Evening star., 1932-11-04

meT showed, however, the North was
feeling the strain. The gigantic strug-
gle continued into the fourth year with
no decisive outcome in sight.
Wilderness Campaign.
Grant intrusted with the chief COM
mand Of the Union forces in March,
1864, entered upon the frightful wilder
ness campaign, which eliminated in
the appalling losses at ColdhaIbor,
June l to 3.
The presidential campaign was COM
ing on A convention of the disafIected
met at Cleveland on May 81. and
nominated Gen. John c. Fremont for
| President. The Republican convention
met at Baltimore. June 7-only four
days arer COldharbor We know now,
what could not be known 2t the time
that the real victory had been won at
! Gettysburg; that the forces against the
! Union gallant as they were. and
actuated by the deepest Of convictions.
had been overcome in the long struggle
Of the preceding years. Yet this funda-
mental fact was still ObScWed By the
smoke of battle. The North was still
! di5mayed almost stunned by the ViO-
| lence Of the blows it had received. The
casualties Of the wilderness hung like
pail over the land. Would it be pos
| sible, men asked, for the Nation TO sur
vive? Was it worth while fighting on?
Lincoln Renominated.
Lincoln was renominated, but the
country was profoundly disheartoned.
1t felt it had made enormous sacrifices
and made them in vain True, Grant
had now advanced on Richmond and
had invested the capital Of the Conted-
eracy.
But early in July the daahing Jubal
Early had appeared in front OF wash
ington and II looked FOR q tense mo-
ment as il the National Capil.l itself
might fall. A few day later Federal
attempt to break through The defense
Of Richmond failed GlsastrOuely.
Bear in mind what I SAID moment
aoo-thaJ the retreat Of the Union had
been for months definitely stopped and
the advance was already IN progress.
But the strain had been 80 long and SO
heavy that the Nation could not realize
what had happened. The wave Of dis
CCuTagement that swept over he cOUn-
try in the Summer Of 1864 was 50 eE-
( treme that on August %, Lincoln pre-
pared his famous secret memorandum.
This morning" he wrote "a5 for
some days past. it seems exceedingly
probable that this administration VIII
lot b. reelected. Then j. WI .e My
duly TO 50 Cooperate Win the fresl-
GCnt-elect as 10 save the Union between
the election and the IN ugurai lUN, as
Er Will have secured ms election on
such ground that he cannct possibly
save 1t afterwards.
Mcclellan Nominated.
Six DAYS later the Democratic NJ
tfpp--l Convention Z. (TETEaUD and
declared in lis platform as the sense
pf the American people. that after four
years Of failure 70 restore the Union or
the experiment Of Wa1-. justice humaLlt-.
liberty, and the public welfare demand
that immediate efforts be made Tor
cessation Of hostllirIes
On that platform. with its appeal 20
dISCCUragemeuI. Cl>cCn-elt' ana SlIer-
ing, the Democratic convention ro-nl-
mated Gen. George Z. Mcclellan OF
New York for President.
But events marched rapidly. The
grand strategy Of the GeneI.! advanced.
for vl.ch the foundation had ben laic
IN the previous y months. 5e--n 10
bear fruit. Alter the gloomy SrMHee ~
1864 success attended tie Union arms
on every front.
Sherman captured Atlanta on Sep
tember : and began L.5 ma.cL to lEe
sea. Sheridan routed ca j. al C5Car
Creek III OctCber. Tn Ere ide-t was
reelected in November. Thomas DC
stroyed Hood at Nashville IN December.
and the following Agrl. csTc BNyCu..t-
t0- Court H0usa and the end OF the war
The transformation from Apparent
stalamate to Overwhelming F.y-grv NAV
have seemed amazing 10 MANY. b., i
it seemed amazing. il was only because
people did not understand how well Tn
foundation had Dfen laid III the dark
CayS that preceded, ana how effectively
the strategy had been planned.
Makes Parallel
I believe this brief outline Of the
progress OF events in Q crisis that con-
frouted a previous generation may help
lis to jUstCr appreciation O. what
has happened in tle years Just past and
what Is happening today.
In 1860. as in 1929. the country Was
unexpectedly faced with grca. CaIall-
ity. Then. as NOW. the C'SruptIFC forces
gathered strength and Ior a time their
progress seemed irresistible.
Then. as now. the resources Of the
Nation were TODI,.Zej and organized il
S$S E