The Portland daily press., 1895-09-17
Tho Army of the I enness se.

Cincinnati. September 16-The head
quarters of the Society of the Army Of
the Tennessee presented warlike APP
pearance today. The Grand Hotel in
which is the rendezvous for the old war
riors, were very appropriately decorated
in honor of the reunion. just inside
the front door is big brass cannon. On
either side swung the Stars and Stripes,
and directly in the rear dozen or more
muskets were stacked. Back and forth
across the lobby of the hotel the Sons
of Veterans Cadets marched to measured
tread and rifles at ''carry arms Scat
tered around in little groups the veterans
discussed incidents of war times and
waited for ''fall in, when they march ed
to the lecture room OF the hotel to tran
sact the business of the day.
The meeting was called to order al 10. s
with about 200 members present.
The business was of routine character,
the only important feature being the
report of tie Sherman statute committee.
Col Fred d. Grant, in his Grafton,
gave the History OF the last year of the
Grant, gave sketch of The past COM
mander's own plan of campaign and de-
scribed the order in which he would have
narrated the story in the second volume
of his memories, had he been able to use
his voice in debating during the last
month of his life, or had his life been
spared few weeks longer.
Gen. Grants first work was to in augu-
rate plan of campaign for all the
armies. Upon examination of his
writings during the war, it will be seen
at an early period he had been impressed
with the idea tha5 active and continuous
operations Of all the troops that could be
brought into the field, regardless of
season or weather, were neces acy for a
t~nt kt1r,
superior strength and resources OF the
North were more than neutralized by the
great advantage the confederates had in
their interior lines through a friendly
country, which required little or no force
to guard, while the Union troops were
operating in a hostile country, and their
lines of supplies had to be guarded by a
force larger than that operating IN the
field
During the first three years of the war,
the various armies had acted independent
ly-a condition which had enabled the
enemy to re-enforce each point of attack
by drawing troops from points OF in
activity.
Having this in view, Gen. Grant
He looked upon the Army of the James
as the left wing, the Army of the
Potomac as the centre, and the troops
operating under Gen. Sherman. of which
the Amy of the Tennessee was a most
important part, as the right wing all
other troops being considered as co-opera-
tive columns.
He believed that. by moving the whole
line at the same time, the greatest num-
Der of troops practicable would Dc
brought against the armed forces of the
enemy, and would prevent them from
using the same force to resist the efforts
of the Union army, first at one point and
then at another, and that by continuously
hammering against their armies. he could
destroy both them and their sources of
supplies.
From a study of the great campaigns of
the world, said Col. Grant, have become
convinced that there have been five great
epochs in modern warfare:
First, the thorough organ ization Of
armies, forced upon civilization by the
invention of firearms.
Second, the division of the organization
into small equal units, companies and
regiments, for the purpose of rapidity of
movements.
Third, the massing of these smaller
units into greater ones, brlgades and
divisions, which were stronger, either for
resistance or attack, than the same num-
Der of men organized only into companies
or regiments
Fourth, tho massing of artillery to
break up the brigade or division ORGANIZE
tion, in order to weaken line of bait e
before an attack in force.
Fifth, the mode of alta oking such
artillery by clouds of skirmishers, and
silencing their guns, until the mass be-
hind could advance and seizs them. This
mode of warfare was inaugurated by the
Army Of the Tennessee, beginning at H.
battle OF Belmont, and improving in each
successive battle fought by them uu,
the fall of Vicksburg when it had
reached the climax of perfection aid
formed an epoch Of war.
When President Dodge raped for order
it was with gavel made from the wood
OF hickory tree that stood near the spot
where Gen. Mcpherson fell at Atlanta,
July g. 1854 Gen. Hiok1ngloper. CORE
spending secretary, reported the follow
ing, among other deaths that had
occurred the since the last reunion: Gen.
Charles sutherland, Washington, D. O.,
Gen. Walter @. Gresham, Washington,
wv Va