Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-05-13

wave wanted some one else 70 0lfect burn-
side was generally liked and respected, but
he wa. not fitted to command an army, and
no one knew this better than himself. Hook
er's exploit at Lookout Mountain was extreme
ly brilliant. Nevertheless he was dangerous
man, insubordinate, ambitious, indiffer-
ent to the rights of others, and disposed in
battle to get detached from the main body and
exercise q separate command, gathering to
his standard all he could of his Juniors. Ter
ry came into the army as volunteer without
a military education, and, without political
influence, he won his way to an important
separate command-the Fort Fisher expedi-
tion-where his brilliant success won for
him the rank of brigsdier general in the
regular army. He is cool in action, clear in
his perceptions, just and considerable to those
under him. General Buffers failures are
described pretty frankly, but his services to
the government are recognized with equal
candor. In the fighting before Petersburg,
erford B. Hayes. "His conduct on the field
was marked by conspicuous gallantry as well
as the display of qualities Of a higher order
than that of mere personal daring. This
might we'll have been expected of one who
could write at the time he is said to have
done so ANY officer fit for duty, who at
this crisis would abandon his post to eles-
tioneer for a seat in Congress, ought to be
scalped.'" Two of the most distinguished of
the Army of the Potomac generals are thus
drawn:
General Meade was an officer of great mer-
it. with drawbacks to his usefulness that were
beyond his control. He had been an officer
of the engineer corps before the wa, and
consequently had never served with troops
until he was over forty-six years of age. He
never had, l believe, a command of less than
a brigade. He saw clearly and distinctly the
position of the enemy, and the topography of
the country in front of his own position. His
first idea was to take advantage of the lay of
the ground. sometimes without reference to
the direction we wanted to move afterward.
He was subordinate to his superiors in
rank to the extent that he could
execute an order which changed his own
plans with the same zeal he would have dis
pldyeu " Tie plhH udu Uetu Ills own. ne WAS
brave and conscientious, and commanded the
respect of all who knew him. He was I'M
fortunately of a temper that would get be-
yond his control, at times, and make him
speak to officers of high rank in the most Of
fensive manner. No one saw this fault more
plainly than he himself, and no one regretted
it more, this made it unpleasant at times, even
in battle, for those sroun1 him to approach
him even with information. In spite of this
defect he was a most valuable officer and de-
serves a high place in the annals of his coun-
try.
General Grant seems to have been fully
alive to the danger in the rear, arising from
Northern disloyalty and even
up to the very close of the struggle; and he
speaks of it with great feeling He does not
believe that the North wonld have continued
the war year longer; treason was talked as
fully in the Chicago Convention which nomi-
mated Mcclellan as it ever WAS in Charleston
On the eve of the final assault upon Peters
burg, when he knew that the rebellion was
ready to collapse like an empty egg-shell, he
felt that the North too was nearly exhausted,
not in resources but in spirit; and he relates
the following curious anecdote. The advance
had been fixed for the Goth of March, and
Grant summoned Sheridan to receive orders
for the movement:
Sheridan reached City Point on the Goth
day Of March. His horses, of course, were
jaded and many of them had lost their shoes
few days of rest were necessary to recu-
perate the animals and also to have them shod
and put in condition for moving. Immedi-
atev on General Sheridan's arrival at CITY
Point prepared his instructions for the move
which had decided upon. The movement
was to commence on the 29th of the month
After reading the instructions had given
MIN, Sheridan walked out of my tent. and
followe ed to have some conversation with him
by himself-not in the presence of anybody
else, even of member of my staff. In pre-
pairing his instructions l contemplated Just
what took place; that is to say capturing Five
Forks, driving the enemv from Petersburg
and Richmond and terminating the contest
before separating from the enemy. But the
nation had already become restless and dis
couraged at the prolongatiOn of the war, and
many believed that it would never terminate
except by compromise. Knowing that unless
my plan proved an entire success it would be
interpreted as q disastrous defeat, provided
in these instructions that in q certain event
he was to cut loose from the Army of the
Potomac and his base of supplies, and living
upon the country proceed south by the way
OF the Danville Railroad, or near it, across
the Roanoke, get in the rear of Johnston he
was guarding that road, and cooperate with
Sherman in destroying Johnston; then with
these combined forces to help carry out the
instructions which Sherman already had re-
ceived, to act in cooperation with the armies
around Petersburg and Richmond.
saw that after Sheridan had read his IN
structions he seemed somewhat disappointed
Mt the idea, possibly, of having to cut loose
again from the Armv of the Potomac, and
place himself between the two main armies
of the enemy. said to him: General.
this portion IF your instructions have put
in merely as blind" and gave him the rea-
son for doing so, heretofore described. told
him that, as a matter of fact, | intended to
close the war right here, with this movement.
and that he should go no further. His face
at once frightened up, and slapping his hand
on his leg he said: II am glad to hear it.
| and we can do it."
Sheridan was right They did it; and the
war was closed right there.
/