Posted on 11/16/2023 6:35:08 AM PST by Homer_J_Simpson
WASHINGTON, Saturday, Nov. 14.
The following papers were among the dispatches, &c., recently captured on board the blockade runners R.E. Lee, Cornubia and Ella and Annie, off "Wilmington, N.C. They are important and interesting:
PARIS, Friday, Oct. 1, 1863.
Hon. Jefferson Davis:
MY DEAR SIR: You cannot possibly imagine the very great happiness which your letter gave me, both on account of the assurance of your continued friendship and the hopeful tone which pervaded it in relation to our public affairs.
Both of these facts are fully confirmed by my friend, Dr. GIRARD, who speaks of your kindness to him in the most enthusiastic terms, and he has relieved my apprehensions that, like our first great leader, CALHOUN, your body might prove unequal to the burden your spirit imposes upon it.
For the sake of the cause, as well as for the sake of these that love you, it is essential that you should not overtask your strength; for every day has convinced me more and more that we have no Joshua to take your place and lead us into Canaan, if that place were rendered vacant. It is useless to disguise the fact that the men around you do not inspire confidence, and that chaos would soon come were your band withdrawn from the helm. Military ability of the highest order our revolution has produced; but of diplomatic talent it has been most singularly barren. The old men of the old regime, like the Bourbon, seem "to have learned nothing, and forgotten nothing," and no younger ones seem springing up to supply their places. Radical democracy, which levels down instead of grading up, seems almost as strong with us as with the North, though not in such repulsive shapes;
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
First session: November 21, 2015. Last date to add: May 2025.
Reading: Self-assigned. Recommendations made and welcomed.
Posting history, in reverse order
https://www.freerepublic.com/tag/by:homerjsimpson/index?tab=articles
To add this class to or drop it from your schedule notify Admissions and Records (Attn: Homer_J_Simpson) by reply or freepmail.
Link to previous New York Times thread
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4197026/posts
Intercepted Rebel Correspondence: Inside Views of Rebel Intrigues in Europe – 2-4
Later from New-Orleans: The Late Affair in the Teche District – 4
Rebel Raid in Eastern Virginia: Capture of the Whole Party – 4
Army of the Potomac: Firing Yesterday in the Vicinity of Kilpatrick’s Camp – 5
News from Washington: Our Special Washington Dispatches – 5
Editorial: Rebel Operations in Europe – The Intercepted Correspondence – 5-6
Editorial: The Approaching City Election – 6
The Central Railroad Election – 6
Destruction of Gen. Neal Dow’s Tannery in Portland – 6
Contemplated Resignation of Gov. Gamble – 6
The Steamship Asia at Boston – 6
Jefferson Davis- Commanded the Mississippi Rifles as Colonel during the Mexican-American war, was a Representative and Senator, and successful Secretary of War.
Abraham Lincoln- elected Captain of his brigade during the 1832 Blackhawk wars and saw no action, elected to one term in the House and was kicked out for opposing the Mexican-American war.
However, Lincoln proved to be the better President. Why? Because Lincoln was looking at the big picture, the long game, and he didn't hold grudges. Lincoln was openly mocked and riduculed, even by some in his own cabinet but he didn't make anybody pay for that. Instead, he saw the ultimate goal was to re-unite the States into one Union, and to free the slaves (he was the first anti-slavery President in US history). Jefferson Davis was thin-skinned and could be spiteful. He didn't have the vision of a George Washington, where to form a new country, the goal wasn't to WIN the war, but to NOT LOSE. He allowed Lee to invade the North twice, with disastrous results.
If he had had vision, he'd have kept the capital in Montgomery, Alabama where it could be more easily defended. The Confederacy could've more easily wore down the Union's will to fight by doing this. Turns out, all the Union needed was the kind of commander who wasn't afraid to take on Lee and the war was over in little over a year after Grant took command.
Grant may have been a "butcher", but Lee was just as bad.
Those figures are very different from most posted. For instance, the 1864 engagement at Cold Harbor resulted in almost 13,000 Union casualties compared to 5200 Confederate. There is no way in Hades that Union casualties should be listed at 4595.
Grant was just implementing Lincoln’s policy of charge first and ask questions later.
The only other commander who would've done a better job than Grant was George Thomas. He was a Virginian who stayed loyal to the Union, so he didn't have the political backing that Grant and Sherman did (from Ohio). He was also considered "slow" because he was slow moving- from an accident he had falling off a horse.
However, once he commenced an operation, his armies were fast and devastating. His only two operations in which he was in command, Mill Springs, KY and Nashville, resulted in annhilation of Confederate forces opposing him and a complete Union victory.
https://www.battlefields.org/learn/biographies/george-thomas
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.