Year: 1868

SENATOR HARLAN ON GRANT,
Speech of Senator Harlan Affirma-


tory of GranI,s Military Incompe-


tency-Grans Pronounced entity Of


the Useless Slaughter >, OF Union


Soldiers--The Conduct ,of Grant at
, the Battle of Pittsbarg landing =
What Grants Comrades Thought of
him. ,.-..-..--,.,f ,-7,, .. ,-. ell s,f,i,r o
In the Senate of the United States on
the 9th Of May, 1862, debate arose upon
a resolution submitted by Senator Sher-
man, directing the Secretary of War to
communicate copies Of all official reports
relative to the battle Of Pittsburg Land
ing.-Among those engaging in the dis
cussion was Senator Harlan, Of Iswa,
whose remarks, presented below, are
takenyfrom the Congressional Globe.-
(Second session Thirty y-seventhE Con-
gress, part 8, pages 2,036-37):


Mr.THARLAN-Mr. President SO far
rs the remarks of the Senator from
Ohio may have been intended to defend
the troops of that State from any unjust
aspirations, Iehave not word to say
They were well timed, and it was prob
able proper subject for the considera-
tion Of the Senate, as their courage had
been called in question, as it seems, by
a Senator from another State. But that
part of his speech which may have been
intended to bolster up the reputation OF
General Grant think may have an in
furious effect in the future, and hence /
rise to repudiate every word he has said
that may have that tendency. From all
l can learn on the subject, do not think
General Grant is fit to command a great
army in the field. Iowa had eleven reg
iments in the field at the battle of Pitts
burg Landing. He can never make one
of those men believe that General Grant
is fit to command. have seen many
of them, have conversed with the Off
GERS and privates, and they believe that
our army was surprised. Twill read one
or two short extracts from letter writ
ten by gentleman of my State, who is
now the presiding judge of one of the
district courts, and who spent several
days on the battlefield Immediately af-
ter the conclusion of the battle. He
says:


During the whole time was with the
army availed myself of every means to
gain correct information as to the battle
and all the details connected with it,
No one can get the truth by reading
of the newspaper correspondence so well
as by conversation with the officers and
soldiers who were in the fight. There
is no use in trying to disguise or cover
up the fact that our army was badly
surprised on Sunday morning. Up to
the time that General Grant assumed
command at Pittsburg Landing, Gener-
al Sherman was in command, and kept
his pickets of infantry and cavalry out
in front of his lines for three or four
miles, but after Grant arrived this was
entirely neglected, and, notwithstand-
ing scouts, deserters from the
enemy, and citizens reported
to General Grant, through the
proper officers. that the main body Of
the enemy were approaching our lines,
he indignantly scorned the idea of an
attack, saying that Generals johnson
and 5Beauregard were not DID fools
enough to attack us here" = y
On Saturday night before the, battle the
army was moved up so close to OUT
front lines that, as rebel prisoner in
formed me, they could hear the soldiers
talking in their camps. At daylight
the enemy commenced the attack with
not less than seventy five thousand
men. They rushed into some of our
camps before our soldiers had time to
fall intoline of battle, and while many
of our officers were asleep.


In the concluding part of the letter,
he says: --- -.


Although our victory on Monday was
complete, and the rebels utterly routed,
yet it was too dearly purchased. The
criminal scarelessness, or something
worse, ON the part of General Grant,
whereby so many brave soldiers were
slaughtered, admits of no palliation or
excuse. Newspaper correspondents may
write as they please, but the united
voice of every soldier in Grants army
condemns him, and it is now time that
the Government should do likewise.


From all can learn from the troops
from Iowa who participated in this bat
tie, with whom have conversed, both
officers and men, this is but an express
sion of conviction made on the minds
Of all of them. The Iowa troops have
been in battle repeatedly under command
of General Grant; they have no conf
dence in his capacity and fitness for the
high position he now holds. They re.
gard him as the author of the useless
slaughter of many hundreds of their
brave comrades in arms. 1t is not ne.
cessary, nor is it right, to compel them to
serve under him. The speech of the
Senator from Ohio might, if unnoticed
induce those in authority to continue
him in the field. I understand he has
been virtually suspended that he now
really has no command that each di
vision and army corps of the Western
Department is under the command ol
another General, and the whole under
the command of General Halleck that
General Grant is second in command Of
the whole, which is, of course, merely
nominal. In my opinion he ought not
to have multiplied thousands of mer
placed in his hands after the record
which he has made. And the only prac
teal tendency of that part Of the speech
of the Senator from Ohio would be te
induce the President to assign him al
active command. This cannot consent
to have done in the presence of my
countrymen, MANNED and slaughtered, al
l believe, through his carelessness OF
incompetency. L say this not on ac.