The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-09-26
GENERALS LEE AND GRANT.
A CONTRAST MADE BY A UNION
SOLDIER.
The Confederate Commander the
Greater Soldier, Judged Even
by the Final Campaign.

A Northern soldier in October BIZ
ouGc: 1t must be admitted that when
the two & eat captains met face to
face upon the Rspidan. in May, 1854,
Lees reputation rested upon more
battles fought, bloody, terrible battles,
and victories won against greater odds
than could be claimed for Grant.
For three long years the whole
power CT the Federal Government,
with its unlimited resources, had not
been able TO reach the capital OF the
Confederacy, and when Grant took
com mand of all the Northern armies,
Richmond seemed to be really less in
danger than Washington.
The maxim, "better is the place Of
the defendant, is rs true in war as in
law, AMI is especially applicable in q
country between the Rspidan and
the James. Moreover, modern earth
works, defended by modern artillery
and repeating rifles, are much more
difficult OF sue cessful assault than were
Roderigo, Badajoz, or Albuera, where
Wellington won 30 much renown in
his peninsular campaign.
When Grant crossed the Rlp.dan he
found he had different army, under
a much ADLER leader, TO contend with
than he had met with before. In the
battle OF the Wilderness. after repeated
attacks, in which the Union troops,
led by the ablest corps and division
commanders, displayed prodigies of
heroic, stubborn vslor and covered the
ground for miles with tho dead of b 9Th
armies, Grant was REFUSED, defeated,
and compelled 10 retreat, and leave
the field in possession OF the enemy;
and the killed, wounded and missing
Of the Union army largely outnum-
bered the Confederate loss. But Grant
was determined; he was unused to
defeat; he proposed to slight it out on
that line, II 1t took all summer" re.
gardless, seemingly, Of the fearful
cost. For the first time in his life,
however, he tried to avoid the enemy,
and by flank movement to reach
Spottsylvania Courthouse. But when
he arrived there and was prepared to
assault, Lee was ready, intrenched,
and awaiting the assault, which was as
heroic as persistent, as deadly as that
in the Wilderness, and as unsuccess-
full. At the expense OF over 80 900
men Grant learned that in that kind
of warfare Lee was invincible. The
battle at Cold Harbor, fought
within q month, ended the bloodi-
est campaign in history and the
Federal general, abandoning the at
tempt to take Richmond by assault,
withdrew to the south OF the Jame,,
and began the long campaign Of siege
and starvation, He could have placed
his army south Of the James three
months sooner than he did, and
without the loss OF the co.
600 men who fought their last
battle between the Rspidan aud
the James, and that, too, without dan
ger to Washington. After the siege
of Richmond began the repeated and
unavailing assaults OF the Union army
upon the Confederate lines, extending
as they did for q distance OF over
thirty miles, and defended by lees
than 90, 900 men, ara the best evidence
OF the skill OF their commander, as
we'll as the valor OF the besieged.
Not until the following year,
and until his base of supplies
was threatened by other con.
verRing Union armies, was Lee com.
PEELED to evacuate the city. Had it
not been for the spproach Of Shermsn
from the south, and the brilliant and
effective campaign OF Sherman, in
which he easily routed the force
sent by Lee to protect his commu-
nication with Lynchburg, there is no
telling how long the Confederate capital
might have held out. The defense of
Richmond will always stand out in
history as one OF the most remarkable
military achievements Of any age. 1t
is true that Grants men had conf.
dence in their commander, and in his
ultimate success; it is not true that
they had equal confidence in his STRAIT
egy. His pounding methods, 80
prodigal of life, inspired no
personal enthusiasm or attach.
ment. Lee, on the contrary,
had the profoundest sympathy, even |
the heartfelt affection, OF his men.
They would die for him even sooner
than for the cause on which they had |
staked their all. He embodied their
ideal, both OF manhood and military
skill. The Confederate camp was full
of stories, true as we'll as false, proving
his personal sympathy with them in
their sufferings and his mastery |
as general. This enthu-
siastic confidence In a measure supplied |
the place OF numbers and achieved
~; oto,;aa w hara onlx, dafaat eaatoa d |
inevitable. In this highest military
quality that inspires the unquestion.
lioning devotion of his soldiers, Lee |
was indeed one of the most remark
able generals of any age. In com.
pairing the military career OF those
two men, the historian of another
generation will cay that they are strik.
ingly alike in those characteristics |
that lie at the foundation OF |
success, in quiet confidence,
in that combination Of moral and ply
steal courage, that heroic persistence
which no calamity can defeat, which
feels the assurance of victory in the
very hour Of disaster. He will
also say that In mental power, in
the capacity for rapid combina-
lion, in strategic invention, which is
seen in the skilliul disposition OF his
troops before and In battle, in the
genius that enables a general with in
lerior numbers to gain the stronger
position, and to have more men at the
critical point and moment, and especi-
Ally in the power Of personally inspir-
ng his men to endure and achieve,
Lee was beyond question the greater