Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-05-16
pieces, captured Generals Shaler and
Seymour and large number OF prisoners.
AWAITING REINFORCEMENT

arrival OF re-cnforcements," which lie
urged Ifallcck to send "as fast as posi-
BILE and in as great numbers" some
q. 900 men were promptly sent him; but
on the Goth he. "deeming 1t impracu-
cable" to mako another attack, con-
tinucd his flank movement 10 the North
Ana river where he again found Lee
ready. not only to resist him. but in
tending 10 attack should he not be at
tackled. General Lee however, had been
stricken III OF a fever and the intended
blow" TO which he referred during mis-
delirium. was not dealt Here Lee re-
cciyed his first re-enforcement-7,5O men
against Grants 35.O0)-which reached the
latter some days before Lees reached
him, but which Grant did not deem sufii-
clent to justify another attack.
From the North Ana river Grant moved
10 Cold Harbor and occupied the
same position which Mcclellan had held
previous 10 the seven-days' battles two
years before. Here n terrible engage
ment was fought "The "a OF June" says
Grant. twas spent in getting troops
into position for attack on the 3D.;
on the Sd OF June we again assaulted
the enemy's work In the hope OF driving
him from his position. In this at
tempt our loss was heavy, while that OF
the enemy. / have reason TO believe, was
TO Mr.. Perry, had 115,o00 troops. They
were drawn up in double lines of battle
six miles long and at 40 o'clock on the
81 they were ordered Ito attack along
the whole line" Within sixty minutes
l27T men fell from the advancing line.
At O'Clock the order TO attack was
again given. One corps commander,
General Smith, positively refused 10
obey il, while only one or two others
went through the form of firing, but
failed TO advance. Again an order was
given for general assault. 1t was
transmitted to corps commanders, and
from them down through divisions, bri-
gades, and regiments, but the entire
army, without any opportunity for con-
ference or concert OF action, refused to
bulge. Governor Dorsheimer OF New
York, told me that Hancock, after the
war. said In his presence. at dinner,
that when the army refused TO obey
Grants order on that occasion. the South
was nearer SECURING its independence
than at any other time before or after.
Had Mr.. Perry been there to convince
the troops that General Grant was 1.-The
ablest and most comprehensive" general
developed by the war and TO read to them
one OF his valuable criticisms on the
campaign, the order might have been
obeyed; but the presumption is he was
not there.
Colonel Walter Taylor, General Lees
Acknowledgement, after q careful study
of his own records, and those furnished
by the official reports on the Federal
side. is quoted by General Fitzhugh Lee
in his admirable life of his uncle as put
ting the total number Of Lees army, in
Guiding all the re-enforcements he re-
ceived during the thirty days campaign
from the Wilderness to Cold Harbor, at
1890; while Grants total for the same
period was 1890 men. The losses Of the
latter amounted to the total strength Of
Lees entire army.
IT FAILED.
Mr. Perry sees nothing in these facts,
however, TO abate his admiration for
General Grants genius, to entitle Lee
to anything more than the position OF
an inferior commander, or to weigh down
the wings Of his high-soaring Imagination.
The only words approaching any recogni-
ton of Lees capacity are the following.
In describing the battles about Spotsyl-
vania Courthouse. he says
after the Union army had extended
far to the left, and abandoned IFS original
line in that manoeuvre. 900 men were
suddenly and swiftly thrown back by
night march to the abandoned flank In
the hope to surprise Lee, whose attention
was presumably directed 10 the other
flank. The movement failed; the Con-
federate leader was too wary Of his ac-
tive opponent to take any chances"
Thanks to Mr.. Leslie J. Perry. By
the mass. wary is n good word and
generously said "Praise from Stanley
is praise, indeed" though II Is damning
in faintness. But wary" from mill
tary critic like Mr.. Perry. who weighs
his words. and whose vision IS so clear
and strong, is OF more value TO Lees
memory than many words from less ac-
curate experts and students of the art
Of war.
But as II TO Offset this implied admis-
sion. which he must have inadvertently
made he Immediately adds:
zone of the greatest and most brilliant
movements Of the whole war was Grants
withdrawal from Cold Harbor and the
passage Of James river without molesta-
ton from the enemy. That great Union
army Of 115.00o men, with all its trains and
munitions of war, was not only carried
across the James river, but also planted
souaregy in front OF Petersburg before
General Lee knew OF its whereabouts"
He dwelt upon what he considered
the north side Of James river to meet
Grant at Petersburg, says che was COM
petely outgeneralled"; that Grant had
1000 troops in front OF Petersburg on
the 18th day Of June, while Lee was await
ing an expected attack on his lines at
Malvern Hill; that Beauregard had only
800 men in Petersburg, and less than
1000. all told, to defend his entire line;
that as late as the 18th Of June Lee had
not thought proper to move any consld-
cradle body of his army to aid Beaure-
gard, though at noon on that day the
latter was confronted "by the entire army
Of the Potomac; that even after receiving
Beauregard's dispatch at midnight on the
18th. conveying the startling intelligence
that Grant was before Petersburg with
his whole army" General Lee doubted
and hesitated, but finally headed his army
toward the real point OF danger"
Now. ] submit that this proves n trife
too much TO establish the claim that Grant
was 1.-The ablest and most comprehensive
general" OF the war 1t IS true that Gene
raj Lee hesitated to denude Richmond
until he was sure that Grant had crossed
or was crossing the river 10 attack
Petersburg But with the vast resources
of the Federal Government, and the heavy
line Immediately in Lees front. 1t was
very difficult for him TO ascertain the
movements that were going on behind
that line, and which were so thoroughly
masked. Yet. II Lee showed excessive
caution on this occasion. what must be
said of Grants generalship when he had
his entire army before Petersburg so Tong
before Lee knew his whereabouts and
failed 10 sweep away Beauregard. with
what Mr.. Leslie calls his "corporaps
guard" and capture that strategic point.
which would have necessitated the
abandonment Of Richmond nearly twelve