The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1885-10-31

survey the greatness OF the most extra
ordinary war OF modern days, or 1t may
be said Of any age. into this sulphur
GUS storm of war Grant entered almost
unknown. 1t was with difficulty that he
could obtain command. Once
set forward, Donelson, Shiloh, Vicks-
burg, Chattanooga, The Wilderness,
Spottsylvania, Petersburg, Appomatox,
these were his footsteps. In four
years he had risen without political favor
from the bottom to the very highest COM
mand, not second to any living com.
mander in all the world. His plans were
large, his undiscouraged will was patient
to obduracy. He was not fighting fox
reputation, nor for the display of gen.
eralship, nor for future Presidency.
There have been men--there are yet,
for stupidity is long-lved-who re-
garded Grant as only man OF
luck, and surely he's was. 1t was not
luck though to have had conferred upon
him such an ancestry. Such a body,
such disposition, such greatness of
soul, such unalloyed patriotism, such
military genius, and such an indomitable
will For four years and more this man
performed every function of strategy
in grand war, which Jomini attributed
to Napoleon aud Napoleon and Napier
to Wellington. Whether Grant could
have conducted successful retreat will
never be known. He was never de-
ieated.
Graut has been severely criticised for
the waste of life. War is not created
for the purpose of life, but by a noble
spending of blood to save the common
wealth. The great end which he
achieved would have been cheaply
gained at double the expense.
When Grant came to the Army OF the
Potomac he reversed the methods OF all
who had preceded him. Drawer soldiers
never were, and valiant commanders;
but other Generals had not learned the
art of fighting with deadly intent. Peace
is very good for peace, but war is organ
lied rage. 1t means destruction, or it
means nothing. At the battle of the
Wilderness Grant stripped its commits
sary train OF its guards to fill a gap in
the line of battle. When expostulated
with for exposing his army to the loss OF
all its provisions, his reply was:
"When this army is whipped it will not
want any provisions.
All summer all the autumn, all tho
winter all the spring and early summer
again he hammered Lee with blow on
blow, until at Appomattox the great but
not greatest Southern GeAeral went to
the ground. Grant was great fighter,
but not fighter only. His mind took in
the whole field of war-as wide and COM
pick as any that ever Napoleon knew.
He combined in his plans the operations
of three armies, and for the first time in
the war the whole of the Union forces
were acting in concert. The fame OF his
Generals was as dear to him as was his
own.
When Lincoln was dead, Vice-Presi-
dent Johnson became President, man
we'll fitted for carrying on q fight, but
not skilled inS peace. With morbid
sense of Justice he determined that the
leaders OF the rebellion should be made
to suffer as examples, Ias If the death
of all the lirst-Ooru, the desolatlon OF
every Southern home, the impoverished
condition and bankruptcy Of every citi-
zen were not example enough. lie or
dered Lee to be arrested. Grant refused.
When Johnson would have employed
the army to effect his purpose, Grant,
with quick and noble rebellion, refused
obedience to his superior, and, arranging
to take from his hands all military con-
troll, represscd the Presidents wild
temper and savage purpose of dishonor-
ing justice.
Having brought the long and dis
astrous war 10 a close, in his own heart,
Grant would have chosen 10 have rested
upon his laurels and lived retired life.
1t was not to be permitted. He was
called to the Presidency by universal &C
claim, and it fell to him to conduct a
campaign of reconstruction, even more
burdensome than the war. 1t would
, seem impossible TO combine In one emf
nent civil and military genius. To a
certain extent they have elements IN
common, but the predominant elemen,
/ in war is organized force; in civil govern
ment, influence. Craftsmanship is
less brilliant than generalship, but
/ requires different and higher moral
and intellectual genius God is frugal in
1 creating great men-men great enough
A to hold in emlnence the elements of a
4 great General AMI of great rnler.
t Washington was eminent in statesman
, ship, but then he was not a great Gener-
: al; at any rate, he had no opportunity to
e develop the fact. In the readjustment
= of the political relations of the South,
!. hTuUb WIS WISE, SeuSIOuS anu HhdSudi-
. nous in his career as man; he was
l. without vice, with an absolute hatred Of
!. lies and ineradicable love OF truth;
Il of perfect loyalty to friend
c ship; neither envious of others
q nor selfish for himself. With a yea
il for the public good unfeigned, he ha:
c left to memory only such weakness al
70 connect MIN with humanity, and suct
}. virtues as will rank him with heroes
t For the hour sympathy rolled as
!, wave, over all our land. 1t closed thu
K last furrow of war, it eXtinguishe'
It the last prejudice, it effaced tn
e last yestige OF hatred; an
k cursed be the hand that shall
J. bring them back. Johnson and Buckne
q on one side and Sherman and Sheridan
= on the other Of his bier, he has come &
II his tomb, silent symbol that liberty ha
IS conquered slavery, patriotism rebellio
lie and peace war. He rests in peace; n