Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1885-07-25
DAILY POSTInTEIIGEAcER
GEAsT An a GRsERaL.


whiIs the Remarks Of the Eagiisn
press regarding the death sf General
Grant are eIcssdissly sppreci%sive and
synpathetie, they indisste thai l1v
estimate of Grants military abilities IL
aeld on the other SIDE OF the Atlantic.
Il ID we'll known that daring the var
the ignorance Displayed in EGiops csis-
osrning The geography, resourees aud
politics Of the Unftsd States vas NO
dense ~ TO be amusing. Even IN Eng
land, whose people vsrs certainly bet
ter acquainted With oar affairs than shs
people Of any other nation Of EGrope,
the Southern sympsthizsrs we're secns-
toned 10 answer the obiection Of their
pro Northern oounsrymen that there
was no natural boundary within the
United States By gkidki two nations
could be divided from each otbsF, uiih
the triumphant assertion that the Mis-
sissippi river formed precisely ihe
boundary that wsa needed. There WA
actually an impression, NOT held by the
ignorant alone bus BY all classes, that
the Mississippi flowed frcm vest to east
and divided almost exactly tbs free
from the slave States.
Where notions Of American geography
were 20 Grade IL vas impossible that
American military operations could be
properly appreciated. bat IN later years
II seemed that Earosean military
critisa we're beginning ~ realize more
fnIly the magnitude Of the efforts put
forth by both sides during the rebel
lion aud tbs magnificent gensralship
displayed by the commander OF the
Union armies. II Is therefore some
what surprising TO see tho low estimate
put upon that RensFAlship By even the
most sympathetic English papers. Thus
the Lopdsn Pest says Of the dead
commander. 'Ihoaah not q Napoleon
or q Wellington, be handled large
armies aud led them to yiotory;s aud
the standard says, "Nsvss great
s.ratsgist, he knew only one ooursS-
namely, 10 fight"
This 10 faint praise for the General
who suoesssfully commanded larger
armies than any other commander Of
modern times, or rather, IL the truth be
told, larger armies than were command
Cd by any other general OF either
ancient or nede1n times; for the gen.
sral for whom 20 high nm authority ~
Prince Bismarck cannot find a superior
within the present century, nor an
equal, excepting only NapoIson and
Ven Moltke. Grant may not have beer
Wellington, but by all the rules by
which the world ID accustomed to mea-
sure gsnsralship he was ineompaFably
the greater Of the two. Grants opera
tons we're carried on over vast stretches
OF country on q soAle compared
wish which tho operations OF Wei
lington shrink almost 20 Tia
proportions of the moves Of q
ohess player. Grant fought Alto
gether in hostile eoungryi Wellington
was always in tho midst Of friendly
population. Grants goneFalship was
displayed In one long effort. one inees
SAINT hanimesinR, fighting battles, be
staging cities, always closing in upon ths
enemy; wellington displayed his aenia;
In Q succession of isolated campaigns
Grant fought in country that frou
/ military and engineering ataud
point was almost unknown; Wellington
fought In lands where every foot Of
ground had bean fougAt over q hun
dred times before. whens every bin hac
been the scene Of battle and ever,
city Of siege, who're he had the record
Of the past as guide 10 show him ho~
/ this great leader failed 1T stich point
and how that leader succeeded Al some
other point. Al the close Of the Rebel
lion Grant controlled tha movements Of
million aud half CT soldiers: ~
Waterloo Wellington commanded an
army Of ninety tvo thousand men.
II may be srue tina, Gr,nt was "uever
great strsiegiss." bat be controlled
vast armies with an ease that vas
amazing, and planned great campaigns
with an ability that has sewer bean sur
passed.
Perhaps Grants claims to real mill
tasy greatness are best stated and in the
staples. Language by General sAennan.
who sAys,
II tell you Grant h not appreciated
yet The military critics Of Enrups are
too Ignorant Of American geography 10
appreciate the Conditions Of bis cam.
paiRns. What is u 10 march an armv
from Berlln 10 PARISH Look IA the
shortness 81 she distance. Look a ~"
multitude OF roads Leok as the facili
ties 81 transportation. Consider bow
many times the ssrne Rroand has keen
fought over by successive commanders
u not avery point of vantage knowuf
What commander can thunder where
Al me conditions lie open 10 his ayel
But ! have seen Grant plan campaigns
Tor hAlf million troops along a mont
me s1<U miles In ielaath. and sand then
marching 10 their objective points
through eeeitons where the surysysr's
chain had newer been drawn, and where
eornmiseafiat Necessities alone wuuid
have broken down any transportation
system Of Earope. Aud three months
later have seen these arnalea etanaing
where he said they should be, and uhAt
ne planned accomplished; and | give Il
e. my military optaion that General
urans 10 The greatest colnmanaar Of
modern times. aud With him only three
ethers can ssand--Napolson, yelling
tcn and Mnstke.n
A nEssrArEmEsr,