The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1893-07-13
GNews. Observer-ChrOnicle.1

News Observer Chronicle
A second statement contained in
the article in the New Orleans Times
Democrat, by General Longstreet,
copied in your paper of 21st inst, is
as follows: srHsF
"On the defensive General Lee was
absolutely perfect. But of the art of
war, more particularly that of giving
offensive battle, don't think he was
master. In science and military
learning he was greatly the superior of
General Grant or any other COM
mander on either side. But in the
art of war | have no doubt that Grant
and several other officers were his
equals
By this distinction Longstreet means
to say that while General Lee knew
the rules of offensive battle, he did
not know how to apply them any bet
ter than Grant and several others. Sci
ence means to know. Art means to
do. Century Dictionary.
This statement is lmprudent and
unworthy of Lees great lieutenant,
particularly since it is utterly without
foundation in fact. The world has
bowed to long at the shrine of Robert
f. Lee in love of his sublime charac
ter and admiration of his matchless
military genius to give much attention
to the carping criticisms, groundless
opinions and unjust comparisons of
Longstreet in regard to his ability as
a military commander.
But as Longstreet is expressing
opinions derogatory to the fame of
Lee, which might be needed by some
because of his great name, or through
ignorance, it may be we'll to marshall
against him on this point the opinions
of some of the greatest actors and wit
nesses of that period.
General Scott, Commander-in-C Chief
of the United States army, who led
our arms to victory in Mexico, said:
"Lee is not only the greatest soldier
in America, but the greatest soldier
now living in the world
General Meade, his opponent at
Gettysburg, said to Southerner after
that battle, =" Lee is your greatest man" !"
Stonewall Jackson said, "Lee is a
phenomenon. He is the only man
whom I would be willing to follow
blindfold."
Had they been on the same side,
can any one imagine Stonewall Jack
son making such declaration as that
about Grant? Would he have been
willing to follow Grant or Longstreet
blindfold? Here are the words of an
other Confederate general:
, "It is said that Lee was strong only
in defense and was averse TO taking
the offensive. Nothing could be more
, false. He proved in the last year ol
the war his fertility of defensive re-
source and unrivalled tenacity of re-
! sistance. But his genius was aggres-
, sive. Witness the bold transfer of his
J army from Richmond to the Rapidan,
while McClellan's troops rested on the
James river. Witness the audacity oi
, detaching Jackson from the Kappa
hammock line to seize Manassas juno
ton, and the road to Washington in
Pope's rear. Witness the magnificent
swoop on Harper's Ferry of which ac-
cident Mcclellan had knowledge, and
by which timidity forbade him to
profit. Witness the crowning glory Of
his audacity, the change of front to
attack Harper, and that march around
what Harper called " the best position
in America held by the finest army on
the planet"
Witness his invasion of Pennsylva.
, nia-a campaign whose only fault, il
any, was the generous fault of over
confidence in an army which had
proved inyincible and he was com
mander who had met no equal. Il
giving battle at Gettysburg was a fault
,, it was the fault of Marlborough at
Malplaquet, Frederick at rorgau, Ma.
polean Borodino. Lee chose no de.
fensive of his own will"
Does Longstreet find in Grant a,
F Cold Harbor, such splendid offensive
ability that bis admiration is aroused
to the extent of daring to compare
him with Lee. Did he not there ir
disregard of both the science and arl
, of war, and of humanity as we'll, hur
his brave troops to horrible slaughter
r until they stood still in the ranks and
refused to further obey his orders
silent witnesses to the genius of Lee
:, and the heroism of his troops2 Did
he not confess in his memoirs his wan
r of skill at Cold Harbor?
What evidence OF military geniu:
! comparable to Lees can Longstree
find in Grants famous expression, I"
will fight it out on this line if it take:
t. all summer"
Grant at that time opposed The
shattered, starved and ragged remnan
l of the army of Northern Virginia with
an army four times its strength, fully
( equipped and supplied. That boas
. might have been made by the com
monest soldier in his army. That sen
timent evinces no military science o.
art, and certainly no brilliant often
: sive tactics.
The Cincinnati Enquirer said
n "There is no man so bigoted to-day
. as not to believe that, if Grant hac
commanded the ill-provided, half-fee
army that stood like a wall of fire
around Richmond, and the command