Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-05-13
General Grants Memoirs.
THE LAST VOLUME ISSUED BIZ THE PUBLISH
ERs.

The second volume of General Grants
Memoir. begins with bis transfer to the newly
created Military Division of the Mississippi
shortly after the capture Of Vicksburg, thence
the work continues until the close of the war
We publish few extracts from the volume.
General Grants narrative of the whole
complicated and arduous movement from the
Rapidan to Petersburg, the last and the tri-
umphant march of the Army of the Potomac
against the stronghold of the rebellion, is one
of the most remarkable pieces of military
autobiography ever put on paper:
OF the engagement Of the 9Th and 9Th of
May, known as the Battle of the Wilderness,
General Grant saws: "More desperate fight
ing has not been witnessed on this continent
= Our victory consisted in having sue
cesstully crossed formidable stream almost
in the face of an enemy. and IN getting the
army together again as unit. We gained
an advantage on the morning of the 9th,
which, if it had been followed up must have
proven very decisive In the evening the
enemy gained advantage; but was speedily
repulsed. As we stood at the close, the two
armies were relatively in about the same con-
dition to meet each other AS when the river
divided them. But the fact of having safely
crossed was victory" Moving as usual by
the flank, Grant directed his army upon
Spottsylyania, hoping either to draw Lee into
the open or possibly to get between him and
Richmond Lee did not suspect this design,
bu, supposed that the Army of the Potomac
WAS falling back upon Fredericksburg. He
accordingly ordered Anderson's corps to
march to Spottsylvania the next day. If this
order had been obeyed, Anderson would have
found Spottsy lvania already in our hands.
and there would have been a race for Rich
mond, with the Army of the Potomac on the
shorter line. But the woods beiug on fire
Anderson could not bivouac, and consequent
ly he marched to Spottsylvania at once, the
day before his orders specified. Through
this accident the Confederates reached the
place first, and there. on the 10th and llth,
was fought one of the bloodiest battles of the
campaign.
OF the battle at Cold Harbor General Grant
says:
| have always regretted that the last as
sault at Cold Harbor was ever made. |
might say the same thing of the assault of the
22d of May, 1868, at Vicksburg. At Cold
Harbor no advantage whatever was gained to
compe nsate for the heavy loss we sustained.
Indeed, the advantages other than those of
relative losses, were en- the Confederate side
Before that, the Army of Northern Virginia
seemed TO have acquired wholesome regard
for the courage. endurance. and soldieriy
qualities generally of the Army of the Poto-
mac They no longer wanted TO fight them
"one Confederate to five Yanks.' Indeed,
they seemed to have given up any idea of
h.,
the open field. They had come to much pre-
fer breast-works in their front to the Army
of the Potomac. This charge seemed to re-
vive their hopes, temporarily; but it was OF
short duration. The effect upon the Army OF
the Potomac was the reverse. When we
reached the James River. however, all effects
of the battle of Cold Harbor seemed to have
disappeared.
eral Lees character, but he says this of the
confederate leader and his army
General Lee, who had led the Army OF
Northern Virginia in all these contests, wa,
a very highly estimated man in the Confeder-
ate Army and States, and filled also very
high place in the estimation of the people and
press of the Northern States. His praise was
sounded throughout the entire North after
every action he was engaged in the number
| of his forces was always lowered and that of
the National forces exaggerated. He was
large, austere man, and | Judge difficult OF
approach to his subordinstes. To be extolied
by the entire press of the South after every
engagement. and by portion of the pres,
North with equal vehemence. was calculated
to give HIM the entire confidence of his
troops and to make him feared by his antag.
-. II s..
my stsff-officers to hear from Eastern off
GERS, "Well, Grant has never met Bobby Lee
yet There were good and true officers who
believe now that the Army of Northern Vir
gins was superior to the Army of the Poto
mac man to man. | do not believe so, eX
eept as the advantages spoken of above made
them so Before the end believe the differ
ence was the other way. The Army OF
Northern Virginia became Respondent ans
saw the end 1t did not please them. The
National army saw the same thing, and were
encouraged by it.
Grants dissatisfaction with Warren is al
old story. Sometime before Sheridan re
lieved him of his command, by Grants au
thority. General Meade had received writer
orders TO take the same extreme measure il
case Warren failed to move promptly. on
certain occasion. as it was feared that h,
would.
| Wsrren's difficulty was two-fold when h,
received an order to do anything. it would a,
once occur to his mind how all the balanc,
of the army should be engaged so as to prop
erly cooperate with him. His ideas wer,
generally good, but he would forget that tn,
person giving him orders had thought o
Others at the time he had thought of him. Ii
like manner, when he did get ready t. exc
cute an order, after giving most intelligent
instruction to division commanders, he woulc
go in with one division, holding the others in
reserve until he could superintend theil
movements in person also, forgetting that di
vision commanders could execute an order
without his presence. His difficulty was con
stitutional and beyond his control He wa.
an officer of superior ability, quick percep
tons. and personal courage to accomplish
any hing that could be done With a small
| command.
Sedgwick was killed early in the campaign
and Grant never had much personal inter
course with him; but he seems to hav,
formed very high opinion OF the noble com
mander of the 9th Corps. "Sedgwick, h