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THE

UNITED STATES SERVICE

MAGAZINE.

VOL. III.-MAY, 1865.-NO. V.

GRANT.

BY THE EDITOR.

UNDUE and premature praise of newly-appointed and untried generals was one of the principal faults of loyal men in the early days of the war. It was unjust to those bepraised, injurious to the cause, and, at last, very humiliating to the praisers. But we have learned a lesson. We are an educated people, on that point, at least. We no longer measure men by what they are 66 going to do," or for what we hope and wish they will do; but for what they have done and are doing. Sherman Poliorcetes is an historic character; we have the list of his cities captured; we have traced the route of his magnificent marches, and the fields on which his enemies have been beaten. Sheridan, the famous rider, is beloved of his countrymen because of his victory at Winchester; his famous riposte at Cedar Creek; his happy faculty of "settling new cavalry generals," and sending his enemies "whirling up the valley;" his terrible raid north of Richmond and Lynchburg, and his impetuous advance at the Five Forks and Burkesville. Thomas is the Rock of Chickamauga and the hero of Nashville. Meade has his enduring arc de triomphe at Gettysburg. And so it is with hundreds whom we cannot now mention, but whose worthy deeds are already recorded by History. But all will agree that there is no one among our great captains whose fame

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1865, by C. B. RICHARDSON, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Southern District of New York.

VOL. III.-26

is more real and solid, whose highest office is based upon a firmer foundation, and who stands before the world as a more exalted hero, than the commander-in-chief, Lieutenant-General Grant.

We have often had occasion to present partial estimates of his character, as they have been elicited by particular actions: his bravery, his endurance, his good common sense, his freedom from affectation of greatness, and his extreme tenacity of

purpose.

These good qualities, each good in itself, and far more excellent in their combination, have been conceded by the foreign press-not in the main friendly to us-and indirectly allowed by his bitter enemies, the rebel editors, who have usually ransacked the chronicles of Billingsgate to find proper titles for our Yankee generals.

But a far higher greatness it required time to develope. Let us attempt to explain this.

By reason of his important successes at the West, which had achieved great popularity and influence throughout the land, he was brought to Washington, no one dissenting, as lieutenantgeneral. This would have turned the heads of most men. Many generals, easily satisfied with such unprecedented greatness, would have remained in Washington, surrounded themselves with a brilliant staff, and, most inadequately, directed, by telegraph, staff, and courier, the movements of our armies in this vital exigency.

What does Grant do? He takes no easy post, in or out of the field; he does not touch Ralph de Vipont's shield, because he has the least sure seat and is the cheapest bargain, but he strikes that of the dreaded Templar, with the sharp end of his lance, until it rings again. Lee and his veterans are his aim; success, be sure, will gain him the highest glory; but who will succeed against the best general in the Confederacy? The Army of the Potomac had indeed won battles, and lost no honor; but they had gained no signal strategic advantage against "the decisive point"-Richmond. Until this was done, nothing decisive was done.

Follow Grant's course. He moves across the Rapidan, attacks and is attacked in the frightful Wilderness. He finds "a foeman worthy of his steel. Dreadfully handled there, many, nay, most generals would have recrossed the river, and, by admirable strategy, reassured the safety of Washington, and then tried some new circumambulation. Not so Grant. Inflexibly he pushes his skilful antagonist towards the great goal. No power, human or Satanic, can shake him off in the deadly wrestling-match; sometimes down, he is up again with a new clutch, and slowly but surely encircles Lee. The warfare is Titanic.

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