The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-05-25

are always for the loser without due regard
for the questions of justice and principle
involved: and In part from q failure ~
generalship. There Will never be a question
of Lees soldiership. He was splendid. up 10
the level of the finest ever shown; and his
that he was unique even then. Stonewall
Jackson's friends would hardly grant that.
nor Picketts. nor our Hancosks or Sheri-
dan's-not TO mention them all But OF his
generalship IL has been said that its great
est exhibition was in his prompt movement
upon Grant in the Wilderness in 1864. But
even that was mere sodiership. because
there was then nothing 10 be done but just
to fight il out on that line"
The test of Lees generalship lies In his
conduct OF his two aggressive campaigns,
the Antietam and the Gettysburg; and I'm
both Of them he escaped destruction not by
reason of his skill as a general, nor the
efficiency of his soldiers, but because OF the
wretched conditions that hampered and al
most mastered the Army OF the Potomac.
With that dreadful peninsula imbecility be-
hind IL, and the Pope campaign, with ats
circumstances that 10 many minds at that
time suggested even treason, il certainly
does not put a stamp Of transcendant merit
in generalship upon Lee that he no more
than got away from II at Antietam. when
due regard is had for the manner in which
IL was mishandled there. And no more
than the Antietam does the Gettysburg
campaign mark him a great. general The
Army of the Potomac had further suffered
snercilessy through the sheer incompetency
its commanders, at FrederiCkSDur
where IL will forever be TO the astonish-
ment of military students that Lee did no
more than repulse the attacks made upon
his positions; and at Characteristic. where
fatuous blindness almost past belief again
rioted with it. Almost on the battlefield OF
Gettysburg il was given over 10 a new
commander, who modestly distrusted his
own fitness for the hour. who could not
possibly in the time given him fully grasp
its needs. He, therefore, may be wisely
enough, attempted no more than TO Just
hold his own. But that Meade under such
circumstances, permitted Lee 10 go where
he would, was not generalship I'm Lee. One
cannot doubt that IL the Army OF the Po-
tomac at Gettysburg had been wisely and
strongly and daringly commanded Lees
army would have been as effectively anni-
Inflated as Hoods was al Nashville.
For the rest, Lee fought his own
ground, on the soil Of that Virginia OF his
where ne was born. which was more TO him
than all the rest of the great Republic
as the streets of Washington; and I'm COM
mand of the most valorous army that ever
walked on land. as they themselves never
tire of telling us. How could he not make
a good fight? He did make such, as all the
world knows, and the fact goes far 10 win
for him the pardon OF mankind for that
he made IL in such a cause. But great
general he was not, nor a great man: for
he could not rise above a narrow SECTIONAL
ism and take his stand shoulder 10 shoulder
with his fellow-Virginian, George H. Thorn
as, in doing his part of his generations
share I'm the work Of compelling man 10 go
up a little higher. .. w. SEARS
Indianapolis, May %