A Democrat recap of the first stages of the spring campaign in 1864 wasn’t too impressed with the new Lieutenant General.
From a Seneca County, New York newspaper in May 1864:
The Fight for Richmond.
“campaign may be considered a failure”
The advance of our armies towards the Confederate capital is resisted with a stubbornness and determination wholly unexpected. After ten days contest, the most sanguinary and bloody of the whole war, hostilities cease, with both armies occupying precisely the same grounds they did at the commencement of the battle. GRANT with all his superior forces fought Lee ten days at Spottsylvania Court House, without driving him from his first line of entrenchments. A perusal of the details show the fighting to have been of the most desperate character. The result of the contest up to Wednesday night of last week was wholly adverse to our armies. On Thursday HANCOCK gained, or seemed to, at least, a decided advantage over the enemy, but the advantage was not followed up and the rebels recovered the lost ground. On Friday the struggle was more determined and bloody on both sides than on any other of the preceding days, at the close of which hostilities ceased with no advantage gained on either side. To all intents and purposes, then, GRANT’s first campaign may be considered a failure. – SIGEL in the Shenandoah Valley, with a large force, intending to co-operate with GRANT in the capture of the rebel capital, has been repulsed by BRECKINRIDGE with a heavy loss of men and guns. BUTLER down on the James river is held in check by BEAUREGARD. A severe fight occurred at Paltas creek [Proctor’s Creek?] on Monday between the forces under these two generals, but, according to the telegraph, without any decisive result.
In the meantime GRANT is being reinforced, and it is also stated that Lee is receiving large reinforcements, preparatory to the next battle. The loss in killed, wounded and missing on both sides is startling, the Tribune estimating the loss on our side at nearly one fourth of GRANT’s army. We may expect to hear of the renewal of hostilities at almost any hour.
The image of general Grant is from wpclipart
