Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-05-16


ment zone Of the greatest and most brill
liant OF the whole WARP General Lee
got to Petersburg in time to meet Grants
assault and save the city. What more,
with his small force, was expected or
him? 1t Is idle to talk OF what might
have happened: but, according to Mr..
Perry's own statement of the facts, his
superior general blundered most egregi-
ously in not taking advantage OF his
opportunity and ending the war ut once.
The movement from Cold Harbor was
neither more nor less brilliant" than the
movement TO it--than the movement from
the Wilderness to Spotsylvania, from
Spotsylvania to the North Ana, from the
North Ana to q point which Mcclellan
had occupied after only his comparative
~ small loss at Williamsburg but which
cost Grant some COCO men to reach.
NUMBERS AGAIN.
It IS blind and stupid folly for either
side TO deprecate the other. Those who
are guilty Of It depreciate themselves.
According 10 the report of the Adjutant-
General of the United States. the number
OF Federal troops engaged in the war
amounted to 2.773 3ci, while the Confede-
rates numbered less than 100000. II the lat
ter were inferior I'm valor or in general
ship II IS a discredit to the former that
It required four years i'm time and in
calculable sacrifice and cost 10 defeat
them. on the other hand. the greater
the valor and the ADLER the generalship
displayed by the former, the greater the
tribute due the latter.
may be excused, therefore, for
placing against Mr.. Perry's esti-
mate Of General Lee the opinion
of at least one other military
critic who visited both armies during
the conflict; who studied the campaigns
in which they were engaged who. as a
foreigner. may be considered less pre-
JUDGED than any writer on either side,
and whose past career and present posi-
ton entitle his views to some considera-
ton. This authority Is the commander
in-chlef of the British army; and / beg
leave to submit to Mr.. Perry and to all
others interested in the matter. the fol-
loving extract from one of a series Of
articles which he published on the Aineri-
can war:
"The fierce light which beats upon the
throne Is as that of a rushlight in COM
parison with the electric glare which our
newspapers now focus upon the public
man in Lees position. His character has
been subjected TO that ordeal, and who
can point to any spot upon it? His clear,
sound judgment, personal courage, UNI
firing activity, genius for war; and abso-
lutte devotion to his State mark him out
as public man. as a patriot to be for
ever remembered by all Americans His
amiability OF disposition. deep sympathy
with those in pain or sorrow. his iCasSS> for
children, nice sense Of personal honor,
and genial courtesy endeared him to all
his friends. / shall never forget his
sweet, winning smile, nor his clear.
honest eyes that seemed TO look into your
heart while they searched your
brain. / have met many of the great
men OF my time, but Lee alone impressed
me with the feeling that / was I'm the
presence of a man who was cast in q
grander mould, and made of different and
Of finer metal than all other men. He
is stamped upon my memory as a being
apart and superior to all others in every
way-a man with whom none ever
knew. and very few of whom 1 have
read. are worthy to be classed.
when all the angry feelings reused by
accession are buried with those which
existed when the Declaration of hide
pendence was written. when Americans
can review the history Of their last great
rebellion with calm impartiality, believe
all will admit that General Lee lowered
far above all men on either side in that
struggle; l believe he will be regarded
not only az the most prominent figure OF
the Confederacy. but as the great Ameri-
can Of the nineteenth century. whose
statue Is well worthy to stand on an
equal pedestal with that Of Washington.
and whoae memory IS equally worthy 10
be enshrinod in the hearts of all his
countrymen. WOLSELEY"
The reader may form his own conclu-
sions from the conflict between these two
authorities. which evinces the broader
justice and more enlightened judgment.
Mr. Perry should have commenced his
criticisms earlier. By postponing them
he must combat and overcome the con-
clusions. not only of the intelligence OF
this country-of the North as wei as the
South-but of the civilized world.