The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1885-10-30

loaded them with dynamite. Ali was Sc
cure. The hand that fred upon Sumter
exploded the mine and tore the fortress
to atoms. For one moment the
waters rocked with wild confu-
sion, then the way of civilZa-
ton was opened The South foughs
for slavery and Independence. The North
success after the war. Thus for two
years, not unmarked by great deeds, the
war fingered. Lincoln, sad and sorrow
full, felt the moderation of his Generals,
and longcd for man of iron mould, who
had but two words in his military vocab-
ulary victory anl annihllation. He
was heard from at Henry and Donel-
son. Three great names were
rising: Sherman, Thomas, Sheridan
and larger than either, Grant. Thus at
length Grant was really born. lie had
lain in the nest for long as au infcrtlle
egg. The brooding Of war hatchcd the
egg and an eagle came forth.
It is impossible to reach the full meas.
ure OF Grants military genius until we
survey the greatness of the most extra
ordinary war of modern days, or it may
be said of any age. Into this sulphur
Gus storm of war Grant entered almost
unknown. 1t was with difficulty that he
Nceha OptuiH Collliiiduu. OuCd
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
mandcr in all the world. Ills plans were
large, his uDdiscouraged will was patient
to obduracy He was not fighting fol
reputation, nor for the display of gen.
eralship, nor for future Presidency.
There have been men-there are yet,
for stupidity is long-lYed-who re-
garded Grant as only q man of
luck, and surely h. was. 1t was not
luck though to have mad conferred upon
him such an ancestry. Such a body,
such disposition, such greatness OF
soul, such unaloyed patriotism, such
military genius, and such an indomitablc
will. For four years and more this man
performed every function of strategy
In grand war, which Jomini attributed
to Napoleon and Napoleon and Napier
to wellington. Whether Grant could
have conducted successful retreat will
never be known. He was never de-
feated.
Grant has been severely criticised for
the waste of life. War is not created
for the purpose of life, but by 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. Brayer 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
ized rage. 1t means destruction, or it
| means nothing. At the battle of the
Wilderness Grant stripped Its commits
sary train OF its guards to Gil 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 the
winter, all the spring and early summer.
| again he hammered Lee with blow on
blow, until at Appomattox the great but
not greatest Southern General went to
the ground. Grant was great fighter,
but not q fighter only. His mind took in
the whole field of war--as wide and COM
plex as any that ever Napoleon knew.
lie combined in his plans the operations
of three armies, and for the flrst 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 fight, but
not skilled Inf peace. With a morbid
xxft t,,af 10 I.to =
leaders of the rebellion should be made
to suffer as examples, las If tho death
or all the iirst-born, the dcsolation o.
every Southern home, the impoverished
condition and bankruptcy OF every citi
zen were not example enough. lie or
dcrcd 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, arrangin.
to take from his hands all military con
troll, reprcsscd the Presidents wilc
temper and savage purpose of dishonor
ing justice.
flaving brought the long and dis
astrous war TO close, in his own heart
Grant would have chosen TO have restet
upon his laurels and lived retired life
1t was not to be permitted. He wa
called to the Presidency by universal &C
claim, and it fell to him to conduct
campaign of reconstruction, even NOR
burdensome than the war. 1t woul,
seem impossible to combine in one emf
i ncnt civil and military genius. To
| certain extent they have clements Il
common, but the predominant elemen
, in war is organized force; in civil govern
! ment, influence. Craftsmanship
, less brilliant than generalship, bu
| requires a different and higher mora
and intellectual genius. God Is frugal ii
creating great men-men great enougi
! to hold in eminence the elements OF
great General ami of a great ruier
Washington was eminent in statesman
ship, but then he was not great Gencr
, al; at any rate, he had no opportunity ts
, develop the fact. In the readiustmen
of the political relations of the South
Grant was wise, generous and magnal
nous In his career as a man; he wal
J without wee, with an absolute hatred o
lies and ineradicablo love of truth
of perfect loyalty to friend
ship; neither .cnvious of Others
l nor selfish for himself. With yea
, for the public good unfeigned, he ha
l left to memory only such weakness a
t connect MIN with humanity, and sue
, virtues as will rank him with heroes
: For the hour sympathy rolled as
e wave, over all our land. II closed tn
| To- I'm IF