Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1897-08-27


tween the Rapidan and the James
Moreover, modern earthworks, de
Tended by modern artillery and re
peatIng rifles, are much more DIFF
Hcult of successful assault than
we're Rodrigo, BadajOz, or Al
buera, where Wellington won sc
much renOwn in his PeninsnlaT
campaign.
When Grant crossed the Ripi
dan he found be had a different
army, under a much abler leader,
te contend with than any he b
met before. In the battle of .he
Wilderness, after repeated attacks,
IN which the Union troops, led by
the ableSt corps and division com
manders, displayed prodlgies OF
heroic, sta bborn valor, and cover
ed the ground for miles with the
dead of both armies, Grant was
repulsed, defeated, and compelled
to retreat, and leave the field IN
possession OF the enemy; and the
killed, wounded, aud missing of
the Unlon army largely outnum-
bered the Confederate loss. But
Grant Was determined; be was un
ased to defeat; he proposed to
slight 1t oaJ on that line, 1t it took
all summer" regardless, seeming
~, of the fearful cost. For the first
time In his lite, however, be tried
to avoid the enemy, and by a flank
movement to reach Spottsy lvanla
Courthouse. BI when he arrived
there and was prepared to assault,
Lee was ready, Intrenched, and
awaiting the assault. which was as
heroic, as persistent, as deadly as
that in the Wilderness, and as un-
successful. At the expense Of
over fifty thousand men Grant
learned that in that kind of war
fare Lee was invinclble. The bat
tie at Cold HBIbor, fought within
month, ended tue blOOdlest
campaign IN history, and the
Federal General, abandoning the
attempt to take Richmond by as.
sault, withdrew to the south of the
James, and began the long Cam
paIgn of siege and starvaun.
He conld have placed his army
south of the James three months
sooner than he did, and without
the loss of the sixty thousand men
who fought their last battle De-
tween the Ripidan aud tie james
aud that, too, without danger to
Washington.
After the siege OF Richmond be-
gan the repeated and unayaIllng
assaults of the Union army upon
the Confederate lines, extending
as they did for a distance of over
thirty miles, and defended by less
than fifty thousand men, are the
best evidence OF the skill OF their
com monder, as we'll as the valor OF
the besieged. Not until the fol
loving year, and until his base oil
supplies was threatened by other
couvergfng Union armies, was Lee
compelled TO eyacuate the city.
Had 1t not been for the approach
of Sherman from the south, ana
the brillIanta and effective camp lign
of Sheridan IN which he easily
routed the force sent by Lee to
project his commune ition With
Lynchburg, there is no telling ho"
long the Confederate capItal
might have held out.
The defense of Rich mond wi
always stand out in history as one
of the most remarkable military
achievements of any age.
It Is true that Grants men had
confidence In their commander
and IN his ultimate success, it Is
not true that they had equal con
fidence IN his strategy. ills POM
ing methods, so prodigal OF life,
inspired no personal enthusiasm
or attachment. Lee, OH the CON
trary, had the profoundest sympa
thy, even the heartfelt affection OF
his men. They would die for him
even sooner than for the cause on
which they had stsked their all
He embodied their ideal, both OF
manhood and military skill.
The Confederate camp was full
of stories, either true or apocryphal
proving his personal sympathy
with them IN their sufferings, aud
his mastery superiority as a gen
eral. This enthusiastic confidence
In a measure supplied the place OF
numbers and achieved victories
were only defeat seemed lnevita
BILE. In this highest military quail
ty that inspires the unquestionIng
devotion OF his soldiers, Il . was
indeed one of the most remarkaDl'