General Halleck, in an official communication addressed to
the adjutant general of the State of Iowa, has mentioned the Iowa troops at the
battle before Fort Donelson as “the bravest of the brave.” Nor do I know that
General Grant, or any other general, has ever withheld just commendation. I therefore
repeat that I have no personal grievance to redress for myself or for the
troops of my State. And I would have remained silent on this subject in the
Senate, if the speech of the Senator from Ohio had not made it necessary for me
to speak; for I do not deem the Senate Chamber the proper place for criticisms
on the conduct of a general in the field. I think it much better to present our
personal convictions in relation to the character of our generals to the
Secretary of War and to the President. For myself, I uniformly pursue this
course, and regret that it has, in my judgment, become necessary to depart from
it in this case. But, sir, it
is often as dangerous and as wicked to praise the unworthy and incompetent as
to detract from the meritorious. If my convictions are correct, it would be a
crime for me to remain silent, and suffer influences to originate in the Senate
Chamber which may result in restoring a general to an active command whom I and
the people I in part represent deem unworthy of such a trust.
Iowa has sent to the field about twenty thousand troops.
They have behaved, I think, well on every battle-field where they have
appeared. As far as I know, no Iowa regiment has ever faltered in the discharge
of duty, however perilous. Their numbers have been reduced by the casualties of
the field and camp nearly one fourth. They give their lives with firmness to
aid in restoring the supremacy of the laws. But, sir, they believe, and I
believe, that a large per cent. of this loss was useless, and is justly
attributable to the carelessness or inability of General Grant. And he shall
not, with my consent, be continued in command. There is nothing in his
antecedents to justify a further trial of his military skill. At Belmont he
committed an egregious and unpardonable military blunder, which resulted in almost
annihilating an Iowa regiment. At Fort Donelson, the right wing of our army,
which was under his immediate command, was defeated and driven back several
miles from the enemy's works. The battle was restored by General Smith, the
enemy's works were stormed, and thus a victory was finally won. And so on the
battle-field of Shiloh, his army was completely surprised, as I believe from
all the facts I can procure, on Sunday, and nothing but the stubborn bravery of
the men fighting by regiments and brigades, saved the army from utter
destruction. The battle was afterwards restored and conducted by General Buell
and other generals, who came on the field during the evening and night; and our
forces ultimately succeeded in completely routing the enemy.
Now, sir, with such a record, those who continue General Grant
in an active command will, in my opinion, carry on their skirts the blood of
thousands of their slaughtered countrymen. With my convictions, I can neither
do it myself nor silently permit it to be done by others.
SOURCE: The
Congressional Globe, The Second Session of the Thirty-seventh Congress, p.
2036-7
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