The National tribune., 1899-04-06

Gen. Grant gave a fresh demonstration
of his belonging to quite another tnan
the ordinary class of great military lcaoefs
and heroes.
II would have been pardoned-nay, it
was strongly expected of him-that ne
relax somewhat of the businesSllkc SIM
plicity and energy with which he drove
forward his relentless campaigns, ana IN
dulgc himself, his troops, and the country
in the snowy spectacular effects proper 10
such n we'll earned triumph. Never in the
history of war had there been more
brilliant campaign than he had prose-
cuted since crossing the MISSISSIPPI.
Defying all the teachings OF books, ne
passed a great river in the lace OF a Zoe oi
superior strength, depriving himself oi al
refuge in case OF disaster, and, still more
boldly, he thrust his army in between the
two rebel armies that were concentrating
10 destroy it. "
Then in two glorious months, in winch
the superb General>hIp OF the leader was
only equaled by the gallantry OF the
troops, and the splendid fighting OF the
troops only matched by the Generaishlp
of the leader, he had, while holding one
antagonist at bay, torn the other from
fastness after fastneSS, and at last forced
him TO capitulation i'll a stronghold as
nearly impregnable as any fortress on the
globe. Thirty-ninc thousand prisoners,
including Is Generals, and 246 guns, cap
tured, 10000 of the enemy killed and
wounded, the great central artery OF the
Nation wreSted from the throttilng grasp
of rebellious hands, and the Southern
Confederacy cut in two were the amazing
results of that two months work. which
had cost the Army of the Tennessee 9,Oo0
killed and wounded.
Certainly, if there was ever an occasion
that amply warranted this display OF
laurels and ostentation of triumph, 1t
was this. But if there was the least per
ception of this fact in the mind of the plain.
speaking, quiet hammered commander Oh
the army he gave no indication OF IL.
He accepted the glorious conSummauon
as the mereSt matter of course. He did
not even indulge in SO much of pageant
as to march into the city with the force
that had reduced it. One division only
entered the place as garrison, ana the
moment the capitulatlon became a Ger
tainty, the rest was hastily drawn out oil
the trenches and hurried off TO fall upon
Johnston at Jackson, and crush MIN
before he could escape.
To those ordered upon this duty was
the bitterest trial they had endured since
the beginning of their service. The ex-
pectation of entering NickSburg in tn
umph had been a powerful incentive to
earnest efforts during the long siege. To
set foot as victors inside the formidable
works over which had hung such terrible
issues of life and death, seemed to them
the elimination OF all manly hopes and
CeSlf6S. anu 10 away WllHOul lhio
took away large part of the sweetness
of victory.
No commander but one of unusual firm
ness of fiber would have ventured to ask
this OF his troops, and though there had
been hints OF lack of discipline in the
Army of the Tennessee, there was not
moments hesitation by any regiment in
Obeying orders which they felt were
unnecessarily disregardful of their feelings
and wishes.
On the evening of the Sd of July Walter
was delighted to, receive orders TO report
TO division headquarters in the morning,
to do duty as, mounted Orderly for the
day. This would give him superior op-
portunities for sightseeing during the
eventful hours of that eventful day, and
he was so eager 10 avail himself of the
chance that he was the first of those de-
tailed TO present himself at headquarters.
He was given horse with cavalry equip
ments, and ordered to carry a message to
the commander Of one of the brigades sent