Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1885-04-16

had meantime opened along the union
center, but after some hours of steady
llghting no advantage had been gained.
The day seemed lost, and the enemy
telegraphed to Nashville that great
victory had been won, which appeared
to be the case.
AT TINS crisis Grant ordered a bayo-
net charge in force for the recapture of
ms lost position on the right, and or
dered storming column to advance
from his left and carry the enemy's
work at all hazards. The movements
on the right were fairly. successful.
wnile on his left they were completely
triumphant The storming column
charged fearlessly up precipitous
slope, and captured a position that
commanded every quarter Of the for
tress. During the night a brigade of
the enemy escaped on transports. On
the following morning dispatch from
Buckner arrived at Grants headquar-
tiers asking what terms he would ac-
cord for equalization.
Grant replied by the bearer in let
ter, two OF whose phrases have become
permanent contributions to the proven
bal part of the English language:
II ours OF this date proposing an ar
mlstice, and appointment OF commits
sloners to settle terms of capitulation,
is just received. No terms other than
unconditional and immediate surrender
can be accepted. | propose to move
Immediately upon Your works. Buck
4
tone, and it may be excused to him UNI
der the circumstances that he used
some very curious explanatory phrases,
and that he called names. But he
came down, though it was from an ex-
ceedingly high horse, and rcjoined:
The distribution of the forces under
my command, incident to an uncxpect-
cd change of commanders, and the
| overwhelming force under your COM
mand, compel me, Notwithstanding the
brilliant success of the confederate
army yesterday, to accept the ungener-
Gus and unchiyairous terms which you
propose. The enemy then peacefully
yielded up the fortress, surrendering
$4,000 men and their battle-tlags, 5000
horses, AZ field pieces, IL heavy guns,
missary stores, and 1000 stands of
arms. On the following day two Ten
nessee regiments, unaware of the sur
render, marched into the fortress and
were captured.
The success of this expedition was
complete, and it should be recorded
that to Grant is due the credit of possess
ing the military tact and pfomptness
that showed him when TO make the
decisive attack and impelled him to do
1t. This time was after that considera-
bic success of the rebel sally from Fort
Donelson on Saturday, Feb. 10, under
Pillow, which drove away so large q
portion OF the union army from its
| place, and ndeed left room enough for
the whole rebel force to walk out Of
the fort and escape, if they had so
chosen. This was done while Grant
had gone to consult with Admiral
Foote. When he came back and saw
how his troops had been driven; to any
common mind the case would have
seemed n pretty bad one. but Grant
really does not appear to have seen any
bad side to any case he had charge of
! during the war. AT Belmont, when he
was told that he was surrounded, he
| simply answered: "Well, then we must
cut our way out. His own descrip-
ton aflerward given to Gen. Sherman
at Shiloh, of the impression now made
on his mind by seeing how his troops
had been pounded and driven was as
| follows: .'On riding upon the field, |
saw that either side was ready to give
way if the other showed bold front. |
took the opportunity, and ordered an
advance along the whole line In both
cases the thing was done.
The correctness of Grants estimate
of his whole movement was well proved
by its instantaneous result--the eyac-
uation of Columbus at one end of the
rebel line and of Bowling Green in the
middle, and the falling back of the
whole rebellion down to the southern
boundary of Tennessee. The first great
victory since Bull Run, the first impor-
tant campaign in the west, it encour-
aged and elevated the spirits of the
whole north, and in equal measure it
alarmed and enfeebled the south. 1t
had flung back the rebellion two hum
dred miles, along the whole length of
Kentucky, and across that state and
Tennessee. With soldierly promptitude
and energy Grant followed up his vic
tory by pushing the enemy, according
| to the Napoleonic maxim that victory
| it TO march ten leagues, beat the enc
my, and pursue him ten leagues more. y
/