The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-04-13
GRANT AND WALLACE.
No Real Ground for Criticism Of
Either's Action at Shiloh.

To the Editor Of the Indianapolis Journal:
To the nonpartisan judgment it must be
plain that neither Grant nor Wallace is
fairly subject to criticism or in need of
defense because of their doings nom
doings at the battle of Shiloh. Both were
heart and soul in the work in hand and
did their best on that almost fatal field,
did to the limit of their capacity at that
time in generalship and soldiership. But
they were new then in their conflict with
American soldiers. 1t may be that the easy
victory at Fort Donelson had given them
a half-realized feeling of contempt for their
opponents. No one can believe that Buck
ner, a year later, would have surrendered
to so little larger force than his own.
And so, at Shiloh, Grant was surprised.
They were all surprised-the boys who had
undressed for comfortable nights sleep
and were shot down in their tents, those
who were driven from their half-cooked
breakfast, Sherman at the front, Grant
on the river miles below. They who do
not think so make much worse case for
themselves and Grant, for then they must
explain how ii came about that he planted
his army, or allowed it to remain planted
In camps of divisions with no relation to
a bad river behind ii and an Albert Sidney
Johnston on its other side. But Grant
needed no other such lesson in general
ship as that, as all the world knows. And
as he did need 1t then, so did Wallace need
the lesson in scholarship which he then
received. A year later he would not have
made that countermarch. And If he had
but made dash across that bridge of his
and struck the rebel left in the rear I'm the
spirit of Steedman at Chickamauga, of the
boys who drove into the gap at Franklin
the duilest imagination can picture the
different aspect that would haev belonged
TO that first Shiloh day If he had done that,
And so 1t is soothing. no doubt TO our
ex-rebel friends to be assured that the
death of their Albert Sidney Johnston
saved the Army of the Tennessee from de-
struction. But that is but a partial state
ment II helped. but so did other events
so materially to wear them out" Their
tagging disposition at the hour in the day
of Johnstons death Is shown by the fact
that he found il necessary to urge them
on by his presence in their midst on the
firing line Not much later they con-
Guided, along all their line, to rest and
plumber the Yankee camps and do the fin
ishing on the morrow. the more readily in
duced 10 this course their right by a
touch or two from Nelson. And here is the
fact which no Army of the Tennessee man
has ever been magnanmous enough TO con-
cede: The Army OF the Ohio, which was
on the ground and took the initiative next
morning. saved the Army of the Tennes-
see from destruction on the second day at
Shiloh. Johnstons death and that tired
feeling" together with their confidence
that II would be an easy task In the morn
lnE, SdNtu the OF IL on the first
day. but the desperate character of the
second days fighting and the heavy per
cent. of its loss which fell on the Army
OF the Ohio. prove that Wallace would not
then have been help enough. Except for
the sturdy help given IL by Buells army II
would have been annihilated.
There cannot be anywhere any wish TO
do either Grant or Wallace any Injustice
assuredly. Their fame is secure and is
great and broad and solid enough TO bear
the unadorned truth. And there are 9TH
ers To whom scant justice has been done
All that the future historian will make
even but II will not. In his Judgment, be
creditable to our love OF justice and mag
nanimty OF spirit and clearness of discern
ment that. when more than a lifes time
had passed away after the close of our
great war, the most beneficent I'm its fruits
OF all the wars of the world, we still would
wrangle and be niggardly over the parcel
ing out OF its mountains of fame 10 those
who fought IL through TO triumph. when
but 10 have been in IL on the right side and
rightly borne the humblest part is fame
enough for any man. .. w. SEARS.
indianapolis, April 10.