Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-09-11
GRANT AS A STRATEGIsT.
Col. Veazey's Opinion.

p'I' ID l.. DulltI, WHO never IOTbNVe
Gen. Grant for sitting down on him, in
his memorial address at Lowell aired
once more the theory held by so many of
the detractors of Gen. Grant, that the
Generals strategy was simply ruthless
waste of men and mat eril, ito fight and
fight again, without regard to loss of life
or treasure, or even to immediate military
results, knowing that his ow n losses could
be replaced while the enemy's could not"
Against this opinion of Gen. Butler we
place that of Judge Wheelock g. Veazey
of Vermont, whose opinion on any mill
tary matter we should value much above
Gen Buffers. Col. Neazey, in his adj
dress at Rutland, said
General Grants greatness lay in clear,
keen perception of the situation, and in
that giant grasp of mind that enabled him
to plan those SuupendOuS strategical com
blnatiOnS embracing every rod of COufed-
crate empire, which by united movement
should make every federal force the sup
port OF every other, and which should
bring the crushing weight of Northern
power TO bear resistlessly at once and to-
gether upon southern armies, southern
territory, Southern resources, severing,
blightlng, destroying. Meade's army in
the East, Sherman's in the West, should
ne lHc tclllIul lOICbS, llc Elunl powers
but with Meade should be Slgel in the val
ley and Butler on the james. Banks
coming up from the South should meet
sherman from the North. All should
move with common purpose and Il cen
trail aim. All should move, not simply to
outwit, to outmannuvre, to gain Temporal
ry success, to win a victory and then rest
upon Its laurels, but to crush and destroy.
This meant battle, fighting, sacrifice of
life 1t required the application of prin-
ciples to new conditions. The great sweep
of hostile territory afforded opportunity
Tor the cavalry arm in unprecedented pro-
portion to other arms provided it could be
practically made into mounted infantry
Grant did it, and the greatest soldier of
Europe has since utilized his invention
There must be long campaigns of enor-
nous armies without a base. Grant or
dered it, the first in history, and all the
world wondered. Newly discovered forces,
hitherto but little utilized in war, were at
hand. Grant at once made the railroad,
the telegraph and the balloon take the
place of reserves. Cabinet and Congress
and capital were alarmed and protested,
but the quaint Lincoln says, I'VE have
called Mr.. Grant from over the mountains
to take charge of things, and guess We'll
/ let him have his own way
Who had thought until Grant said it.
that the crisis comes in battle when both
armies are nearly exhausted, and that
/ usually the one wins which attacks first
/ When did he ever fail to attack first
/ Who had thought until he suggested it
that the trouble with the Potomac army
the pride Of the nation, WAS that il had
not fought its battles through WhOt then
living has forgotten the utter downfall OF
hope. the absolute despair throughout the
North as the moan from the Wilderness
came rolling up ON the southern breeze
Is the task hopeless ; Is this last mi-htN
tl,.,t Al Iii
Mcclellan, of Pope, of Burnside, of Hook
err? No; listen to the assurance, "Il
fight it ont on this line if it takes all sum
mcr.' Every loyal heart III the land is in
spired. That telegram to the Prcsidcn
was the death knell of rebellion.
But the test hour of Grant had not ye
come. Meade was glorious; Sherman
magnificent ; but Slgel is routed Butle
has not succeeded Banks utterly failed
Shall Grant unluOse his grip Never
Was ii then less than the inspiration o
genius Sheridan, take the Sixth Corp.
and clean out the valley so "crOW mus
take his rations when he flies over it
Meade, absorb the army of the James anC
never let Lee escape. sherman, march Il
the sea as Il cyclone of devastation. Thorn
as, play with Hood until You draw him t'
deStructOn,-sSto take your bOlC
riders across the mountains, into \ir
gnia and the CaroliuaS, right across ever,
push your 1900 mounted men into Thu
heart of Alabama. Candy, capture Mo
bile.
Such was the new combination, auda
ciouS in strategy beyond precedent, but, i
faulty III any respect, military critics hav,
not discovered il. Its perfection and tn,
result of the execution stamp it tOreVe
with the insignia of genius Masterl.
tactics, brilliant manpuvring, bold fight
ing, though essential to success after tn,
combinations have produced the strate
gical situation, yet rarely cure material de
feet in the latter. If cured ut all, it il
generally by bluuderS of the enemy. Lee
and Johnston, as defensive generals, wer,
not blunderers pity the man who il
the face of the record attacks Genera
Grant rs master of grand strategy.
need not speak of his tactics. | believ,
mankind are agreed that the history o
war discloses no display of tactical skill
and vigOr superior to Grants about Nicks
burg, and from the 81 to the 9th of a pril
1863 being directed to prevent Genera
Lees attempted escape from Petersburg
and junction with Johnston III North Car
DINA The annals of other wars seen
tame when read by the side of the stOr,
of that weeks work. 1t resulted in thu
despatch to Secretary Stanton, so simple
and modest in language, yet the most mo
mentOus of all history General Lee
surrendered the army of Northern Viz
ginia this afternoon Oh terms proposed b!
myself" The work was done, and how
completely done done precisely as plan
ned not an element, not Il vestige of lucl
in it. Every army was at the precise pac
designed, with the exact work accom-
pllshed that was marked out for it. Meth
cd, plan, design, exclude the idea of luck
Let us IN humble reverence say, as tn
truth was, the God of nations blessed
General Grant in his awful undertaking
GENERAL SUMMARY.
Prof. Harlwig of Strasbourg has discov
cred a variation in the great nebula of An
dromeda A starlike nucleus has been de