But these things were unimportant. The
rebellion must be crushed. The sledge-hammer must strike until Lee's
keen rapier was shattered. Hammer and rapier were matched against each
other--the combat was _a l'outrance_--the hammer must beat down the
rapier, or fall from the grasp of him who wielded it.
Such was the programme of General Grant. It was not war exactly, in the
old acceptation of the term. It was not taught by Jomini, or practised
by Napoleon. You would have said, indeed, at the first glance, that it
rejected the idea of generalship _in toto_. Let us give General Grant
his just dues, however. He was not a great commander, but he _was_ a
man of clear brain. He saw that brute force could alone shatter the
army of Northern Virginia; that to wear it away by attrition, exhaust
its blood drop by drop, was the only thing left--and he had the courage
to adopt that programme.
To come back to events on the Rapidan in the month of May, 1864.
Lee is ready for the great collision, now seen to be inevitable. His
right, under Ewell, occupies the works on the southern bank of the
Rapidan, above Chancellorsville. His centre, under A.P. Hill, lies near
Orange Court-House. His left, under Longstreet, is in reserve near
Gordonsville.
The army of Northern Virginia is thus posted in echelon of corps,
extending from Gordonsville, by Orange, toward the fords of the
Rapidan.
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