The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-05-12


eagement and by portion Of the press North
with equal vehemence was calculated to give
him the entire confidence of his troops and "a
make him feared by his antagonists 1t was not
an uncommon thing for my staff officers TO hear
from Eastern officers: Well Grant has never
met Bobby Lee yet There were good and true
officers who believe now that the Army II
Northern Virginia was superior to the Army Of
the Potomac, man to man. l do not believe So
except as the advantages spoken of above made
them so. Before the end believe the differences
was the other way"
Gen. w. F. Smiths attack on PETERSBURG. in
June, is spoken Of most disparagingly, whereas
Grant promoted on that field Col j. L. Cham.
berlain for gallant and meritorous conduct
He lands the sscommendable promptituder with
which Lew Wallace marched to the Monocacy,
where his defeat by Early conferred a greater
benefit, he Says, by the delay it caused the enc
my than many victories occasion. OF the Burn
side mine. Grant says that 1t was "a stupendous
failure all due to ineficiency on the part VI
the corps commander and the incompetercy Of
the division commander [Ledliel, who was sent
to lead the assault" W. Swinton. the war cor
respondent, seems to have narrowly escaped
Burnsides wrath. Burnside. to whom his dis
patches had given great offense, according ia
General Meades statement, had ordered him
to be shot that afternoon" II promptly ordered
the prisoner to be released adds Grant but
sent out of the lines. On General Buell., also,
General Grant is severe He says he had
recommended him in 1864 to assignment for
duty:
''Afterward the Secretary told me that he had
offered Buell. an assignment, and that the latter
had declined it, saying that it would be degrade
ton to accept the assignment offered / under
stood afterward that he refused to serve under
either Sherman or Candy, because he had ranked
them both. Both graduated before him and
ranked him in the old army. Sherman ranked
him as a brigadier- general All of them ranked
me in the old army, and Sherman and Buell.
did as brigadiers. The worst excuse soldier
can make for declining service is that he once
ranked the commander he is ordered to report
to-"
Sedgwck is pronounced 'brave aud conscien.
tious His ambition was not great, and he
seemed to dread responsibility. He was willing
to do any amount Of battling, but always wanted
some one else to direct. He declined the com.
mand of the Army of the Potomac once, If not
oftener" General Terry is described as "a man
who makes friends Of those under him by his
consideration of their wants and their dues. AS
commander he won their confidence by his
GOODNESS in action and by his cearness of percep.
ton in taking in the situation under which Id
was placed at any given sime." Wilson was ian
energetic officer" whose last great and success
full Alabama raid, however like Canby's capture
of Mobile, came so late as to be without any
good result" In fact, they destroyed property
and lives when We would have liked to spare
Them"
Grant says that he saw but little of Hookei
during the war:
II had known him very well before, however
When did see him st Chattanooga his achieve.
ment in bringing his command around the point
of Lookout Mountain and into Chattanooga val
ley was brilliant / nevertheless regarded him
as dangerous man. He was not subordinate ID
his superiors He was ambitious to the extent
of caring nothing for the rights of others. His
disposition was when engaged in battle to get de.
tached from the main body of the army and OK,
ercise a separate command, gathering to his
standard all he could of his juniors"
Very high praise is awarded to Hancock as
''the most conspicuous figure of all the general
officers who did not exercise separate command
He commanded corps longer than any other
one, and his name was never mentioned as hav-
ing committed in battle blunder for which lie
was responsible He was man of very con,
spicuous personal appearance. Tall, well-formed
and, at the time of which now write, young and
fresh-looking, he presented an appearance that
would attract the attention of any army as he
passed. His genial disposition made him friends,
and his personal courage and his presence with
his command in the thickest of the fight won fol
him the confidence of troops serving under him.
No matter how hard the fight, the Second CorTl
always felt that their commander was looking
after them"
Forrest is called about the ablest cavalry
general in the South, and again it is said that
for the particular kind of warfare which For
rest had carried on neither army could present
more effective officer than he was" Forests
habtual success. too, greatly aided his efficiency
won, and followed up their victories, improve
upon what they were before to an extent that
can hardly be counted by percentage" OF Mos
by, at whose hands Grant once barely escaped
capture, he says: "Since the close of the war
have come to know Colonel Mosby personally,
and somewhat intimately He is different
man entirely from what had supposed. He ID
slender, not tall, wiry, and looks as if he could
endure any amount of physical exercise. He Ia
able and thoroughly honest and truthful. There
<hahl hv1t Foxy
could have commanded successfully a separate
detachment In the rear of an opposing army
and so near the border Of hostilities, as long az
he did without losing his entire command"
Banks's Red river expedition was a complete
failure, but, being ordered from Washington,
''he was in no way responsible, except for the
conduct OF it. make no criticism on this point
He opposed the expedition" Sigels campaign
in the Shenandoah valley, which ended so disas.
trously, is referred to as shaving failed ingori,
ously." But Hunter, who succeeded him, ID
praised for the boldness and vigor of his cam.
pagn, which, according to Grant. was very de-
structive to the enemys supplies, and, save foI
the difficulty OF taking enough ammunition,
would undoubtedly have captured Lynchburg.
This judgment of Hunters campaign is the more
noteworthy because it Is often criticised adj
versely. In Buffers campaign on the James.
the prompt seizure of City Point and Bermuda
Hundred, Is commended; but afterward Butlel
advanced slowly and made no great effort ia
establish himself on the railroad between Peters.
burg and Richmond, "and neglected to attack
Petersburg, which was almost defenseless."
He does not fail to criticise Buffers failure al
Fort Fisher, including the powder-boat expert
ment, in which Grant never believed aud also
his fearful mistake" of withdrawing without
serious attack. Corresponding praise for SUGGEST
is given to Terry. But to General Butler is ac.
corded the full credit of gallant and patriotic eff
fort, and occasion is taken to ascribe to him the
authorship of the famous phrase, 'Robbing both
the cradle and the grave"
Mcpherson is spoken of as zone Of the ablest,
purest and best" of the Union generals on
Alexander Hays, killed in the Wilderness, 1t ID
said: He was most gallant officer, ready ia
lead his command wherever ordered With him
it was Come. boys not Co." A very high
tribute Is paid to Mackenzie:
81 regarded Mackenzie as the most promising
young officer in the army. Graduating at West
Point as he did, during the second year Of the
war, he had won his war up 60 the command oil