The National tribune., 1894-04-26
GRANT AND BUTLER.
Discussion of the Comparative Excellence
of the Two Generals.

| of the Two Generals.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Comrade
| We.ch WAS unfortunate in his reference to
| Cold Harbor, as that is one of the bloody
items that the Army of the Potomac may
well charge to the failure of Buffers army
to accomplish anything on the south side of
the James River. Neither can he institute
a comparison between Grants blunder on
that occasion and Buffers failure and sue
coed in reducing Grant to the same category
| in which Butler must be classed-that of a
humbug General The cases are not parallel,
| for the comrade fails to recognize the dis
| tinction between a tactical blunder and a
strategic failure. The former Grant had the
moral courage to admit, but no man who
served under him can charge him with will
fully throwing away the lives of his men in
order to secure promotion, such as, we be-
lieve, Butler was ready to do in order 10
obtain the rank of Major General in the
Regular Army. The mistake of Grants life
was in the selection of such an incompetent
man for such an important command, on
whose capacity hinged the success Of his
campaign against Richmond.
As Comrade WEIGH has invited attention
to the Cold HarbOr affair, l desire to say that
there is one essential difference between
Grant on that occasion and Buffers move
ments on the James River. The former
threw his whole force against the enemys
works at Cold HarbOr, hoping to make
break IN Lees line and divide his army,
and, forcing him back against the Chicka-
hOminy River, cause its destruction. 1t WAS
taking great risks TO secure great results,
but the comrade has already shown that
there never was any determined effort upon
the part of Butler to indulge in any such
tactical blundeTs with his army at any time
from May until May II, which, if he had
done with the same loss to the Army Of the
James that they sustained at Cold Harbor,
that battle would never have been fought,
and the comrade would have been saved the
comparison between it and the Army of the
Potomac. based upon the proportion of loss
sustained by the Army Of the James. AS if
that should be the test, which very often
proves upon investigation to be the measure
of sacrifice and not the measure of service
rendered by the army that sustains the
greatest loss, Col. Fox TO the contrary not
wlthstanding.
Comrade WEIGH says: "If Potomac will
study the map he can easily see that the
movement on May was to cut communica-
tiOns and stop reinforcement of Richmond
by the rebel forces then in North Carolina
Il
by the light of the Rebellion Records (Series
1, Vol. sc, Part q, to which / shall refer,
/ hope to prove to the satisfaction of your
readers that my characterization of Butler
is very mild when designated him a hum
bug General. As the comrade has informed us
OF the object OF the movement of his brigade,
known as the Star Brigade, commanded by
Gen. Hickman, which was to cut cummu-
nications, let US compare his statement with
Buffers dispatch to Stanton May found
on page SD, IN which he does not attach
much importance TO the said communica-
tlORs. de sent out a reconnaissance On the
Petersburg Railroad, and then read that
from Butler 10 Senator Wilson, Of same date,
May z, in which he says: We made a DEM
Onstration on the railroad and cut it, Then
compare it with the report of Gen. Smith 10
Butler, on which he based his dispatch, in
which Smith says: My EFFORT 10 reach the rail-
road to-day with Gen. Heckman's Brigade
failed
| should like to learn from Comrade
WEIGH, who seems TO have been present, who
was correct lii his statement of the case
Surely Butler did not take the same view of
The object of Heckman's movement as Com
rade WEIGH; viz, to prevent the rebel
forces in North Carolina from reaching
Richmond" or he would not have sent one
single brigade out Tor that purpose when
he had at least dozen more available.
If he intended it for a reconnaissance as he
termed it, he proved that he did not realize
the Importance of time in military move
ments, and the value of the opportunity
presented to him of making a Judgment
unopposed upon such vital point as he
claimed to have reached IN his dispatch to
Senator Wilson (page $50, which caused
him TO indulge in such bombastic state
ments, with which he sought to impress the
Senator TO make war upon Gen. Gilmore,
whom ne was anxious to get rid of even
before he had learned what q line of opera
ton" meant. For he says: " If we can hold
on here we can drive Lee out of Virginia
his great line OF supplies and operations is
gone. We have been eminently successful
thus far" And this is the immense fabric
Of Boosting that he erected upon such toun-
dation of uDtruth, if Gen. Smiths report is
10 be believed.
At this point ] might say that the Wilson
letter puts different light on Comrade
Welch's assertion about seen. Buffers de-
sire 10 give fair play to the officers especi-
ally designated by Gen. Grant to command
his corps" This he assigns as reason for
not placing the blame on Butler for the loss
Vi Al0 eusba'ASu ny the army Oh the POt0-
mac" For we find that even on Nav that
Butler was secretly making war on one of
the officers that Grant had designated to
command his corps, for he asked Senator
Wilson TO oppose the confirmation of Gill
more on this frivolous statement: "He is
behind IN every movement. He has lost "a
hours In putting his line in a state of defense
But above all, he has refused to move when
ordered"
Let US examine them. Gilmore was not
able to land his troops on the 5th, as seen
by reference TO his note to Butler dated at
GAS a. M, May (page 1922, in which he
says: Il have just seen Gen. Terry, and he
reports that lac can't get the use of any
wharyes where the Eighteenth Corps have
been disemba king, and the only wharf /
have had is one arranged for the landing of
Gen. Amess Division, which was finished on
May 6, In time 10 make a march of eight
miles before night when they encamped."
How could Butler make such a statement
on the 7th that Gilmore lost "a hours in
putting his line III a state of defenseY Ii
proves that his veracity was not of the
highest order, and the only movement ia