The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-04-16
SIMON B. BUCKNER
LAST LIEUT.-G
The Gray Eagle Of Glen Lily He Is Eighty
Eight Years Old Fought ii the
Mexican War


ticket with General Palmer. since he
fctired from Office as Governor he has
made his hons constantly al Glen Lily.
4 General Euckncr's son. simon Bolivar
bhckner J,. was graduated from West
II iioint few years ago and is now in
Z INC United states Army, where he is
making record that is 81 source or
pride to Ills distinguished father. IN
the centennial celebration 1T West
foint, 3, few years ago. General Buck
ner Was one Of the notable figures.
When war with spain was declared lie
irroifcrod his servicc. and. despite his
seventy years, Was ready 10 go 10 the
front
Many visitors find their way 10 ..Gicn
Lily TO enjoy The hospitality OF Cen
! crsl Ruckncr's delightful home and to
/ discuss with lin that part nj United
States history which he Helped 10 make.
seated In his Hilary. with his cob pipe
between his liPs. General Buckilcr
makes The days Of the Mexican aud
me Civil Wars live again. The gen
! eral is famous in Kentucky for the cob
/ Pipe. which he never forsakcs FOR the
! finest cigar.
General Buckner enjoys good health
! and remarkable vigor for mar OF his
year. a more delightful haven than
! iicn Lily for veteran warrior to
| spend his sunsct days could not be
IMAGINED and General Buckner Is en-
Joking iifn there 10 the full as lie en-
| ters his ciEhty-nirth year.
1utcvcnttnR Reimbursement
] General lSnckncr's "reminiscences arc
/ Of unussi interest. Recently he dis
| c'issed with NJ. NJ. b Morton. Of the
! Nashville Banner. the Mexican and Civil
F.! Wars. and gave some interesting csti-
(. mates OF the leaders. His estimate OF
Enr lbs. If,-1,, ia,
Asked about tho Mexican. General
Buckner said: Tic is a good soldier
| In many respects Hc could stand and
/ DC shot at long range better than our
! people. We wanted 20 20 ono way or
| the other, you know. hut they couidn'l
stand the charge. the hurrah--wiaJ we
| call the rebel yell which we had then
they couldn't resist It. they wound
break. ASKED who was tho greatest
! Confcderate General General B,ickner
answered: Practically Lee; Albert Sid
ncy Johnson would nave been his equal
had he lived" ba
While anrrccla,Ing General Grants.
( abilities, General R,ickncr considers
[ General Lee the greatest general. ana
! thinks Grant won through logged per-
severance and largersforccs He said: :
II Lees position and Grants had
been reversed. Lee the assailant with
| the superior forces that Grant had |
| uoai ttilHh prHnl would nave lasted
| forty-eisht hours before Ice. and Ice
had ten months OF operation. with con
stanuy diminishing forces. and Grant
! all tho time receiving reinforccmcnts
Of fresh men.
| Takc any OF his predecessors in the
Army OF the Potoma CATER some OF
tho reverses he had when he advanced
have Withdrawn. hut Grants doggeu
perseverance Kept him going. He
| wouldn't give UP. And the governmen.
! sustained him as it did not SUSTAIN any
| Of tho others. They were Jealous o.
McClellan---wouldn support him."
Whom do you class as the best OF
the Federal generals during the Civn
! War; y
Mcclellan was one OF the best they
had. IIe WIS superior TO Grant. Mo
| Clellnn formed the army that Grant
commanded. When Mcclellan took II,
hardship. ana he maneouvered Il hand
! soinciy Grand had admirable quail
! ties MS general. great frmness OF
/ purpose, bulldog courage and tcnacity.
but he lost more men killed and wound
cd In his Virginia campaign than were
| In Lees army"
| Discussing the other Federal gen
| erals, General Bnckner said:
| General Sherman wes an admirable
| omccr- lie was a skilful ofticer super
I, opinion. lie could manoeuvere better. lie
could handle troops better. Grants
idea was. 40 he had superior forces.
! Just to run over the enemy by bull.
| dog courase.dIIe had very little aaea
OF strategy or of taking advantage oil
! positions or movement. Sherman had
that III an eminent degree"
Mcadc he considered medium Off
GER. who ut Gettysburg, by rapid move
mcnts managed 10 concentrate scat
tered army 10 meet Lee
As to the Confederate leaders. Gen.
eral Buckner repeated an opinion on
/ General Bragg which no gave President
Davis when the latter visited Chattc.
nooga during the war. Davis and Gen
eral Buckncr were riding up Lookout
Mountain, when Davis said
What do you think OF Bragg?"
= said: "Mr President Will toll
Sou frankly. General Rrasg. MS =
military man. as a commander. is want
ing in imagination. He cannot foresee
what probably may ocnr. When he was
formed his own opinion of what he
proposes 10 do. no advice OF all his ol,,-
GERS Put together can shake him: but
when he meets tho unexpected IL over
1 whelms him. because he had not boon
anie TO foresee and then he will lean
on the advice Of a drummer boy"
As 10 Hood. General Buckncr said:
Hood was a gallant Fighter, but knew
nothing OF the great art OF war. Cen
cral Joseph z. Johnston was an adj
mirablc officer IN every respect'
-hl.e ----------- ~----------- .Ilt VI
i Forty-Nine Years Ago.
4 Saturday was the anniversary of an
! event In our city. but it is only the
siivercd heads that remember what