The Opposing Generals--grant And Lee

LIEUTENANT GENERAL GRANT. Man)' attempts have been made at a portraiture of the Lieutenant Oeneral who now eomniands tha loyal atmies of ie United States, Rome are eulogiatic, ome critica!, and others toadysisms. It must be confessed he is a very difficult ubject for the literary limner. In phyique he is ordinary, almost diminutive. n bis prcsence there is nothing impresive, as people expect héroes to be- no how no pretensión - a low, smal', but istinct voice- filent and retiring- mail in stature- he is compactly built nd capable of great activity and endur nee. Though of the fewest possible words, he is npt moróse or repulsive.- 'his reticence is not the result of misanthropy or ill nature, for no trial of tem per rnffles the calmness of hia roind.- No oiScer is more approacbable. There is no Gen: ral commander s ready to dispense with ceremony or the show of rauk, to listen carefully and to reply plaiuly to the point. His hair is satidy nothing else eau be made of it- thick and busliy, as yet not marked with gray. 'he barber has had nothing to do about lis face siuce the war commenced, whereore, much of the native expresión of lis coutitenance is lost under moustnche nd beard. A dry, straight cut mouth, nd ele r gray eyes, are about uil that re vioible. Ön his forehead, the skin, well tantied and browned by exposure, is rawn over the frontal bone tight and moolh as a drumhead. Not a wrinkle r a frown is over seen there. It is the xpression of immovable calmness. His orehead is higher aud bitter thau it apleara to be, for it is concealed by ooarse, mshy hair. Incessant, close, aud rapid hought is going on there, however quiet je external signs may be. Gon. Grant cannot be called a genius. At West Point he was not considered ery bright, ouly mediocre. Where is ae'secret of his military renown ? He is not a martinet or a drill master. n matters of detail he is not a disci ilinarian. His troops exhibit at first iCüuaiutance no special like ordislike; ertainlv no enthusiasin. ïheir affection nd their confidence is not the growth of day, but a campaign. Itisnot always necessary to have enius to be a great general. Welling on won his fame slowly, and was uo avorite with his men. He won it by lear, cold, coinmon sense. Gen. Grant sees clearly the object in view, and looks at nothing else. He is fond of war, and hates politics The battle is one of his delights, although even here there is no excitement. A caltn and intuilive judginent presides amidst the most horrible confusión. These qualities by degrees attach snldiers to him persoually. They acquire eonfideuce in leaders who move iuto battle fearlessly, yet while there have full control of their faculties. In Mexico, as a Lieutenant, he was r garded as careless of life. At Behnon', in November, 18 1, great personal risks were run, losing his hoiso and servant. On the steond day at Shiloh, his ex posures were frequent and imminent. lf Gen. Grant does not court popular ity he studiously avoids giving offeuse. He is slow and moderate in military censures, but for all this penetrates the character of those about hini. There are qualities enough here for agO'jd General - with independence suflScient to decide, without councils of war ; discrimination euough to select the best agents for bis work ; quiet but firm ; dariug in battle; kind, social, aud approachable; are not these better than the most bril liant exhibitions of genius ? Are these not the reasons why much oorfidence is reposed in tliat small, unpretending man ? We he:ir öf no jealousies or bickering among his corps commanderSi - Soldiers aud officers feel that they must follovy his example and go wherever he is wiiling to lead, or to order thetn. It insniresthem wiih a sentiment of bility under which they stand up to the work of deatb tiü that comes or victory. Retreat forum uo part of his progratume. He knows, moreover, that in prolouged contests norihcrn meu cme out best. - On these two maxims he is always rèady to take the risk of battle if the uumbers are not far Irotn equal. W hen the moment arrivés to strike, tbe blmv is delivered without studving very closely whether everythiiig is ready, for in a great anny souiethiiig musí be left to chance and muoh more to Providence. GEN ROBEItT E. LEK, (REBEL ) Robert E Lee graduated at West Point in 1830 ainong tho first five in his class. He was a young man of good moráis, s date, respectable and iudus trious. There was in his mauners the oíd Virginia hauteui , not, ho ever, iu an offecisive form. His ntiinato cotnpanions were few, and of the same s'amp. It was evident he considered himself a uiember of the Soulhcrn ariatocracy, but of the purer and more elevated class In person, he is robust, of good Iieight and presence, well forined, with dark hair, ejes and complexión. During the Mexican wiir he was Captain of' Eugi neers, having tho full contidence of Gen. Scott. Wbeu tbe army turoed tbe fortress of ElPinon by tbe wny of Lake Chalco, Captain Lee perfornied a prominent, part of tbe operutions against Contreras. For threo days and nigbts be was iu motion, till be feil dowu from mere exbaustioo. He muiiitaiued bis reputation af'ter the Mexican war, until the rebellion bioke out, and attaiDcd tbe rank of Colouel of' Cavalry. Always oool, prudent and energetio, Oolonel Lee stood among the most promishig men of our army. By marriaÊfo he acquired wcaltb, which witb bis acknowledged bravery as an officer, bis talents, iutelligence aud freedora from dis6Ípation, eni abled hini to inaintaiu at ArlingtoQ tbo I positioD of ? trne Gbevalier atid ap arii tocrat so dear to the Virgiuian heart. - He waa honorable atid patriotic, but to bim oíd Virginia coustiiuted more than til the rest of the world. The rebels heve a grade above that of tur Lieutenant Geueral, which Gen. Leo holds. Nothwitlistanding the great service he has been to the rebullion ; Piesident Davis is not on cordial terras with bim. He entered into their schemes with reluetance. Even now there are fireeaters who distrust his earuestness in tb o Southern cause. Like Grant he is not a brilliant geuiua, but he has a much more cultivated mind. They are alike in their indepecdence of thought, in tbeir courage and in the pertuiacity of their fightitig. Their ïen have confidence in both, but one bas to deal with impetuous soufs who demand sorr.ething brilliant, without counting risks. They willen velop a fortification, rush up to tbe ditch and nitf it in ranks four deep, no matter bow much their ranks are broken in upnn by a storm of missiles. They ili surge ü'nd bowl arnuud the atigles of the works till half of tbem are dead or dinabled, but in th steady, calm conflict of days and nights their ardor lises'its forcé In the patiënt endurance of bis forces Gsu. Grant has a botter element tluin the tiery chivalry of the South. He avoids fortifications whenever they eau be turned by foreed marehes, and clears tbem quicker than by assault. He bas men who will strive as hard to gain the parapets of the enemy when it is necessary, but with his mateiiala he has other and better modes ot suecess. On our side is the dogged steadi.ness of theEnglisb; on the South ern side the impetuosity of the French. Lee is not, in tliis respect, their beau ideal of a commander. He is eool, clear sighted and obstinate. His military experience, howevtr, mukes u[) very rouch for tbat hot-headed valor so much admired by the Southerners. After all they have coufidence in him as a commander, and our Generáis admit him to be the most able of their oppotten is. Astounding as Lee's treasou bas been, he has a professional character that military men of all nations will regard with respect. He is now about sixty years of age, and the senior of Grant by twenty years, but has a good coustitution well calculated to sustain the wear and tear of field service. Such are the men now playing the most conspicuous parts of this age in military affairs as posterity will view thtitu.