he could subordinate such sensations
when necessity required it. He riskee
his life. and was ready to sacrifice it, fol
his country and he was ready, if neee
came, to sacrifice his countrymen, 70.
he knew that they too made the offer
ing.
1t was undoubtedly as . fghte
rather than 4 manoeuevrer that Gran
distinguished himself. He was reaa,
with resources and prompt in decision
at Belmont and Donelson, but it was in
vincible determination at both thes
places as we'll as at Shiloh that won. A
| with men, so with armies and generals
Iskill and strength are tremendou
advantages, but courage outweigh
them all. In battle, as in strate
getical movements, Grant always mean
to take the initiative he always ad
vanced, was always the aggressor, Away
sought to force his plans upon til
enemy and if by any chance or eli
J, cumstances the enemy attacked, HI
! method of defense was an attack else
!. where. At Donelson, as we have seer
when his troops were pushed back o
| the right he assaulted on the left an