Cheyenne transporter. [volume] (Darlington, Indian Terr.) 1879-1886, 1886-04-03
Grant as A. Soldier.

ltHe cHardcJerlSUlcS OF Grant as a
soldier, in the May Century Magazine
we qnote the following: SAT the close
of the war, the man who led the vic
torious armies was not forty-three
years of age. He had not changed in
any essential qualities from the cap
tain in Mexico or the merchant in
Galena. The daring and resource that
he showed at Donelson and Vicksburo
had been foreshadowed at Panama and
Garita San Cosme; the persistency be-
fore Richmond was the development
OF the same trait which led him to seek
subsistence In various occupations,
and follow fortune long deferred
through many unsuccessful years.
Developed by experience, taught by
circumstance, learning from all he saw
and even more from what he did, as
few have ever been developed or
taught, or have learned, he neverthe-
less, maintained the self-same person.
ality through it all. The character
istics OF the man were exactly those he
manifested as soldier-directnes
of purpose, clearncss and certainty of
judgement, self-reliance and immuta-
BILE determination.
Grants genius, too, was ALWAYS
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 presented to
him, he was never long in determin-
ing. He seemed to have faculty of
penetrating at once to the heart of
IIn % hof H.
to strike, or the thing to do, aud he
never wavered in his Judgment after
ward, unless, of course, under new
contingencies. Then he had no false
pride of OPT Mon, no hesitation in un-
doing what be had ordered; but if the
circumstances remained the same. he
never doubted his own Judgment. l
asked him once how he could be so
calm in terrible emergencies, after
giving an order for corps to 90 into
battle, or directing some intricate
man9uvre. He replied that he had
done his best and could do no better;
others might have ordered more wisely
or decided more fortunately, but he
was conscious that he had done what
he could, and gave himself no anxiety
about the judgment or the decision.
Of course he was anxious about the
accomplishment of his plans, but never
as to whether he ought to have at
tempted them. So, on the night of
the battle of the Wilderness, when the
right of his army had been broken and
turned, after he had given his orders
for new dispositions, he went to his
tent and slept calmly till morning.
Not that hn Wac in Al iffprant
to human life or human suffering. |
have been with him when he left a
hurdle race, unwilling to see men risk
their necks needlessly; and he came
away from one of Blondin's S exhibitions
at Niagara, angry and nervous at the
sight of one poor wretch in gaudy
clothes crossing the whirlpool on a
wire, But he could subordinate such
sensations when necessity required it.
He risked his life, and was ready to
sacrifice it, for his country; and he
was ready, if need came, to sacrifice
his countrymen, for he knew that they
too made the offering.
at was undoubtedly as a fighter
rather than manGuvrer that Grant
distinguished himself. He was ready
with resource and prompt in decision
at Belmont and Donelson, but it was
the invincible determination at both
these places as well as at Shiloh that
won. AS with men, so with armies
and generals: skill and strength are
tremendous advantages, but courage
outweighs them all. In bat
tie, as in strategical movements,
Grant always meant to take the initia-
tive; he always advanced, was always
the aggressor, always sought to force
his plans upOn the enemy; and If by