The Washington herald., 1914-03-03

paign, and to drive Johnston through the
Georgia mountains to Atlanta
Grant had taken no part in the move
ment in his favor in Washington. So
far as he was concerned. another man
might have been the object OF IT. HIS
genuine modesty is evidenced IN some OF
his letters of the period. in which he de-
cIared that he saw no reason why such
a great honor should be offered him.
This course by Grant was perhaps the
surest means of securing for him the
rank of lieutenant general Congress
was by no means unit in the matter,
and opposition developed in both the
House and the Senate to the passage Oh
the bill creating the rank.
deed. il may almost be said that it was
created-by Elihu ,. Washburne, Rep
resentative from Illinois. Mr.. WASH
burne had championed Grant when
they lived in the same toWn-Gaiena,
Grant was then a poor and discreoiteu
former captain, who had resigned from
the United States Army when MS per-
sonaI habits had been called in question
From the time of Grants appoint
mont as a colonel of an Illinois volun-
feer regiment, Washburne had peen
Grants friend and defender at the Ma
tional Capital. In the first two years
of the war Grant had needed some sucn
champion, for his career was a curious
Iv uphiII one, in spite of his victories.
The old shad, ,w of his drinking habits
hung over him and, even when he was
temperance personi-sd, he was never free
from suspicion and attack in this con-
nection. .-
Did Not Ask Promotion.
At the conclusion of the Chattanoosa
campaign. in which Grant had added
fI,a
the capture of Vicksburg, Mr.. wash
burne set earnestly about the task or
making Grant the head Of the Armies OF
the United States, by introducing Dali
in the House reviewing the grade OF
lieutenant general. Grant was not namod
in the original draft of the Dill, but
Washburne felt sure that Grant wouid
be the choice of the President for the ne"
command.
when Mr. Washburne acquainted Grant
with what he had done Grant replied:
"Recollect that have been highly hon
ored already by the government, and DO
not ask or feel that / deserve anything
more in the shape of honors or promo
tions."
Washburne pushed ahead with his bill
and on February ! succeeded in securing
final action on it in the House
Mr.. washburne. who was an intense
and forceful speaker, ''ramped and
roared, expostulated and threatened, IN
the language of one of his hearers, until
ne had fairly bulldozed the House into
acting on the bill.
The opposition was not to be despised.
One of its leaders was Gen. James A.
Garfield, who on December had resigned
frcrn the army to take his seat in Con-
gress from Ohio. Gen. Garfield had been
chief-of-staff to Gen. w. S. Rosecrans,
who had been relieved of command by
Grant when the latter went to the RELIEF
of Chattanooga. Garfields loyalty to
Gen. Rosecrans may have Influenced his
opinion of Grant. for Rosecrans had
thought Grant "a fool for luck" rather
than a great soldier.
Garfield was now a member OF the
House Military Committee. He made the
point in debate that the President already
had power to detail any major general
20 perform the duties that would be in
trusted to a lieutenant general If the
rank were to be conferred as a reward
of merit. he suggested that action be de-
ferred until after the war. He paid Grant
a tribute for his great work in the West,
and urged that he be left there.
Debate in the House.
Two other members of the military
committee-Gen. Farnsworth, of Illinois,
and Gen. Robert c. Schenck, its chair
man, favored the bill; the former on the
ground that Grant would lead his armies
in person, and not in a richly furnished