Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-05-07
GRANT as 4 sOLDIER.
CouraReOusly Favoring Hncessant
Attack and Advance.


In the MAY Century General Adam
Badeau says;
at the close of the war, the man who
had led the victorious armies was not AZ
wears of age. He had not changed innny
essential qualities from the captain in
Mexico or the merchant in Galena. The
daring and resource that he showed at
Donelson and Yicksburg had been fore
Swallowed at Panama and Garita San
Cosine the persistency before Richmond
was the development of the same trait
which led him to seek subsistence in vari-
Gus occupations, and follow fortune long
deferred through many. unsuccessful
years. Developed by experience, taught
by circumstance, learning from oil he saw
and even more from what he did, as few
have ever been developed or taught, or
have learned, he, nevertheless, maintained
the self-same personality through it all.
The characteristics of the man We're
exactly those he manifested as soldier
directness and steadiness of purpose,
clearness and certainty of judgment, self
reliance and immutable determination.
Grants genius, too, wasalways ready
it was always brightest in an emergency
All his faculties were sharpened in battle;
the man who to some seemed dull, or
even slow, was then prompt and decided
| When the circumstances were once pre-
sented to him, he was never long III de-
termining. He seemed to have faculty
| of penetrating ut once to the heart OF
| things. He saw what was the point to
strike, or the thing to do, and he never
wavered in his Judgment afterward, un-
less, of course, under new contingencies
Then he had no false pride of opinion, no
hesitation in undoing what he had ordered;
but if the circumstances remained the
same, he never doubted his own judg-
ment. asked him once how he could be
80 calm in terrible emergencies, after
giving an order for a corps to go into
battle, or directing some intricate ma
npuvre. He replied TINT he had done his
best and could do no better Others
might have ordered more wisely or de-
cided more fortunately, but he was con
, scious that he had done what he c0uldt
and he gave himself no anxiety about the
Judgment of the decision Of course he
was anxious about the accomplishment Of
his plans, but never as to whether III
J ought to have attempted them. So, OF
the night of the battle of the Wilderness
| when the right of his army had beer
3 broken and turned, after he had givel
his orders for new dispositions, he wen
D | to his camp and slept calmly till morning
D Not that he was Indifferent Il
1 human life or human suffering. l hnv
i been with him when he left hurdle race
s unwilling to see men risk their neck
needlessly and he came away from on
4 of Blondin's exhibitions at niagara, angr
/ and nervous at the sight of one poo
Q wretch in gaudy clothes crossing tn
i whirlpool ON wire. But he could sui
n ordinate such sensations when necossit
Is required it. He risked his life, and WI
n ready if need came, to sacrifice his coul
/, trymen, for he knew that they too mad
e the offering.
Is 1T was undoubtedly as fighter rath,
Is than man9uvrer that Grant distinguishe
7. himself. He was ready with resource nm
/, prompt in decision ut Belmont and Done
son, but it was the invincible determine
70 ton at both these places as well as I
v Shiloh that won. As with men, 50 wit
"a armies and generals skill and strcngt
% are tremendous advantages, but cournl
~ outweighs them all. In battle MS in stra
a egical movements, Grant always meant
q take the initiative he always advanced
80 was always the nggressor, always sougl
is to force his plans upon the enemy; and
N by any chance Of circumstance the enen
" attacked, his method of defense was O
to attack elsewhere. AT Donelson, rs v
ID have seen, when his troops were pusht
q. back on the right he assaulted on the lief
i, and this was only one instance out of
ut hundred. This, too, not only because
to was the invader, or because his fore
Or were numerically stronger, hut because
r. was his nature in war TO nssail In II
IL Vicksburg campaign his army was small
Mt than Pemberton's yet he was the asgre
of sor. In the operations about Itlla h
pn position was defensive one, but he 4
Nv tackled the enemy all the same. II W
en- his idea of war to attack necessarily NJ
advance invariably, and thus TO make Il
mt operations of the enemy part and pare
M of his own"