The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1885-07-30

out in iorgetiulness, The Army Of
the Potomic, Justly pronounced by
one of its commanders "tho finest on
the planet" worshiped chieftain after
chieftain, but the names Of Mcdowell,
Mcclellan, Pope, Burnside and Hook
er repeated the same lesson of disap-
pointment, and even the historic field
of Gettysburg, although the deathblow
Of rebellion, failed to grasp the
scepter of supreme command for it's
victor.
1t was after these bitter pages had
been written in the history of the war
that the country turned to one who
had escaped partisan complications by
golden silence, and who had fought
and fought; who even when blunder-
ing fought again, and Yhen asfgatea
had fought with greater Desperation.
He had wooed tickle fortune in multi
piled failures, and until forty winters
had fled with the vigor of his youth,
he had no past that ranked him above
the common Of the commonplace of
his callings, either as soldier or civil
liam. He was the cheaply employed
assistant in a Galeha tannery when
rebellion sounded the call to fratemal
conflict. He marched to the capital
of his State at the head OF a company
of volunteers, was long denied his
coveted colonelcy and in four brief
years he commanded more men, fought
more battles and won more victories
than any warrior of modern times.
His first failure at Belmont caused
no surprise, but as he electrified the
country by the victories of Fort Don
elson, Fort Henry and Nashville, his
name and his stubborn qualities and
tireless energies as commander won
him the enthusiastic homage of the
people. Shiloh cloudod his fame fol
a season, and but for his one distin-
gushing characteristic as Il persis-
tent and never-whipped fighter, Shi'
loh would have been to Grant what
Manassas was to Mcdowell, the Pen
insula to Mcclellan, the second Ma
tassas to Pope, Fredericksburg toBurn
side and Charlottesville to Hooker
Il cannot spare this man he fights,
was the answer Of Abraham Lincoln
when the people, and press and Con
gress clamored for his dismissal aftel
Shiloh, and that one quality made
him the man for the new occasion an(
the new duties that had broken {
score of embryo chieftain on thC
wheel of cruel fate.
The stubborn struggle for Vicks
burg; the heroic strategy Of the whir
through Jackson to make the sure
investment Of the city; its capture OF
the natal day of the Republic that al
so recorded the memorable retreat 0
Lee from Gettysburg, and the late
conflict of Lookout Mountain Tough
above the clouds, made the bleeding
and sorrowing nation turn to Genera
Grant as with one voice to be its lead
er of leaders, and he obeyed the cal
to make the thrilling history of tn
Wilderness and the battles on tn
James. II propose to move immedi
ately upon your works" was his nc
tice to the commander of Fort Done
son, when quibbling over the terms c
: surrender; and 81 propose to fight
+ out on this line if it takes all summer
? was the eloquent echo Of his indomi
j able prowess that came up from th
i flame and tempest of the Wilderness
d He was then the country's command
i err and unfaltering popular trust 70
Il lowed hlm in his bloody march fror
e the Rapidan to Petersburg. Militar
s. critics questioned his methods an
3, disputed his strategy, but the natio
e took no pause in its unqualified fait
e in its chosen cheiftain. He might erl
n but he was wisest, safest, best to a
y tain the grand consumation; trea
It pre, lives and faith answered to h
It will, and in the fullness OF time, til
l. terrible reapers in the harvest Of deaf
It rested at Appomattox. There, hero
It heroes in war, he was equally hero
J. heroes in peace, and the conquere
t. insurgent retired from the field mac
d lustrous by the matchless yalor of bot
e blue and gray, not captive, but
e citizen, charged with the fultillmel
i of the great mission of restored brot'
Is erhood, When the Great Captai
n had issued his last order for the charf
h of battle, his next order to the who
rs nation was "Let US have peace"
Thus the confessed Captain Of ii
81 Age, General Grant was called to tt
re Presidency. Looking only at the il
le mediate record of his eight years
n civil administration, they did n
n brighten OF enlarge his fame b
ID looking at his whole career, in Il
re field and in craftsmanship, from IL
OF standpoint of the present, with Il
o. homage OF the many peoples that e
r. circle the earth interwoven in our n
ly tional history, the grandeur OF h
10 achievement is heightened by hayil
ly filled the full measure of earthly no
ar ors as hero and civil ruler He W
IS unframed in and untitled for state
lie manship, and the man who had rul
cs a million men in the field by arbitra
of orders, was slow to learn the true Al
Ii practical theory of popular Cover
he ment. His civil reign impressed l
If exceptional individuality in the COZ
he pleteness of personal administratic
o. and one unschooled in the intricaci
IT. of politics and hardly student.
re- craftsmanship, could not but lea
of grave errors as landmarks Of his pol
in ical authority. He was ambitions,
It. all men Of his attainments and opp,
'es tunities are ambitious. and cupidi
ambition and jealousy surround
ne him as it ever surrounds pow
N Himself truthful, simple and hone
nd not until four years after his reti
he ment from the Presidency did he lea
III the lesson that power has few hon