9

8.

In the second case ^where^ Grant approached the reported location
of the enemy's camp his imagination pictured Harris drawn up beyond
the brow of the hill to receive him and his heart rose till it
seemed in his throat, but he just kept on not having the moral courage to call a halt. until finally he reached
the top of the hill and Harris camp lay before him; and then his heart
resumed its natural place. The camp site was still there but the
troops were gone. It then occurred to him that Harris was as much
afraid of him as he of Harris. The moral of which is that one
should not permit oneself to look only at one side magnifying
the dangers and multiplying in imagination its difficulties, dangers
and weaknesses.

The lecturer dwelt upon the theme that "war cannot be made
without risks" "Napoleon said 'My Admirals seem to think that war
can be made without risks, but where they learned it or from whom
I do not know' Sherman in his march through Georgia; Farragut
in cutting loose from his connections at sea when he passed the
forts below New Orleans are examples of risks taken to effect an
end. Risks, both of them, and the passage of Fort Morgan as well,
but they were all proportioned to the advantage to be gained.
They both saw the risks and were willing to take it; particularly
at Mobile where Farragut was called upon to decide on the spur of the moment,
which he was quite able to do, not rashly, but by reason of having
prepared his mind for just such contingencies.