Grant Davis's Speech and Grants Reaction

Specster

Sergeant Major
Joined
Sep 19, 2014
Location
Mass.
I cannot find the quote. in late 1864, Thomas and Sherman had the AoT on the run. Davis gave a speech, on the heels of the Johnston Hood transfer of power, in which he said that " Our calvery and our people will destroy and harrass (Shermans) army as the Cossack did of Napolean, and the Yankee General, will leave only with his body guard."

What really killed Napoleons army was the winter - not Cossacks.

Upon hearing this boast Grant said "where is he going to get the snow?"

I thought that was priceless...
 
I used to use that as my sig line,

Davis- "I see no chance for Sherman to escape from a defeat or a disgraceful retreat. The fate that befell the army of the French Empire in its retreat from Moscow will be re-enacted."

Grant-" Mr. Davis has not made it quite plain who is to furnish the snow for this Moscow retreat"
 
Grant had a sense of humor! Not much snow in sunny Mississippi...Alabama...Georgia... The Russian winter did indeed do in the French invaders as has been proven since they found the remains of Napoleon's frozen hosts. Davis believed it was the Russian scorched earth technique - we'll do that here! I am pretty sure Sherman saw no blazing cotton fields or discovered planters torching their own plantations... It wouldn't have worked anyway. He said they could burn their cotton, their homes, their children and themselves but not their corn - he needed that!
 
I'm not sure it was entirely the winter, but the winter provided the situation the Cossacks exploited.

Davis had neither snow or Cossacks to put in Sherman's path.
 
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