The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1892-05-06

Vas singularly rich IN excellent brigade, divi-
sion and covps commanders. developed three
or four Officers capable Of initiating and con
Quoting military operations with immense
forces aLd on q large field. but only one general
The more graphic and bloody picturcs % the
war were the hsple>s fields. where the veteran
victors OF many . hght. when in commsnd Of
e5.oO men. rode with reckless courage and
dszed minds amidst the confusion arising
from their inability 20 handle 1.un. The
thinking hayonet~ OF citizen soldiers
and the invincible courage chsractcris'
tic OF Americans gave the government the best
armies which ever marched or fought. They
were often under incompetent leaders. but
never dcmoralixed or discouraged Though
decimated by disease. and their ranks thinned
by useless slaughter. they never murmurcd or
despaired Thy had enlisted 20 save the
union. and when at last they had a commanier
capable ~ directing their energies and plan
ming their a general WHOSE com
prehensvc mind grasped the situation over the
whole country. and whose clear judgment dis
cerned the weak points Of The enemy. aud the
places wherc his own strength should b. con
centratet. they. At fearful sacrifice. but with
unfaiiing faith. did save the union.
The intellect which tired % the routine OF a
soldiers life ia times u peace; which could not
~ reused 10 the successful management OF a
farm or a surveyors office. which indifsrenfly
y NNAAIfN |AN| NNNNNA NAN
a merchants arm. was clarified By grave perils
and expanded under great responsibilities
Grant al forty was an unknown AMI uninport'
ant citizen In a Western town. and at forty two
he was the hor~ 81 the army. and the hero OF
the popular imagination. Self-connirncf y
tho attribute ~ great men and Of fools. BY IL the
first Illustrate their ability and the others dem
onstrate their folly. The average mind needs
AMI seeks both advicc and assistance. Grant
was the most independent Of generals. and the
result placed him in the front rank Of the great
captains II the world. A. rarely held councils
OF war. aud never adopted their conclusions
H. sometimes acted directly against the unani-
m0us judgment ~ the assemblage. Gen.
sherman ones remarked. Lie awaka all night
wondering where the enemy arr. but Grant
doesn't care whore thy are or what they are
doing This was because. having once prepared
lis plans with references 10 every known con
tingency. he hal 90 completely calculated ths
resources Of his adyersaries AMI his own.
that BE- could not contemplate disaster and
never knew defeat. After the capture
or Fort Henry. Haileck. then com
mander in chief. advised him 70 fortify his 10
sirion. aud picks. shovels and intrenching tools
would be- sent him. Instead. he marched upon
Donelson. When all his officers wereo opinion
that a sally in force from the fort was 70 be
guarded against. he made up his mind from the
full haver-acks fornd on the confederate dead
LA4At ne ANAAI "AAA ~ 'H%
dering an immediate assault captured Donelson
and gained his first real victory. When Gen.
Buell. and other commanders demonstrated
with him for moving from Pittsburgh Landing.
because there were not boats enough 70 carry
over the river one third of his force ia case
he was defeated. There are more than
70 carry all there viii be left
Of it, was the grim answer. and he
marched 70 the victory Of Shiloh. When
Gen. sherman and all thu able officers
about him protested against the perilous move
ment 70 get below vicksburg. and attack the
city from the other side. because his army
would be cut on from its base Of supplies.
The North will cut on our supplies, : he said
: unless we succeed and the Fourth OF July,
1863, became one OF the glorious days in the an
mails or the war. For thirty days he led the army
OF the Potomac through the Wilderness. hurl-
ingit against the intrenched positions Of the
enemy by day. and moving IL by night TO assault
fresh defenses 10 the morning. The country
shuddered with horror Mt the carnage. and
called for his removal: his officers were AZ
fecsed by the universal distrust NJ his move
ments: the mangled columns Of troops. recoil-
ing from the shot and shell which plowed
through their ranks from i~mpregnable FORTH
cations. sometimes refused 70 attack again.
But the re- sponse Of the confident and imper-
turbable commander 70 his soldiers. was the
ever recurring order. by the left flank. for
~ AIu MA|A ~ IL
out on this line II il takes all summer" Crit
icising cabinets. hostile congressman. doubling
generals. and distrustfnl people. all surren-
dered with Lee AZ Appomattox.
No man can be truly great unless he i also
magnanimous Grant was the most self Sacri-
fring ~ friends, and the most generous 81
foes The underlying forces which stirred his
feelings and prompted his actions were a pro-
found sens of justice. and ardent patriotism.
The triumphant march from Atlanta 70 the sen
had aroused the enthusiasm and captured the
Imagination Of the people who had been con
tempiating with sullen anger the losses IN
the wilderness. and the bloody but Intellectual
battles about Richmond. They demanded that
sherman b. placed IN supreme ommand
Sherman. with that beautiful loyalty which he
always showed 20 the chief. lou Idly protested
and refused, but Grant calmly wrote: mo
one would IL more pleased at your advance
ment than I I would make the same exertions
70 support you. that you have done 70 snppori
me. ana I would do all Ia my power 70 make
our cause win" In the rapid reversals
| common 20 revolutions. after a few week.
Richmond had fallen and Grant was the poru
lar hero. the terms offered 70 Gen. Joe Johnston
~ sherman. had been contcmptuously counter
manded by the secretary OF war, and 6ran'
had been sent 10 relieve sherman. and receive
the submission ~ the last confederate arnr
But Grant remained outside the camp. his visi
known only ID a few. while sherman submitted
the modified terms from Washington 70 John
sion. and received his sword. Not until year
afterward dill be- Ger. sherman know that b
had been superseded.
.rncondtional surrender. ! move immedi
atcly on your works" were the conditions Gran
offered Bnckner az Donelson. but ia the dark
ness of the night he entered the prisoners ten
and saii: "Buckner. you must have lost every
thing; take my pure He hal been for month
making tollsoma Efforts 20 break through ID
confederate lines. but after the surrender 3
their defenders he refused TO 70 within them
The faalurc 10 capture the confederate carifa
had exhausted the resources and impaire
the reputation 81 all the generals who Ia
preceded hun. hut when i lay pros
frate at his feet he sternly decline
the triumph u an entry AZ the hea
of his victorious army. a like temptation M
not been resisted ny any conqueror ~ ancien
or modern times. But Gen. Grant said
These people are now and will h. hercafts
our brethren and fellow citizens. and they mui
not b. humiliaiei.N
II Wa difficult 70 " Ia his confidence. By
once gained. his heart. bis efforts and his 10
tune were AZ command. Neither secret ns
open enemies neither direct charges, nor aroi
ymous revelations could disturb his friens
, dip for anyone he had once truste
4 ON that subject his mind was close
Ia selecting commanders for armi
or expeditions he seldom made mn err
81 Judgment. To sherman and sheridan
gave unstinted praise. Both in pubic and ~
Z vate be declared them 10 be the greatest ge