Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1899-08-24
.WRlGHTS ARMY CAP
RID.
THE MAN BEATEN WHILE sH
DAN WAS TWENTY MILES AWAY -
NOTABLE EVENTS RECALLED
An Officer of Marked Ability. He
Failed to Seize the Chance That
Came His Work as Subordinate
The Ride From Winchester and
Sheridan's Victory.


few surviving conspicuous figures of
the civil war. Gen. Wright did not
belong in the class Of great command
ers, which included the names of
Grant, Lee, Sheridan, Jackson, Sher-
man and Thomas, but he was never
theless an officer of marked ability.
1t is likely that his capabilities bet
ter fitted him for counsel and admin
istration than command in the field,
although he often successfully COM
manded troops in battle, with one
disastrous exception, always as a
subordinate.
Under the heavy responsibilities of
supreme command Wright did not
shine on the battlefield, although it is
doubtful IL the Army of the Potomac
ever contained drawer, safer or more
self-reliant corps commander. In
that relation he was a strong favorite
with both Grant and Sheridan, but be-
yond that, after one trial, with those
two masters of the art of war Wright
never got. AS the commander OF the
department of the Ohio from August
1862, to May IS, 1868, covering the
period of Bragg's invasion of Ken
lucky, Cen. Wrights administrative
talents and calm good sense shone
out conspieuously under trying diff
eultles. But he did not take the field.
Then became East and was given the
command of the First division of the
Sixth corps, participating in the
Gettysburg campaign, and in the subse-
uent affair at Rappahannock Station,
In which his division captured a strong
redoubt and many prisoners 10y a re-
markable charge. He took part in
Grants Richmond campaign and after
the death of Maj Gen. John Sedgwiok
killed at Spottsylvania, was assigned
the command of the Sixth corps, which
he retained to the close of the war.
Gen. Wright was not counted as a
fighting officer, however, like John f.
Reynolds, Hancock aud Sheridan and
up to the beginning OF the Richmond
campaign was rather an inconspicuous
figure, aside from his departmental
work in the Ohio valley the year be-
fore. Wright, in fact, like Mcclellan,
Warren, Franklin Gilmore, Badly
Smith and dcPherson, was an engi-
neer officer, and in intellect and skill
TO handle troops the equal of any of
them. He was from the first a prime
favorite with Halleck, the general-in-
chief, another representative OF the
school OF the staff and engineers, which
for1he first year or two welded such a
: powerful influence in military affairs.
Helleck's estimate of Wright Is dis
closed in the following extract from a
dispatch to Grant at Spottsylvania
while Wright was yet in comparative
obscurity. He was recommending the
promotion of volunteer generals to the
high vacancies in the regular estab-
lishment, and said:
81 think that you will concur with
me that Meade and Sherman should
be made major-generals of the army
and Hancock and Wright should lie
made brigadier- generals of the army in
their places. OF the four l think
Wright has the most solid intellect,
but, as he has won less distinction
than the others. he should be put at
the foot of the list"
But Grant did not concur in this.
Probably there were at that moment
half dozen other regulars who, at
least in the public estimate, were more
entitled to such promotion. That
Grant thought so is manifest from his
answer, dated near Spottsylvania, May
20:
Gen. Wright is one of the most
meritorious officers in the service, and
with opportunity will demonstrate his
fitness for any position; hut at present
/ doubt whether Sheridan has not most
entitled himself to the other vacant
brigadier-g generally
Gen. Wright was never promoted to
brigadaer In the general army. He
rose to that rank long afterward, but
in the stan department Nevertheless.
il will be seen that be had powerful
friends at court pushing him for pro-
motion even Before he had earned the
rank and that Gen. Grant, familiar
with him In the field, had high
opinion OF him. That he should have
had the next promotion after Hancock
10 Altifbch NtltdAn 4tstA tkt hOt AulACu 10
meet expectations when the one oppor-
turity OF every mans life came TO him.
The confederate demonstration against
Washington, two months later. was
Gen. wright's opportunity to demon
strate his fitness for any position.
The sixth corps was sent by water
from Petersburg to Washington to save
the capital. which It d,d, But Grant
wanted considerably more than mere
negative results when the enemy got
outside his everlasting breastworks in
to the open. What he expected. audi
what at the time he thought of Wright.
hre set forth In the following Vigorous
| dispatch from City Point. July " 1861.
Give orders assigned Mai/Gen. II.
.. Wright to supreme command of All
e troops moving out against the
my. regardless OF the RAM OF other
msnders. He should gel outside
srenches with all the forYe he pos
can. and should push Early to tho
moment. supplying hiRself froo,