1'C i                    li i 
11 I  A  U.'.i   -.l








LIFE
OF
ULYSSES S. GRANT:
HIS BOYHOOD, CAMPAIGNS, AND SERVICES,
MILITARY AND CIVIL.
BY
WILLIAM  A). CRAFTS,
AUTIHOR OF - A HISTORY OF THE SOUTHERN REBELLION."
1i  a s  inme  Qortrit mr  fet.
BOSTON:
SAMUEL WALKER AND COMPANY.
i868.




Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1868, by
WILLIAM A. CRAFTS,
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts.
Stereotyped at the Boston Stereotype Foundry,
No. 19 Spring Lane.








....




PRE F ACE
THE  events related in the following  LIFE  OF
GENERAL GRANT have been derived from authentic
sources; and it has been -?he writer's aim to give a
plain and truthful narrative,  like the subject himself, -without resorting to invention, high coloring,
or rhetorical exaggeration, to add to the interest
which attaches to one who occupies so eminent a
position.  It has also been  the writer's -purpose,
avoiding minute details, controversy, and lengthy
extracts from  official reports, to offer a sufficiently
brief — and a POPULAR LIFE OF GRANT, to meet the
wants of numerous readers throughout the country
who do not desire the larger and  more  costly
works.
To the American people, who during the war
were loyal to the Union, and since the war have
(v)




vi                   PREFACE.
been loyal to Liberty, Equality, and Justice, this
little volume is committed, in the hope that under
the administration of him whose career thus far is
here sketched, they may see their country restored
to peace and- prosperity, with an enduring Union
and universal liberty.




CON TENTS.
C EI _A  TE 1R I.
PAGE
Ancestry. - Parents and Birth. - Characteristics of his Boyhood. - Appointed a Cadet at West Point. - His Name. - Career at West Point. - Graduates.    1
CI-3IAPT ER II.
In the Army. - Frontier Service. - The Mexican War. - His first Battle. -
Conspicuous Gallantry at Chepultepec.- His Reputation earned by Merit and
Service. - Service in Oregon. - Resigns, - A Farmer in Missouri. - Enters the
Leather Business. —Ahigher Destiny reserved for him...........   13
C II:APT E   III.
The Rebellion. - Grant's Patriotism. - Tenders his Services to the Governor
of Illinois. -Appointed Colonel.- Brigadier General. - Battle of Belmont. -
The Purpose accomplished. - Generosity to Subordinates.- Fort Henry.- Fort
Donelson. - No Terms but Unconditional Surrender. - Effect of the Victory.. 20
C ICI A P T E  IVr.
Appointed Major General of Volunteers. -Misconception of Grant's Abilities.- Appreciative Friends.- Undeserved Censure by Halleck. - Grant's noble
Reply. - Pittsburg Landing. - Shiloh.- His Ideas of Retreat. — Leads the
Charge of Ohio Troops. - Victory.- Halleck restive.-Grant and Sherman.. 38
C IIAT2 E P R  ]   V.
Vicksburg.- Grant's Purposes. - Grant and the Secession Women.-The
Difficulties. - Grant's Persistency and Resources.- Plots to remove him.President Lincoln's Reply. - Brilliant Operations. - Jackson, Champion Hill,
and the Big Black. - Vicksburg reduced.- Grant's Interview with Pemberton.
--  Unconditional Surrender."- Public Joy.- President Lincoln's Letter. -
Grant's modest Dignity, and sullen Discourtesy of Rebels.- Grant's Confidence of Success. - Unwearying Labors and Efforts. - Care for his Troops...  51
CIIA. PTEBR  " VI. i
Appointed Major General in the regular Army. - His comprehensive Ideas
of the Rebellion. -A Believer in Emancipation.- Recognized as a great Leader, and' the Coming Man." - Visits New Orleans. - Accident and Injury. -
Called to Cairo. - New and important Command.- Affairs at Chattanooga. -
Grant's prompt and energetic Preparations.-Journey to Chattanooga.Extent of his Command.-Energy and Administrative Ability. —Battle of
Chattanooga. - The Crisis and the Charge. - Grant's Confidence. - Complete
Defeat of the Enemy.-" One of the most remarkable Battles in History.".. 72
(vii)




viii                             CONTENTS.
C          II: AP  El R'VII.
Grant's Activity, Policy, and Plans. - Appointed LIEUTENANT   GENELr AL.I —
All his Promotions made without his Knowledge. - Cordial Relations with
Sherman and McPherson.- MHodest Appearance at Washington. ~ Presentation of his Commission.-He disapproves of Grand Reviews and 3llilitary
Balls.- HIis Opinion of the Army of the Potomac.- Quiet and unostentatious
Method of refirming Abuses. - Headquarters IN TIIE FIELD. - Confidence of
the loyal People.- Relations between President Lincoln and Grant......
C I-I A:P F              E  VIII.
Campaign against Richmond. - Grant with the Army of the Potomac. - His
Tenacity.- No such Thing as Defeat.- Flank Movement.- At Spottsylvania.
- The famous Despatch,  I propose to fight it out on this line." —Hard Fighting' and Strategy equally valued. -Grant's skilful Manceuvres. - His Hold on
Lee. - General Butler's Movement. - Before Petersburg. - The Rebels kept
busy. - Laying Plans and waiting the Developments of other Campaigns.  A
new Clamor.-'Tr'e FINAL CAMBPA1IGN.- His Strategy, Marroeuvres, Sagacity,
and Persistency.- Flight of Jeff Davis, and Retreat of Lee's Army. - Lee in
a Strait. - The Interview at Appomattox. - The Surrender and Downfall of
the Rebel Confederacy. - Grant's Honors well won.............102
C 1-1 A. FPT E? IR IX.
Sherman's Indiscretion.- Grant sent to assume direction of Sherman's
Movements.- His Influence with Sherman, and his Friendship for him.- The
most successful General of the Age. - His military Genius recognized at Home
and Abroad. - Appointed GENERAL of the Army. - Manifestation of popular
Admiration. - No Napoleonic Airs. - Farewell Orders to tle Armies.- His
Fidelity to his Soldiers. — His Men protected from Imposition.;......   123
CI-A _ P T _I E:R  X.
After the War. - Generous to repentant Rebels.- Andrew Johnson's Uslrpations. - Grant's Measures to control the rebellious Spirit. - The New Orleans Riot. - Grant and Sheridan. - President Johnson's Tour.- Confidence
of Congress. - Execution of the Reconstruction Acts. - The General's Duties
faithfully performed.-Intrusted with extraordinary PowTer. — Removal of
Stanton. - Grant's Protest. - Secretary of War  ad interimr. - Removal of
Sheridan. - Another Protest.- Grant the Defender of Congressional Policy.
- Johnson's "little Game." - He misrepresents Grant. - Grant's Letter to
the President. - The People's Judgment. - Consequences to Johnson. - Contrast between Grant and Johnson........................ 131
C HIIA P   T.I/t XI.
Grant's Character.- His intellectual Ability proved. -I usight into the
Character of others.- Tenacity of Purpose. - Obedience to Law. - ITespect for
the Wilf of the People. - Generosity to his Subordinates. - Reticence. - Judicious Silence at Wash ington'- Republican Simplicity. - Smoking and Driving
Horses. — An inveterate Smoker.- Horses and Fast Driving. - An Invention
of Enemies. - His Features and Appearance. - Conclusion........ 185




LIFE
OF
GENERAL U. S. GRANT.
CHAPTER I.
Ancestry. - Removal of his Grandfather to Ohio. - Parents and
Birth. - At School and at Home. - Characteristics of his Boyhood. - Love of Horses. - Skill in managing them. - Too much
for vicious Ponies. - Persistency. - The Load of Logs. - Prefers
being a Soldier to being a Tanner. - Appointed a Cadet at West
Point. - His Name. - U. S., " Uncle-Sam," and " Unconditional
Surrender." - Career at West Point. - Solid Acquirements and
medium Rank.-Brilliant Scholars not the ablest Generals.Too plucky to be imposed upon. - Respects himself, and compels
the Respect of others. - Patriotism. - Graduates at West Point.
rITHE ancestors of General ULYSSES S. GRANT came
L  fiom  Scotland, and  probably belonged  to  the
Scottish clan named Grant, whose ancient motto was,
"Stand  fast, stand firm, stand sure."  The clan  has
never afforded a better illustration of that motto than
the distinguished subject of this sketch. - They first settled in Connecticut, from  which state General Grant's
grandfather, who was a soldier through the whole war
of the revolution, removed to Westmoreland County, in
Pennsylvania, and was a thrifty farmer there. About
I                              (1)




2           LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
the year I799, however, he emigrated with his family
to what was then the North-western Territory, and
became one of the pioneer settlers of Ohio, to the rich
but wild lands of which the tide of emigration from the
older states was then beginning to set. At the time of
this removal Jesse R. Grant, the general's father, was
a boy, who grew  to manhood under the genial influences of that magnificent country, and the inuring
difficulties of pioneer life.  He added to the occupation
of a farmer that of a tanner, and settling at Point Pleasant, in the County of Clermont, married  Hannah
Simpson, the daughter of another pioneer settler, also
from Pennsylvania.  He had learned his trade of tanner in Kentucky, but his aversion to slavery led him to
settle in Ohio.
Hiram  Ulysses Grant, now known to the world as
General Ulysses S. Grant, was the eldest of six children,
and was born on the 27th of April, 1822. His parents
were quiet and unpretending, but persevering and
thrifty, possessed of good sense, and governed by good
principles. Grant felt their influence for good through
all his early life; and his successful career is due, in
no small degree, not only to his inherited temperament,
but to his early training, and the influences of his home
in the formation of his character.  It was a humble
home in which labor was necessary, but in which,
also, the dignity of labor was justly appreciated and
adorned with many virtues.  In it Grant acquired
habits of industry and fidelity to all his duties, of selfreliance, perseverance, and straightforward honesty.
The influence of his mother, who was a woman of
genuine strength of character, was very great, and was




SCHOOL DAYS.                   3
always well directed in moulding the elements of his
character for future usefulness.
The early settlers of Ohio, especially those from New
England and New York, carried with them a just appreciation of the advantages of education, and made
provision for common schools. At one of these young
Grant received such education as was then afforded.
He was not a brilliant scholar, but he was faithful and
persevering, and by dint of application and encourage.
ment at home he mastered all the lessons required of
him  more successfully, and to better purpose, than
boys of quicker and more showy abilities. He exhibited
at school, and in all his youthful life, those qualities of
faithfulness, patience, and perseverance, and a persistency in doing what was to be done, which have
characterized him in after life, and have given him
that success which has made him famous. In lessons
he accomplished with credit all that was required of
him, especially in mathematics, and at least acquired
so much as enabled him, when appointed a cadet at
West Point, to pass an examination as successfully as
many who had enjoyed superior advantages, or were
endowed with more brilliant mental qualities.
Nor was he idle at home. Like most boys in a
similar condition of life, he had many duties to perform
about his father's house and tannery; and to these
duties, even if they were not always agreeable, he was
always faithful. He was not afraid to work, or to lend
a helping hand when anything was necessary to be
done, and was especially apt at driving team or taking
charge of horses. His work done, he applied himself
to his lessons, receiving generous encouragement from




4           LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
his parents, and such assistance as they could render.
He learned much by experience and observation, and
acquired the habit of making practical application of
what he learned by study. Thus his education at
school and at home laid the foundation for the accomplishment of great deeds in his manhood, when his
country imposed upon him the necessity.
When men have become famous, it is quite usual to
find recorded numerous anecdotes of their sayings and
doings in boyhood, which are characteristic of the
qualities they exhibited in maturer years. If these are
not readily found in family traditions or neighborly
gossip, they are sometimes invented, or enlarged from
some trivial occurrence which the subsequent fame of
the subject alone would cause to be remembered. It is
not proposed to repeat or to create any such myths
concerning the boyhood of Grant.  Doubtless many
things occurred to him, and he did many things,
which might, if duly recorded, add interest to his.
biography. But such things occur to all boys, and
most of them do something characteristic, only there
are but few whose after career renders it worth while
to remember or enlarge upon such things to point a
moral or adorn a biography.
But Grant's boyhood was not very remakable, and
gave no special promise of future greatness, though a
phrenologist once said he would be President of the
United States.  He was a downright, earnest, honest
boy, quiet and unassuming, with indications of reserved
power to meet emergencies.  He was no boaster, but
he exhibited self-reliance, persistency, and courage
which could not but win the respect of his associates.




LOVE OF HORSES.                  5
He was generous and good-natured, but his firmness
did not allow him to be imposed upon. He was not
disposed to quarrel or to fight on his own account, but
it is related of him that he once fought and punished a
Canadian boy who insulted the memory of Washington.
He was not without ambition, but it was by no means
the only motive of his actions, or led him to do more
than faithfully and persistently attend to the duty in
hand.  He was patriotic, and had a laudable desire to
serve his country as a soldier rather than as a politician.
Though exhibiting no special aptitude for military life,
except firmness and fidelity to duty, his modesty and
reticence saw no attractions in the political field.
One of the traits of his character earliest to be developed was his love for horses, and his faculty of managing them. From his infancy he loved a horse, and
learned to ride one long before he learned to read.
When only seven and a half years old, during his
father's absence, he harnessed to a-sled a three-yearold colt, which had never been broken except to the
saddle, and drove the animal all day, carrying loads
of brushwood. He was afraid of no horse, and not
only became an expert driver, but an excellent tamer
and trainer of horses even before he was twelve years
old. He taught them to pace with remarkable facility,
and his neighbors, near and far, were very desirous of
having his service in this line, though he was not inclined to become a mere horse-trainer. He rode with
more than the skill of a circus-rider, for his rides were
in the rough and open fields without the advantages of
the "ring; " but his feats were for his own amusement
and his own satisfaction, and not for the eye of any one




6          LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
else. He once or twice balked a tricky showman by
safely riding a mischievous pony which was trained to
throw all venturesome boys who mounted it, but was
completely mastered by young Grant.
He not only loved a horse and knew how to tame,
ride, and train him, but he early learned to know the
points of a good horse, so that he could, even at twelve
years old, judge of the quality and value of one.  This
love for and power over a horse, manifested, as in
young Grant's case, in useful-and practical ways, show
both a genial side to his nature and a power to dare
and to command.
His love of a good horse now is well known, and it
is one of the homebred affections of his boyhood, which,
with homebred habits and virtues, have adhered to him
through all his life. He can   talk horse" with anybody, and has often evaded the questions of too inquisitive visitors, or concealed his plans and purposes,
by a ready resort to that fruitful topic of conversation.
Another of his traits, which was early developed, was
his perseverance, which was shown not only in his
mastery of horses while yet a mere child, but was
abundantly illustrated by labors which would have discouraged almost any boy of his age. When but twelve
years old, and small for his age, he gave a remarkable
example of practical application of his observation and
of patient and persistent labor. He had gone to the
woods expecting to find the men cutting timber and
ready to load; but they were not there, and the young
teamster had no idea of returning with an empty wagon
if he could help it, though it required several men to
lift the huge logs he was to carry. He looked around,




THE LOAD OF LOGS.                 7
and seeing a felled tree which lay with the trunk
elevated at one end at a moderate angle with the
ground, he at once thought of an expedient, and with
self-reliance and perseverance set himself to work to
put it in practice. With one of his horses he drew up
the slope of the felled tree one end of a log he proposed
to carry, and that being properly placed high enough
for him to back the wagon under it, he in the same
way drew, one at a time, two or three others, which
made a load. That done, and the wagon being placed
under the elevated ends, with his horse and chains he
drew each log into it, and, securing his load, went
quietly home, doubtless well pleased with his work,
though making not the slightest boast.
His father could hardly believe the boy's assertion
that he and the horse loaded the wagon; but he knew
that Ulysses was never guilty of falsehood, and he soon
had the work explained so that he was satisfied of its
truth, though he still could not but wonder at his son's
achievement.' Such practical knowledge and persistent
labor he exhibited all through his boyhood, and they
furnish the key to some of the great successes of his
after career.
That Grant was a boy of capacity and character, is
proved by the fact that, without any special political or
family influence, he received the appointment of cadet
in the National Military Academy at West Point. He
preferred being a soldier to being a tanner, and the
country now knows -that he chose wisely. He was
nominated for admission to the Academy in 1839, by
Hon. T. L. Hamer, member of Congress from  the
district in which he resided. By some mistake Mr.




8           LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
Hamer gave his name as Ulysses S. Grant, probably
confounding his name with that of a brother who bore
the name of Simpson, his mother's maiden name.
Grant applied to the authorities at West Point, and
subsequently to the secretary of war, to have the error
corrected, but those parties apparently did not think the
matter of sufficient importance to demand their attention; or possibly they thought that the initials JU. S.
were very appropriate for a cadet educated at the expense of the United States, and destined to be an officer
in the army of the United States. At any rate, the
request was not complied with, and it was fated that
Hiram Ulysses Grant was henceforth to be known- as
Ulysses S. Grant.
These initials were highly popular with the cadets,
who soon gave Grant the nickname of "Uncle Sam,"
which he always retained in the army among the
associates of his youth. They have proved popular
with the people, too, who have delighted to associate with his the abbreviation of the national name,
which he did so much to preserve.  His first great
victory, when he dictated terms to the rebels, gave
other popular names to his initials, and he was enthusiastically hailed as "UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER"
GRANT. The name which a blunder assigned to him
has thus become so identified with the history of the
country, and with the love and admiration of the people, that neither he nor they could change it, or would
desire to if they could.
At West Point, as at school, young Grant was not a
brilliant scholar; but he was diligent in his studies, and
by his persistency overcame all difficulties, and thor



AT WEST POINT.                   9
oughly mastered what it was necessary to learn.  He
was faithful to all his duties, and to the details of military life, though by no means placing too high an estimate upon the strict observance of such matters. His
ambition was to perform his duties, and to acquire the
knowledgefor which he was sent to the Academy, and
not to make a show either as a brilliant scholar or a
punctilious martinet.
His characteristic persistency was illustrated at West
Point not only by his application to studies, but by his
playing the game of chess, of which he was fond.
When he found a player who was at first more than a
match for him, he persisted in playing till he "tired
out" his antagonist, and at last beat him.
During the war of the rebellion West Point has
abundantly proved that the most brilliant scholars do
not make the ablest generals, and that great attainments in science, though they may produce skilful
engineers, do not always lead to successful operations
in the field, either in the way of strategy or the handling
of troops. At the same time it has proved that the
knowledge and training acquired there are not to be
depreciated, but afford the surest basis for military
success, and that those who attain only to a medium
rank as cadets, if they profit by what they learn, may
in war achieve great things for the country, and earn a
wider and more enduring fame than that of brilliant
scholars or accomplished engineers.  Before the war,
and for a long time after it commenced, old army
officers and boards of examiners could not comprehend
this; and it was vainly imagined that high scholars
must make brilliant generals, and that able engineers




10          LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
would crush the rebellion. But stubborn facts and hard
experience have shown the folly of such conclusions;
and among those stubborn facts are the failure of
George B. McClellan, the first scholar, and the signal
success of Ulysses S. Grant, who ranked even below
the middle of his class.
Grant's genial though retiring disposition, and quiet
and unassuming manners, gradually made him many
friends among the cadets; and when he became known,
"Uncle Sam". was one. of the most esteemed of his
iclass, though not so popular, perhaps, as more talkative,
rolicking, and demonstrative fellows. At first there
were some who were disposed to make fun of the
western country boy; and there were others, scions of
southern aristocracy, who looked down upon him and
his comparatively humble origin with contempt.  He
was one of the "mudsills" whom they despised.  He
proved, however, by his conduct, that he was worthy
of respect even from these young aristocrats, and he
taught those who made fun at his expense to cease
their jokes. Though never disposed to quarrel, it is
said that he found it necessary to maintain his own selfrespect and dignity by punishing one or two who carried their jests too far. What was to be done in this
line was, of course, done promptly and thoroughly,
according to his manner of doing all things.  Such
rebukes were effectual; they established his pluck,
and made him more generally respected and esteemed.
His comrades found that he was not ashamed of his
origin or any want of superficial polish; that he had no
false pride which their jests could wound, but that he
had a just self-respect; and this, coupled with his firm



AT WEST POINT.                 II
ness and known perseverance, soon secured good conduct and respect towards him on their part.
Grant appreciated the advantages he enjoyed at
West Point, and he was grateful to the country which
afforded them. His youthful patriotism, too, received a
new impulse from the associations with which he was
surrounded, and the places celebrated in revolutionary
history which lay all about him. Patriotism and duty
to the country, which, as a cadet, he specially owed,
were always acknowledged by him, and were the inspiring motives of his conduct in the day of the nation's
peril.  There were those with him there who never
experienced such emotions; who daily saw the records
of their country's heroes, and moved amid the scenes
hallowed by the services and sacrifices of Washington
and his compatriots, and yet neyer felt a throb of
genuine patriotism, of love for the whole country, and
never breathed a vow of fidelity to the government
which educated them for its defence. Their pride was
in their narrow states, and in the institution which made
them rulers over an " inferior race." When the hour
of the country's trial came, these men were found on
the side of the rebellion, false to their country, false to
their early associations, false to their oaths. If they
have not gone down to traitors' graves, they may learn
from the nobler career of Grant that patriotism and
fidelity are their own great reward, and are gratefully
acknowledged by a loyal people.
On the Ist of July, I843, Grant, having passed the
final examination at West Point, graduated the twentyfirst scholar in his class, which numbered thirty-nine.
It was not a high rank, but he had profited by what he




12          LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
had acquired there; and his natural characteristics of
persistency and fidelity had been strengthened, so that
he was better qualified for the duties of active service
than many who possessed more showy attainments-or
a higher scientific knowledge. He was commissioned
as brevet second lieutenant, and assigned to the Fourth
Regiment of Infantry.  His love of horses would
probably have led him to select the cavalry arm of the
service, but his comparative low  rank as a scholar
consigned him to the infantry.




IN THE ARMY.                         13
CHAPTER II.
In the Army. - Frontier Service. - Characteristics as a young Officer. - In Texas. - The Mexican War. - His first Battle. - Coolness and Bravery at Resaca de la Palma. -A steady, plucky Officer. -Appointed regimental Quartermaster.   Joins Scott's Army.
-Tact, Energy, and Perseverance. -Not content with Quartermaster's Duties. - Participates in Battles. - Conspicuous Gallantry
at Chepultepec. -Brevet First Lieutenant and Brevet Captain.
- His Reputation earned by Merit and Service, not by Favoritism. - Return to the United States.-Married.- His Fortunes
shared by his Wife; the higher Honors yet to be shared. - Ordered
to the Pacific Coast. - Service in Oregon. - Promotion. - Resigns. -A Farmer in Missouri. - Careless Independence. -A
Patriot, but no Politician. - Enters the Leather Business with his
Father and Brother. - A higher Destiny reserved for him.
HEN  Grant received his first commission, the
V little army of the United States was occupied
chiefly on the western frontier, a few troops only
garrisoning the more important forts along the Atlantic
seaboard, and on the shores of the Great Lakes. The
Fourth Infantry was stationed on the western frontier
to protect settlers from  the Indians.  The hostility of
some of the Indians occasionally made the duties of the
troops somewhat active, though no engagements occurred, and no very long marches were made.  The
duties of this service, however, were of no little advantage to the young officer, who was always ready to
learn by experience, faithful to the details of his duty,
and willing to work.  Though the routine was tedious




I4          LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
and irksome, nothing was neglected, and every opportunity of acquiring solid information upon matters connected with his profession was improved. As an officer
he was the same good-natured and unassuming but
firm, persevering, and reticent youth that he had been
as a cadet at West Point.  He was esteemed by his
comrades and superiors as a young officer of moderate
ability, but of undoubted pluck, perseverance, and selfreliance. In the ordinary duties of the army in time
of peace, even on the frontier, he was not likely to
become distinguished, nor to rise except by the slowest
promotion. But those qualities for which he was justly
esteemed were such as are needed in emergencies, and
the value of which can be best proved by the inexorable
demands of war.
In 1845, when the annexation of Texas threatened
to involve the country in war with Mexico, the Fourth
Infantry was sent to Texas, where it afterwards formed
a part of General Taylor's "Army of Observation."
Grant at this time was commissioned as full second
lieutenant, and transferred to the Seventh Infantry;
but at the request of the officers of the Fourth he was
soon restored to that regiment. The advance of the
Mexican army into Texas, where it besieged Fort
Brown, precipitated the war with Mexico. General
Taylor marched from Corpus Christi to the relief of
the beleaguered fort, and encountered a large Mexican
force on the march, when the battle of Palo Alto took
place, May 8, I846. Grant was with his iregiment
upon that field, and discharged his duties with a steadiness which was commended by his comrades and
honorably mentioned by his superiors. The next day




IN THE MEXICAN WAR.                15
the more severe battle of Resaca de la Palma was
fought, and the young lieutenant showed his quality as
a soldier by his cool and persistent bravery. Those
solid qualities, which in time of peace seemed to be of
little account in a junior officer, began to reveal themselves and prove their value.
The Fourth Infantry remained with "General Taylor
till after the capture of Monterey, and participated in
all the battles of old  Rough and Ready's" campaign,
except that of Buena Vista.  Grant's position as a cool
and plucky officer was well established in his regiment,
while his methodical attention to his duties were recognized by his superior officers, and led to his being
placed upon the regimental staff as quartermaster.
His regiment was among those detached from General
Taylor's command, and sent to join the larger army
under General Scott, which was to advance from Vera
Cruz to the city of Mexico.  His duties as regimental
quartermaster, on a campaign like this into the heart
of the enemy's country, were arduous and responsible,
and required great tact, energy, and perseverance.
They were discharged in-a manner creditable to his
administrative ability and his indomitable energy. But
he was not satisfied with the faithful discharge of these
most important duties; he desired to share in the dangers of the battle-field also, believing that " the post of
danger is the'post of duty."  He participated in the
bloody battles of Molino del Rey and Chepultepec, and
was so conspicuous for his gallantry and successful
service in the latter battle, where he bravely led a gallant charge, that he received honorable mention from
General Worth, and was made brevet. first lieutenant,




I6         LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
and subsequently brevet captain, the latter commission
dating from September 13, I847, the date of the lastnamed battle.
Grant earned his reputation and his promotion in
this Mexican campaign by his own solid abilities and
actual achievements.  He was unknown beyond his
own regiment, was no pet at headquarters, and was not
regarded by influential officers as a young man "of
great promise " whom they desired to advance. Nor
had he shown simply a temporary dash and enthusiasm, which at times are desirable on the battle-field,
but are not always to be relied upon for good results.
He was distinguished for cool and steady bravery,
that inspired his men with confidence, and a persistency
that overcame all obstacles.  The substantial services
which he rendered by these qualities were conspicuous
to those about him, and were thus brought to the notice
of superiors who had never heard of him. They were
duly acknowledged by those superior officers, but nothing more than simple justice was done. It could not
be said in his case that he received honorable mention
or promotion either because he was a favorite with his
superiors, or had made a brilliant display of bravery
under the eye of the commanding general.
When the Mexican war was ended, and the victorious army returned to the United States, the Fourth
Infantry was stationed at different posts on the northern frontier along the Great Lakes. While thus stationed, awaiting-recruits to fill up the ranks thinned by
death and discharges, the officers of the regiment enjoyed furloughs, after their long and arduous service.
At this time Grant, still holding the rank of lieutenant,




IN OREGON.                   I1
though a captain by brevet, married an accomplished
and excellent lady, Miss Julia T. Dent, daughter of
Frederick Dent, Esq., a merchant of St. Louis.  Mrs.
Grant has happily shared her husband's fortunes from
the time when she married him, simply a lieutenant,
till by his merits he has reached the highest military
position ever given to an American officer; and it is to
be hoped that she will share with him those higher
honors which the Amzerican peosle desire to bestow.
In 1849 the Fourth Infantry was ordered to the
Pacific, and a battalion to which Grant was attached
was stationed in Oregon. While there he reached the
rank of captain by regular promotion.  In command
of one of the posts of that region he faithfully discharged
his duties, as in all his previous positions. But it was
a time of profound peace, which promised to be of long
duration, his duties were chiefly those of mere routine,
promotion was slow, and active service of any kind
was not likely to be required of him. He desired to
provide more adequately for his wife and family, and
under circumstances of less constraint to them.  He
therefore resigned his commission in 1854, the year
following his promotion, and returned home to enter
the pursuits of civil life.
He became the owner of a farm at Gravois, a few
miles from St. Louis, and devoted himself to its cultivation. It was not altogether a new business for him,
for in his boyhood he had learned much of the work of
a western farm, and how to turn his hand to useful
employment.  He was not afraid to work himself, nor
to lend a helping hand even to a black laborer. Quiet
and unassuming still, hewas not above his business,
2




1s8         LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
and was quite as content to be called Farmer Grant as
Captain Grant, though generally known by the latter
title. He carried the produce of his farm to market
himself, and might often have been seen driving his
laden team through the streets of St. Louis or other
river towns, and loading or unloading his wagon with
a careless independence of all observers.  He was
reticent and modest, attended to his own affairs, and
never troubled himself about those of other people,
unless his advice or opinion was sought.  He cared
little for politics, and still less for parties, though he
always felt the genuine patriotism which he had manifested by his service in the field. But with all his
rough work, and his neglect of affairs which engross
so much of the attention of men in this country, he
did not forget his old studies, or the culture of his
mind.
Thus he lived for some years, plodding on with
characteristic perseverance in an occupation which,
however honorable, was not always remunerative.
But in I86o he embraced the opportunity of entering
what promised to be a more lucrative business, and
engaged in the leather trade with his father and brother
at Galena, Illinois. This was another business for
which he was fitted by his early experience in his
father's tannery, as he was also fitted for any business
by his characteristic perseverance and fidelity to duties.
He brought to it his usual quiet energy, and the plans
of a tell-disciplined mind, and was undoubtedly an
acquisition to the firm. What he might have been in
this new pursuit it is impossible to say, except that he




CALLED TO HIGHER DUTIES.              19
probably would have been successful; for still, as when
a boy, he knew no such word as fail. But it was reserved for him to show his real merit and ability on a
wider and more important field, where his natural
characteristics and his early training should have full
force in the service of his country. Before he had a
fair opportunity to show  his' business talent he was
called to those higher duties.




20             LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
CHAPTER III.
The Rebellion.- Grant's Patriotism. - Raises a Company of Volunteers. - Tenders his Services to the Governor of Illinois. - Good
Service. - Desires to take the Field. - Thinks of a Position on
McClellan's Staff. - Fortunate Escape. - Appointed Colonel. - In
Missouri. - Brigadier General. - An honorable Appointment. -
At Cairo. - Kentucky Rebels. - Occupies Paducah. - Too prompt
for Fremont.- Desires to advance against the Rebels. - Battle of
Belmont. - Victory too much for new Troops. - Grant's Watchfulness. -   We have.whipped them  once, boys, and we can do it
again." - Narrow Escape. - The Purpose accomplished. - Misrepresentations. - Grant's Generosity to his Subordinates. --  Better that I should suffer, than the Country lose the Services of such
Officers." - Fort Henry. - Halleck's Want of Appreciation. - Fort
Donelson. - Grant's Determination. - The Fort invested. - Ei.
gagements. - The rebel Prisoner.- Prompt Decision. -Attack
and Victory. - Rebel Flag of Truce. - No Terms but Unconditional
Surrender. - The Capture of Prisoners. -The Effect of the Victory on the Country.
~ RANT, as before  remarked, had  never taken
much interest in political affairs, both on account
of his quiet, retiring disposition and his training as an
officer, and he gave but little attention to the agitation which preceded secession and rebellion.  But his
patriotism led him to support the government against
all assailants;  and  when  the  secessionists collected
troops at Charleston, and planted batteries around Fort
Sumter, he avowed  himself without reserve for the
government.  When the war was opened by the attack
on Sumter, and President Lincoln issued his proclama



TENDERS HIS SERVICES.              21
tion calling for troops, he did not hesitate a moment
where his duty lay.
The President's proclamation was issued on the I5th
of April, I86I, and on the g9th Grant had raised a
company of volunteers in Galena, and was drilling it
for service. A few days afterwards he went with this
company to Springfield, the capital of Illinois, and
tendered his services to Governor Yates. The governor
was quite willing to avail himself of the services of an
educated officer like Grant, and desired that he should
aid in organizing the troops volunteering in that state.
Grant felt that he could be of more service to his
country in the field, and that his duty required that he
should go to the front and face the threatening danger.
At the earnest request, however, of Governor Yates,
who assured him that he should soon have a commission, he rendered valuable service in the organization
and equipment of troops.
While awaiting the expected commission, he found
leisure to go to Cincinnati, hoping that he might be
offered a place on the staff of Major General McClellan,
then in command of Ohio troops.* He twice called at
the headquarters of McClellan, whom he had known
in the army, but did not see that officer. It is hardly
probable that Grant would have asked for such an appointment, even had he seen McClellan, for it was not
in his nature to solicit office or promotion; and during
his whole career not one of his promotions was sought
by himself, or obtained through the influence of others
by his desire. Nor did he even suggest the idea to
any one that he desired an appointment on McClellan's
* General Badeau's Military H-istory of U. S. Grant.




22         LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
staff. Had it been offered to him he would have -accepted it with alacrity, for he was ready to serve his
country in any capacity, and had no undue opinion of
his own abilities. It is fortunate for the country that
McClellan did not offer vhim a staff appointment, for he
would then have been in a subordinate position, where
his characteristics and ability as an officer could not
have been displayed; and had he remained in that
position he would have suffered from the mistakes and
policy of that general, and circumstances would thus
have changed his whole military career.
Grant was probably disappointed, though he never
expressed any such feeling; but his disappointment
was the country's greatest gain. Returning to Springfield, he was very soon commissioned as colonel of the
Twenty-first Regiment of Illinois volunteers, and with
that regiment, early in June, he marched to Northern
Missouri, and joined the forces of General Pope, who
was engaged in putting down the guerrilla bands that
infested that portion of the state. Ordered successively
to different positions in this part of the country, he was
faithfully discharging the arduous and not very agreeable duties of this kind of a campaign, when he was
informed by the newspapers that he had been appointed
a brigadier general. He received this appointment at
the suggestion of Hon. E. B. Washburne, member of
Congress from the Galena district; and it was all the
more honorable to both parties, inasmuch as Mr. Washburne was but very slightly acquainted with Grant, and
had nominated him, not from personal friendship, but
because of the solid qualities which he was known to
possess,, his military education, and his good record in




ASSIGNED TO AN IMPORTANT COMMAND.   23
the old army. But neither Mr. Washburne, nor any
one else at that time, knew the real ability of the man,
or imagined the military genius which the opportunities
of the war would reveal. He was commissioned on
the 7th of August, to date from May i7, I86I, about
the time he was appointed colonel by Governor Yates.
On the Ist of September Grant was assigned, by
Major General Fremont, commanding the Western
Department, to the command of the South-eastern District of Missouri, which included the southern part of
Illinois and the western part of Kentucky and Tennessee, as far as the Union forces should advance. The
governor of Kentucky, whose sympathy was more with
the rebels than with the government, was endeavoring
to have Kentucky maintain a neutral position in the
contest; and all the rebels of that state, and not a few
of those who claimed to be Union men, took the same
ground. They sought to keep the national forces from
their soil equally with the rebel forces  a measure which
would have redounded entirely to the advantage of the
rebels, who were collecting large forces in Tennessee,
and were openly aided, by their sympathizers in Kentucky. The real Union sentiment of that state was
thus almost wholly repressed, and the state would have
been soon controlled by the secessionists, who committed the grossest outrages upon Union men, and
were preparing, under the guise of neutrality, to join
the rebels.
The government did not recognize this neutrality,
but claimed the right to move its troops to any part of
the soil of the United States. General Grant was the
first to exercise this right, and he exercised it promptly,




24          LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
knowing that it was wzar and no game of politics, in
which the country was engaged.  He established his
headquarters at Cairo, at the mouth of the Ohio, on the
4th of September, and at once set himself at work not
only to strengthen that important point, but to secure
the safety of his district, and commence operations
against the enemy. On the day of his arrival at Cairo,
the rebels were the first to violate the assumed neutrality
of Kentucky by occupying Columbus, a strong position
on the Mississippi. Grant saw  the danger of this
movement, and determined to check any further advance by at once entering Kentucky with the Union
forces. He prepared to take possession of Paducah, at
the confluence of the Tennessee River and the Ohio.
Having notified General Fremont of his intention, and
receiving no objection from that officer, he started for
Paducah on the night of the 5th. He also notified the
governor of Kentucky, and was rebuked by Fremont
for holding any communication with state authorities,
except through his superior officer. But Grant made
no complaint of this, or any other disapproval of his
course; for though he felt fully justified by his own
calm judgment, he was a thorough soldier, and was
always subordinate.  He occupied Paducah, and secured it against a rebel force which was approaching,
and against the treachery of malignant rebel residents.
By the real Union men his movement was hailed with
joy; and notwithstanding the complaints of those who
loudly asserted the neutrality of Kentucky, that state
was, by that prompt movement, secured to the Union
cause. After the deed was done, Grant received permission from Fremont to attempt it' if he felt strong
enough."




BATTLE OF BELMONT.                25
The seizure of Paducah first made Grant's name
known to the country, though he did not receive the
full credit to which he was entitled by his prompt
action and the importance of the movement. The rebuke of his superior, on a matter of etiquette, served to
derogate from his merit: This, however, had no effect
upon Grant's zeal, and he continued to devote himself
to the organization of his forces and the security of his.
district, with his usual quiet but untiring energy. He
asked permission to attempt the capture of Columbus
before it was made too strong by rebel fortifications;
but no notice was taken of the request, and he was
allowed to make no movement of importance.
In the early part of November, however, Fremont
ordered Grant to make a demonstration towards Columbus, to prevent the rebels from sending reinforcements
from that place to Price's army in South-western Missouri. This led to the battle of Belmont, Grant perceiving that an attack upon the rebels there would be
the most effective way of preventing the rebel movements. His purpose was to destroy the rebel camp,
disperse or capture their forces, and then retire before
they could be reinforced from Columbus. He moved
from Cairo the night of the 6th of November, with a
little more than three thousand men, most of them new
troops, and officered by men who had never seen an
engagement. The troops were landed the next morning, about three miles from Belmont, which is opposite
Columbus, on the Missouri shore. Marching towards
that place, the enemy was encountered, and a heavy
fight ensued, lasting four hours.  Officers and men
behaved nobly, and the rebels were driven step by step.




26          LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
Grant, being the only officer who had seen service,
found it necessary to direct even the details of movements, and was constantly in the skirmish line, encouraging his men by his presence,- coolness, and
bravery. His horse was shot under him, and he was
constantly exposed to the enemy's fire. The rebels
were driven to the bank of the river, and all their artillery and several hundred prisoners were captured.
Their success was too much for the Union troops.
Officers and men joined at once in a general rejoicing,
regardless of all discipline and the danger of rebel
reenforcements from Columbus.  But Grant was watchful, though almost powerless with his mob of an army;
and perceiving that the enemy was sending more
troops from Columbus, he ordered his staff to set fire
to the rebel camp.  Succeeding at last in securing some
discipline, he ordered a return to the transports. But
the defeated enemy had in the mean time been reenforced
and re-formed, and they made an attempt to cut off the
retreat. The undisciplined troops-were somewhat disconcerted. A staff officer rode up to Grant, exclaiming, "We are surrounded!"  "If that is so," coolly
replied Grant, " we must cut our way out'as-we cut our
way in." Riding to the front, he encouraged his men,
saying, "We have whipped them once, boys, and we
can do it again." The troops had already learned their
commander's pluck, and making a vigorous attack they
dispersed the rebel line.
With his inexperienced officers, Grant was obliged
to attend to all the details of the retreat, and the collection of the wounded. The main body of the troops had
reimbarked on board the transports; and the reserves,




A NARROW  ESCAPE.                27
which had been left to guard the boats, had also,
through ignorance, embarked; but the general was
still out attending to the execution of his orders, and
awaiting the return of some of the detachments looking
for the wounded. While thus engaged he found himself suddenly confronted by the rebels, who were still
further reenforced, and not fifty yards distant. Fortunately he was not recognized as an officer; and after
closely observing the position of affairs, he rode slowly
away, finding it necessary to leave the parties which
were still looking for the wounded. As he approached
the river, he put spurs to his horse, and galloped hard
to the bank, down which the animal slid on his
haunches. The bullets were whistling about him, and
the rebels were rapidly extending their line. The
troops were all aboard, except the parties above named,
and the boats were just leaving the landing when Grant
thus appeared. A plank was put out from the last
boat, and Grant rode aboard under a heavy, but happily an ineffectual, fire from the enemy. It appeared
afterwards that the enemy had seen' Grant, and that
Polk, the rebel general, had called upon some of his
troops to try their aim on him, though not knowing
that he was an officer.
Grant had accomplished his purpose, though, owing
to the want of discipline in his troops, not so quickly
and effectually as he had desired. The enemy were
well beaten at first; and again when, with more troops,
he undertook to intercept the Union forces on their
return to the boats, they were dispersed. When, with
further reenforcements under Polk himself, they attacked the transports, the heavy fire of shell and grape




28          LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
from the gunboats yet again routed them with severe
loss. With three thousand troops Grant had encountered about seven thousand rebels, and inflicted on
them a loss one half greater than his own, besides the
destruction of their camp and the capture of guns.
Besides this.he accomplished the principal object of the
movement, which was to prevent Polk from  sending
reinforcements to Price.
But, as in the seizure of Paducah, Grant did not receive the credit which he deserved for this movement.
Inexperienced soldiers, and correspondents of newspapers who did not know the object of the movement,
were deceived by the sudden retreat and return of the
troops to Cairo. Their representations, and perhaps
those of an officer whose conceit and insubordination were afterwards the cause of trouble, led the
country to believe that it was a failure. So far as the
first victory was not so complete as it might have been,
it was due to the wild exultation of the brave but undisciplined soldiers, and the stump speeches of their
equally inexperienced officers. But the success was
substantial; and Grant, with characteristic generosity,
overlooked the faults of inexperience, and did not seek
to excuse himself, or correct wrong impressions, by
attributing even a partial failure to his subordinates.
When asked why he did not report the colonels who
had proved so inefficient in maintaining discipline, he
replied, "These officers had never been under fire
before; they did not know how serious an affair it was;
they have had a lesson which they will not forget.  I
will answer for it, they will never make the, same mistake again. I can see that they are of the right stuff,




ANXIOUS TO ADVANCE.               29
and it is better that I shbuld suffer than the country
should lose the services of such officers." Tiis generous spirit towards subordinates and associates he has
manifested through his whole career.
Immediately after the battle of Belmont, Major
General Halleck superseded General Fremont in command of the Western Department.  Grant was continued in command of his district, but for two months
he was allowed to make no movement against the
enemy. In the mean time the rebels occupied a strong
line, extending from Columbus to Bowling Green, in
Kentucky.  Both these places, especially the former,
were strongly fortified; and midway in the line, where
the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers are separated
but ten or twelve miles, they had forts commanding these
rivers. Thus all advance towards the rebel states by
railroad or water was obstructed.  In January, in
obedience to instructions from Halleck, Grant sent two
columns into Western Kentucky to prevent reenforcements being sent from Columbus to Buckner at Bowling
Green. There was no engagement, but the object of
the movement was accomplished, for the rebels did not
send reenforcements to Buckner; and General Thomas
defeated the enemy at Mill Spring, east of Bowling
Green. The expedition led to the more important movements which first made General Grant famous in the war.
General C. F. Smith, an able officer, who commanded one of the columns sent into Western Kentucky,
reported to Grant that the capture of Fort Henry, on
the Tennessee, was feasible; and the latter went to St.
Louis to propose to Halleck a movement against that
post, and to obtain the latter's permission to undertake




30          LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
it. General Halleck, in a manner which he more than
once afterwards assumed towards Grant, so sharply
and hastily disapproved it, that the subject was at once
dropped.  Halleck appears at this time, and until after
he was appointed general-in-chief, to have entertained
a poor opinion of Grant's abilities, though he afterwards
came to recognize them. But the advantage of capturing Fort Henry, opening the Tennessee to the rear of
the rebel positions, though not apparent to McClellan
and Halleck, was so impressed upon Grant's mind,
that about the end of January he again applied to Halleck for permission to make the advance. Commodore
Foote, commanding the naval force at Cairo, also wrote
to Halleck recommending such a movement. The
desired permission was obtained, and on the 2d of
February Grant left Cairo with seventeen thousand
men on transports, accompanied by seven gunboats
under Commodore Foote.  Making a reconnoissance
himself on board one of the gunboats, so as to draw
the fire of the rebel guns and ascertain their range,
Grant landed his advance forces just out of range.
This force, under McClernand, was to move out t6 the
rear of the fort to intercept retreat and cut off reenforcements, while the gunboats undertook to reduce the fort
on the river front. All Grant's forces were not up, but
it was deemed important that there should be no delay,
and he instructed McClernand that success might
depend on the celerity of his movements. The troops
moved from the river on the -orning of February 6, and
the gunboats at the same time moved up to attack the
fort.  Commodore Foote was not prepared for so
speedy success as his heavy guns achieved; for after a




NOT CONTENT WITH PARTIAL SUCCESS.   31
fire of an hour and a half, all the rebel guns were
silenced. The fort was surrendered while the troops
were moving through the overflowed and almost impassable country to the position indicated.  When they
arrived at the rebel outworks in the rear, the enemy
had already retreated towards Fort Donelson, on the
Cumberland, and only a few men were captured in the
fort. Pursuit failed to overtake them; but the most'
important success of opening the Tennessee was accomplished, and the gunboats went up the river, greatly
to the terror of the rebel inhabitants of the interior of
Tennessee.
But Grant, having taken the field, did not intend to
content himself with the success so speedily achieved
by the gunboats.  He telegraphed to General Halleck,
"Fort Henry is ours....    I shall take and destroy
Fort Donelson on the 8th, and return to Fort Henry."
Nothing had been  said before about a movement
against Fort Donelson; and it is not unlikely that such
a proposition might have prevented the attack on Fort
Henry, or delayed it till the Union forces were still
stronger, and the rebels were also reenforced.  Halleck, however, did not object, and Grant forthwith
made his preparations to bring up additional forces,
and to lay his plans for a joint land and naval attack.
Prompt in his decision, he was also prompt and vigorous in his movements.
The rapid rise of the waters of the Tennessee, and
the absence of the gunboats up that river, delayed
operations for some days; but Grant in the mean time
exerted himself to bring up reinforcements, and to
mature his preparations.  General Halleck seconded




32          LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
his efforts, though he gave no advice or encouragement
for an advance.  It was Grant's own plan in its conception and in its details. Before all the reinforcements
which were ordered to his support had arrived, he
determined to move, believing that it was important to
act promptly. He therefore urged Flag Officer Foote
to hasten his preparations, and offered such aid as was
in his power, in order to get some gunboats up the
Cumberland, to attack Fort Donelson on the river side.
" Start as soon as you like," he wrote; " I will be ready
to cooperate at any moment."  Such was his promptness at all times. Other movements were never obliged
to wait for him to be ready.
The gunboats at last' being prepared, on the IIth of
February Grant's forces moved from Fort Henry without tents or baggage, and with no supplies except ammunition and the rations contained in the soldiers' haversacks.  The march was accomplished without obstruction, and the Union troops were in front of the rebel
fort before night. On the i2th and I3th they were
gradually advanced till the fort was well invested. No
attack was made, owing to the non-arrival of the gunboats and reinforcements on the Cumberland, but there
was constant skirmishing, and  one or two heavy
engagements by reconnoitring parties, while the artillery also commenced operations, and there were all
the indications of a general battle.  The weather grew
intensely cold, snow  fell, and the soldiers suffered
much.  They could build no fires in consequence of'
the nearness of the. rebel pickets, with whom their
was a -sharp skirmish  during the night.  Though
Grant felt keenly for the sufferings of his men, he




FORT DONELSON.                   33
knew that success depended upon his persistency, and
that he could rely on the endurance of his troops. He
must therefore hold on, in spite of the elements and the
rebel strength, till the gunboats and reenforcements
arrived, when he was confident of success.  Before
daylight on the I4th the boats arrived, and the reenforcements.were put in position as soon as the condition of the country would permit.,
An attack was made by the gunboats, and if it had
been attended with even partial success, Grant was to
have assaulted on the land side.  But. the boats were
disabled, and suffered considerable loss in men, Flag
Officer Foote himself being wounded.  This was a
serious disappointment to Grant, who had hoped to
take the fort without a protracted siege.  He was
determined to take it, however, either by siege or
assault, and never doubted the successful issue. In a
conference with Foote, the latter stated that he could
not renew the attack until he had been to Cairo to
repair his gunboats, and urged Grant to remain quiet
until he could return. Whether the latter, with his large
reenforcements, would have been content to have taken
this course, is uncertain; but the rebels themselves
were not disposed to wait till they were more completely
invested, and they accordingly massed their forces and
made a heavy attack on Grant's right. Notwithstanding their long exposure and suffering from the severe
storm  of snow  and sleet, the Union troops fought
bravely. But the rebels had massed a superior force
against the right, and they drove it back till checked
by reenforcements.  Even- the latter were gradually
pressed back, and the rebels seemed to have secured a




34         LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
dearly-bought success, though they were not able to
break through the Union lines, as they desired.
Grant was returning from a conference with the disabled commodore when he was first informed of this
desperate attack by the enemy, and its partial success.
Ordering General Smith, who commanded the left, to
hold himself in readiness, he hurried to. the scene of
conflict, and quickly ascertained the real condition of
affairs. The stubborn bravery of his troops encouraged
him, and he saw that the enemy had not accomplished
their purpose, although they had pressed back his
lines. From all the representations of his officers, he
at once judged that the rebels had made a desperate
assault for the purpose of cutting their way out and
escaping.  He caused some prisoners to be brought up
for examination.  They had on their knapsacks, and
their haversacks were well filled.
"How many days' rations have you in your haversack? " inquired the general of one of the prisoners.
Six," replied the prisoner.
When were they served out?"
t Yesterday."
" Were all the troops served with the same rations? 
"They were."
The prisoners were removed, and further inquiry
among his own officers satisfied Grant that the last
statement was correct.
"Gentlemen," said he to the higher officers about
him, "troops do not have six days' rations served out to
them in a fort if they mean to stay there. These rebels
mean to cut their way out, and that is what they have
been trying to do, but didn't quite succeed." Then




Too QUICK FOR THE REBELS.             35
adding, with his characteristic determination, "Whichever party first attacks now will whip; and the rebels
will have to be quick if they beat me," he put spurs to
his horse and hurried to the left of his line.
The troops on his right had suffered severely, and
were a little demoralized; but he knew their bravery
and endurance, and that they would recover their spirit
and be ready to endure still more if they were assured
of victory. As he rode rapidly along, he gave hasty
but cheering words of encouragement to them, which
had the desired effect. His plans were quickly formed.
He sent orders to Smith to make a vigorous assault,
and directed McClernand and Wallace, on the right,
to renew the battle as soon as Smith commenced his
attack.  At the same time he sent to Commodore
Foote, requesting him to make a demonstration with
such gunboats as were in condition to do so. In his
note to Foote he wrote, "A terrible conflict ensued in
my absence, which has demoralized a part of my command, and I think the enemy is much more so. If the
gunboats do not appear, it will reassure the enemy, and
still further demoralize our troops. I must order a
charge to save appearances."
This was characteristic of Grant.  He did not withdraw  from  the enemy's front at a critical moment
because he had suffered a partial reverse, but he
encouraged his own men by promptly assuming the
offensive, and disheartened the enemy when exhausted
by their desperate efforts. At Donelson, as on other
fields where he acted with the same persistency and
promptness, his tactics were successful.  General
Smith, who was a thorough soldier and a brave and




36          LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
skilful officer, made a brilliant assault; and after hard
fighting his troops made their way through abatis and
over rifle-pits inside the rebel intrenchments. At the
same time the troops of McClernand and Wallace,
encouraged by the words and confidence of Grant,
renewed the battle and regained the ground they had
lost earlier in the day. Night, however, came too soon
for the entire success of-the Union army. A half hour
more of daylight and the fort would have been carried
by storm. But without the cost of another assault the
victory was won.
While the troops slept on the frozeni ground which
they had so bravely gained, the demoralized  and
beaten rebels were dreading a renewal of the battle,
and their highest officers were preparing to desert the
men who had fought under them. Floyd and Pillow,
traitors to their cause and their comrades, as well as to
their country, fled with as many troops as they could
crowd into two' steamers; and Buckner, the third in
rank, was left to perform the disagreeable duty of surrendering.  Buckner - sent a messenger to General
Grant, proposing an armistice and the appointment of
commissioners to settle terms of capitulation. Grant's
reply was prompt and decisive: "' No terizs except7 unconditional and zinmediate surrender can be accepted.
Ipropose to nmove imnmediately uuon your works."
Buckner styled the terms "ungenerous and unchivalrous," but he was compelled to accept them.
Grant, however, though  never exhibiting a weak
generosity towards the enemy, was never wanting in
proper magnanimity. I-Ie rode to the headquarters of
Buckner, who was a cadet with him at West Point,




RESULTS OF VICTORY.              37
and allowed honorable terms to the prisoners, as Buckner himself voluntarily declared to his own soldiers.
But in doing this he yielded no results of his brilliant
victory. A most important rebel position was taken,
with more guns than Grant had in his own forces, and
fifteen thousand prisoners; while twenty-five hundred
of the enemy were killed and wounded, and the three
or four thousand fugitives who went with Floyd were
completely demoralized.
The country needed such a victory to dispel the
clouds of anxiety, and doubt, and impatience, which
hung over the military horizon; and the army needed
it to inspire hope and enthusiasm, which were well
nigh extinguished by long delays and petty defeats.
In itself, and in its important results, it had a glorious
effect, and General Grant now first became known to
the whole country, and received its gratitude.  His
prompt reply to Buckner gave to his initials the popular
name of UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER GRANT; and
through his whole career he has maintained his title to
that name, always exacting unconditional surrender
from the enemies of his country.




38            LIFE  OF GENERAL GRANT.
CHAPTER IV.
Appointed Major General of Volunteers.-Halleck's Notions.General Smith. - Enemies and Unbelievers. - Misrepresentations
unnoticed. - Misconception of Grant's Abilities. - Grant's Strategy. -"  Up, Guards, and at them! "- Appreciative Friends. - Mr.
Stanton and General Sherman. - Grant and Sherman contrasted.
- Undeserved Censure by Halleck. - Grant's noble Reply. - His
Conduct justified. - Up. the Tennessee. - Pittsburg Landing. -
Battle of Shiloh. - His Energy on the Field.- The Day saved by
his obstinate Resistance. - Stragglers' Stories. - Grant's Ideas of
Retreat. — He didn't intend to be beaten. - He assumes the
Offensive. - Promptness and Energy. - His Orders given personally. —The Battle renewed. — Leads the Charge of Ohio
Troops.- Victory. -Jealousy and Ignorance seek to deprive him
of the Honors. - Halleck restive. - He takes Command. - OverCaution. - Grant's Position. - His Sense of.Wrong. - Grant and
Sherman. - A Friendship fortunate for the Country.- Halleck
called to Washington, and Grant resumes Command. - Defensive
Operations. — " Honor to whom Honor is due."
N  recognition  of his victory Grant was at once
nominated by the President as a Major General of
volunteers, and the nomination was promptly confirmed
by the Senate, February 19, 1862.  General Halleck,
commanding the Western Department, and thus Grant's
superior officer, appears to have ignored Grant, and
in his letters and despatches speaks of "our" movements and " our" victory, without a word for him  to
whom  belonged  the honor of the  victory.  Halleck
also recommended that Smith should be appointed a
Major General, and said that to him belonged the credit




GRANT AND SMITH.                 39
of the victory; but he made no mention of Grant, who
had not yet been promoted. Yet Halleck had nothing
to do with the operations against Fort Donelson, except
to send forward reenforcements.  Grant was the projector of the movement as well as the commanding
officer; and all the operations and attacks, including
the assault by Smith's division, were ordered by him.
Smith did not claim the honor, but declared that he
only obeyed orders; and he was subsequently recommended by Grant, who was always generous to his
subordinates, for promotion for his services. Smith
was Grant's senior in years and in the service.  He
was commandant at West Point when Grant was a
cadet, and the latter felt some delicacy in assuming
command over his old instructor.  But the veteran
soldier was trained to subordination, and he soon put
at rest all Grant's doubts, and carried out his orders
with the greatest vigor and alacrity.
Grant appears to have had at that time, as at all
times during the war and since, secret enemies, who
depreciated his abilities and his achievements, and did
not hesitate to circulate malignant calumnies concerning him. They were either jealous of his success, or
were the enemies of the country, who did not wish to
have the rebels conquered, and therefore hated an
officer who was disposed to seek out the enemy and
defeat him. These same enemies have followed him
through all his career, no less since the war than during its continuance, only, as his reputation increased
and he became firmly fixed in the affections of the people, their attacks have been more wary and insidious.
Then there were others who detracted from  his real




40          LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
merits because they did not understand the man or his
purposes, and were governed by the misrepresentations
of his enemies.
To correct misrepresentations, or counteract the
machinations of enemies, Grant never made any effort.
Obedient to orders, faithful to his duties, aiming always
to serve his country in any capacity, never jealous of
his fellow-officers, and never insubordinate, he neither
found time nor showed any desire to set himself right
before the government or the country, except by his
deeds.  He did not, like some generals, take pains to
keep his " communications with the press " open.  He
did not divulge his plans to newspaper correspondents,
nor boast of what he was going to do or what he had
done.  He did'not encourage toadyism, nor listen to
flatterers. He was reserved, and kept his own counsels
as far as possible.  He was therefore only known by
what he accomplished; and because his plans were not
known before, it was supposed that his successes were
simply accidental, or due tohis subordinates.
General Badeau, in his admirable "Military History"
of General Grant, says, " It is impossible to-understand
the early history of the war, without taking it into account that neither the government nor its important
commanders gave Grant credit for intellectual ability
or military genius.
"His other qualities were also rated low.  Because
he was patient, some thought it impossible to provoke
him; and because of his calmness, it was supposed he
was stolid. In battle, or in campaigning, he did not
seem to care or consider so much what the enemy was
doing, as what he himself meant to do; and this trait,




IDEA OF A GREAT COMMANDER.            4I
to enthusiastic and even brilliant soldiers, appeared- inexplicable. A  great commander, it was imagined,
should be nervous, excitable, inspiring his men and
captivating his officers; calling private soldiers by their
names, making eloquent addresses in the field, and
waving his drawn sword in battle. Great commanders
had done all these things and won; and many men,
who could do all these things, fancied themselves,
therefore, great commanders. Others imagined wisdom
to consist in science alone; they sought success in
learned and elaborate plans, requiring months to develop, when the enemy was immediately before them;
they manoeuvred when it was time to fight; they intrenched when they should have attacked, and studied
books when the field should have been their only
problem.
"Grant was like none of these. If he possessed
acquirements, he appeared unconscious of them; he
made no allusions to the schools, and never hesitated
to transgress their rules when the occasion seemed to
him to demand it. So he neither won men's hearts by
blandishments, nor affected their imaginations by brilliancy of behavior; nor did he seem profound to those
who are impressed only by a display of learning."
But by his career, when uncontrolled by his superiors, he proved to these sceptics that he possessed both
intellectual ability and military genius, and upset their
preconceived notions of a great commander.
Grant did not have a very exalted opinion of " strategy" in the common acceptation of the word, though
he was in fact a successful strategist and a master of
grand tactics.




42          LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
"I don't believe in strategy in the popular understanding of the term," he once said to one of his officers.
"I use it to get up just as close to the enemy as is
practicable with as little loss as possible."
" And what then? " asked the officer.
Then?  Up, guards, and at'em!'" replied Grant,
with more than his usual animation. And that was a
fair general statement of his style of campaign.
Among those who early appreciated, if they did not
do full justice to Grant's capacity, was Hon. Edwin M.
Stanton, secretary of war, who thoroughly believed in
Grant's " strategy " of seeking out the enemy and striking him. In a public announcement of the victory at
Fort Donelson, he said that "the true organization of
victory and military combination to end this war was
declared by General Grant's message to General Buckner:'I propose to move immediately on your works."'
Possibly the implied rebuke to certain other commanders, contained in this, served to add to the prejudice of some against Grant.  Mr. Stanton, however,
never saw reason to change his estimate of Grant, and
gave him the heartiest support through the war, till out
of their official relations arose a cordial friendship.
General Sherman was another who was not slow to
appreciate Grant's merits.  He was in command at
Cairo when the battle of Fort Donelson occurred, and
labored with great zeal to send forward troops and
supplies.  He warmly congratulated Grant on  his
victory and his deserved promotion. To this Grant
replied in a manner which shows his modesty, his
generosity, and his patriotism: "I feel under many
obligations to you for the kind terms of your letter, and




GRANT AND SHERMAN.                 43
hope that, should an opportunity occur, you will earn
for yourself that promotion which you are kind enough
to say belongs to me. I care nothing for promotion so
long as our arms are successful, and no political appointments are made."  The last words refer to the
appointment of high officers from civil life, for political
considerations alone, and not for military capacity, an
instance of which Grant had already experienced.
The  friendship, which commenced  with  this correspondence, between these two distinguished officers is
well known to the country. It has been of the most
cordial character, free from all jealousy on the part of
each, generous, self-sacrificing, and altogether worthy
of these two greatest commanders of the war.
The two men possess the most opposite qualities in
many respects, Sherman being nervous, impulsive, and
excitable, while Grant is cool, firm, and imperturbable.
Professor Mahan, a tutor at West Point while both
were there, compares Grant to a powerful low-pressure
engine, which condenses its own steam and consumes
its own smoke, and which pushes steadily forward and
drives all obstacles before it; and likens Sherman to a
high-pressure engine, which lets off both steam and
smoke with a puff and a cloud, and dashes at its work
with resistless vigor.
After the victory at Fort Donelson, General Halleck,
who, if he did not entertain a positive dislike for Grant,
was not disposed to give himsthe credit he deserved,
and was inclined to find fault with him, censured him
for going to Nashville,- which Grant did for the sake
of better understanding the position of affairs,- and
complained that he did not make reports.  This censure




44          LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
and complaint were utterly undeserved.  But though
Grant was thereby placed under a cloud for a time,
and seemed likely to be superseded in his command of
active operations, he made no complaint, but showed
that subordination which he knew was essential to the
service, and manifested his readiness to do all in his
power for the good of the cause, and to carry out the
orders of his superior. " I have done my very best to
obey orders," he wrote, "and to carry out the interests
of the service. If my course is not satisfactory, remove
me at once.  I do not wzis/ in any way to impcde the
success of our arms."  Unselfish and patriotic, he had
no thought for himself, but only for the cause. Finding that he was misrepresented by secret enemies, and
still censured, he repeatedly asked to be relieved from
duty until he could be placed right in the estimation of
those higher in authority.  But Halleck at last perceived
that the country could not spare so true and subordinate
an officer, and wrote to him, "Instead of relieving you,
I wish you, as soon as your new army is in the field,
to assume the immediate command, and lead it on to
new victories."  This was enough, and Grant at once
showed his readiness, in spite of all calumnies, to
" give every effort to the success of the cause." Halleck also made explanations to the War Department,
which relieved Grant from  the censure to which his
(Halleck's) previous despatches had given rise.
Grant was thus justified by his own acts, as well as
by the judgment of all true soldiers, on the only occasion when his conduct was called in question at Washington; though his unselfish patriotism was subjected
to yet further-trials by his immediate superior. He had




BATTLE OF SHILOH.                45
already been appointed to the command of the District
of West Tennessee, and when relieved from his unmerited disgrace, assumed command of the forces which
were moving up the Tennessee, and the advance of
which was encamped at Pittsburg Landing, awaiting
reinforcements. The rebels, alarmed at the movements
in Tennessee, were concentrating large forces at Corinth, Miss., and Buell was ordered -to march from
Nashville with forty thousand men to support Grant.
The latter intended, as soon as these troops arrived, to
advance on Corinth. But Buell's movements were
slow, and the rebels determined to attack Grant's army
before it was reinforced; and accordingly they advanced from Corinth, sixty thousand strong.
The position of the Union army at Pittsburg Landing was not selected by Grant, but by Smith before the
former resumed command. It was naturally a good
one, and it only required intrenchments to make it
entirely safe till the time for an advance; but the
western armies had not then learned the use of the pick
and shovel. Grant made every effort to hurry forward
the troops coming up from Cairo, and urged Buell to
hasten on also. But the enemy, after various threatening movements, made their attack when the latter
was a day's march away, and seemed in no great haste
to reach the Tennessee, where he would be a subordinate.
The limits of this work will not allow the giving of
the details of the battle of Shiloh, or of any of Grant's
campaigns, but simply the narration of some of the leading events which show the ability and character of the
general himself.  Grant's headquarters were at Savan



46          LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
nah, and he was preparing to go in search of Buell; but
as soon as the attack was made, on the morning of
April 6th, he hastened to the field, despatching an
urgent message to Buell, and promptly'making all the
provision possible for the support of the troops already
engaged. He anticipated the call for ammunition, and
when cartridges were wanted they were already at
hand, and a constant supply maintained.  He was in
all parts of the field, advising and commending his
subordinates, constantly under fire, cool, energetic, and
making unwearied exertions to maintain his position.
At times he was vigorously engaged in sending deserters back to their regiments, and in organizing temporarily the numerous fugitives who crowded to the river
with exaggerated stories of disaster. He sent again
and again for Buell's advance to hurry forward, and
for Lewis Wallace to hasten from Crump's Landing.
But Buell's advance, slow to move, was yet a long way
off, and Wallace strangely mistook the road, and did
not arrive.  Confident that with these reenforcements
he could defeat the enemy, Grant held on with a
tenacity which alone saved the day. The Union line
was forced back more than a mile, but it was nowhere
pierced. The enemy made desperate attacks; but the
Union troops, encouraged by such officers as Grant
and Sherman, fought like veterans, although many
were new levies, and showed the dogged obstinacy
which their commander seemed to inspire. The last
desperate attacks upon the left of the Union line were
met with such firmness, that the rebels were repeatedly
thrown back until exhausted.  At this time Buell's
advance, under General Nelson, arrived, and some of




No IDEA OF RETREAT.                  47
his regiments were placed in position; but the enemy
made only a feeble renewal of their efforts.   The day
had been saved by Grant's obstinate resistance, arnd
not by the arrival of Biuell's troops.
But all day, while the battle raged, the banks of the
river had been crowded with stragglers from. the front,
some slightly wounded, some never in the battle, but
all full of stories of surprise, overwhelming forces, terrible disasters, horrible slaughter, and all the exaggerations of men unused to battle, and of cowards who
deserted their posts. Seen from the rear, it looked as
if the contest was resulting in utter and irreparable
defeat; and colored by these unworthy and untrue reports, the country was made to see the first day's battle
at Shiloh as a disaster, which was only saved from
utter completeness by Buell's arrival.  Buell himself,
who arrived in advance of his troops, apparently took
a similar view, and as soon as he met Grant inquired,
"What preparations have you made' for retreating,
general?"  But he was quickly interrupted by Grant,
who exclaimed, with firmness, "I haven't despaired of
zvhij-zping thenm yet! "  He knew  how the brave men,at the front were resisting the enemy, and he knew
that if he held out through that day, the victory
could be won the next, and so he never thought of
retreat.  Such was his determined spirit in all his
campaigns, and in all his battles.
After the battle, it is said-though the anecdote is not
so authlentic as the above statement -that Buell, in criticising the position of Grant's army, with the Tennessee
in their. rear, again recurred to the question of retreat,
and asked, "Where would you have retreated, general,
if beaten?"




48          LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
"I didn't intend to be beaten," was Grant's reply.
"But suppose, in spite of all your efforts, you had
been defeated?"
"Well, there were the transports."
"But all your transports would not carry more than
ten thousand men, and you had forty thousand."
"Well," replied Grant, " they would have been szuficient for all that would have been left of us."
As soon as the rebels showed signs of exhaustion in
their last efforts against his left, Grant was giving
orders to assume the offensive on the morrow..He
believed that, as at Fort Donelson, the condition of
either side was such that the party first attacking would
be successful.  He would then have at least one division
of Buell's army, and Wallace's division, to strengthen
him, and he was confident of success.  His preparations
were made promptly and decisively.  His shattered
brigades were reorganized, stragglers were returned to
their places, and ample supplies brought up. Buell's
army, as it arrived, was placed in position on the left,
and Wallace's division on the right, and by early
morning the new  line was formed.  Grant gave his
orders personally to each division commander, and
after completing his plans, he lay down on the ground,
with the stump of a tree for a pillow, and slept soundly
in spite of the raging storm. The attack was made
this time by the Union troops, and the rebels were
beaten back. The battle was severe, though not so
fierce as on the previous day.  The rebels retired'slowly, but were at last driven from the field, and retreated rapidly towards Corinth. Grant's plans were
carried out, and he was ever active on the field in




LEADS THE FINAL CHARGE AT SHILOH.   49
directing new movements.  Seeing a portion of his line,
in front of an important position, struggling unsuccessfully and about to give way, he ordered up an Ohio
regiment, which was passing not far distant, and himself led them to support the wavering troops. Recognizing their general, these men charged with great
enthusiasm, while he shared their exposure, and encouraged them with his presence. The wavering troops
also recognized him, and closing up their ranks, they
joined, with loud cheers, in the charge, which drove
the enemy from their position, and achieved the final
success of the contest.
Jealousy and ignorance would again have deprived
Grant of the honor of victory.  He was supposed to
have been hopelessly defeated the first day, and the
success of the second day was supposed to be due to
Buell and-his army.  But neither was true, as all
official records, of both the Union and rebel forces, and
the testimony of unprejudiced soldiers, show. Moreover, had the army of General' Buell been as ready to
endure and persist as were General Grant's own troops,
the victory would have been more complete. But Buell's officers considered their men too much exhausted
to pursue the routed foe; and the real victory, which
Grant desired to achieve, was thus lost. But what was
accomplished is due to the ability and persistency of
Grant.
General Halleck, seeing his subordinates winning
the laurels of the war, grew  somewhat restive; and
having formed a grand strategical plan of the campaign,
desired naturally to assume command of his forces in
the field. He did so, and superseded Grant, who,
4




50           LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
though nominally second in command, was practically
ignored, and placed in avery awkward and unpleasant
position. The misrepresentations of jealousy and ignorance had their effect upon Halleck, and he seemed to
believe that Grant had hopelessly failed at, Shiloh.:The latter was not consulted, and'orders were issued
by Halleck direct to the corps commanders, instead of
being sent through Grant.  The spade and pick were
now  brought into requisition, as if in contrast to the
only omission of Grant in taking position at Pittsburg
Landing.  For weeks the: grand army under Halleck
was throwing up breastworks, advancing a short distance and again throwing up breastworks, till it had
dug its way almost into Corinth, advancing fifteen miles
in six weeks.  The rebels meanwhile were equally
busy in erecting defences at Corinth.
To some able officers, and among them  General
Grant, it appeared that there was- a surer and quicker
way of carrying the rebel position, and defeating the
rebel army before it escaped. But when Grant ventured
to suggest it, Halleck scouted it in an insulting manner.
Grant had hitherto borne his disagreeable position with
patience and entire subordination, as became a good
soldier and a patriotic, unselfish man, trusting that time
would bring all things right.  But this indignity was
almost past bearing. He felt it keenly, and was much
depressed; but he showed no insubordination, made no
complaints, and sought no sympathy from  his fellow* General Badeau's excellent work, "The Military History of
Ulysses S. Grant," throws new light on this battle, and shows, by
official documents and the testimony of General Sherman and others,
that Grant not only did not fail, but that he was. entitled to the
highest honor for his ability and persistency.




AN APPRECIATIVE FRIEND.              51
officers, which might have affected the efficiency of
the army.  He simply remarked to his chief of staff
that H-alleck had deeply wronged him.
One day General Sherman bolted into Grant's tent,
and found him suffering under his sense of wrong.
He inquired the cause of this unusual manifestation of
feeling. Grant then, for the first time, spoke at length
of his position, and the indignities he had suffered, and
concluded by saying; " The truth is, I am not wanted
here. The country has no further use for me, and I
am about to resign and go home."
" No, you are not  " replied Sherman, in his nervous
and impatient manner; "you are going to do nothing
of the sort. The country has further need of you,'and
you must stay here and do your duty, in spite of these
petty insults."
Sherman's earnest manner, generous sympathy, and
cheering words prevailed with Grant, and encouraged
him to stay. Fortunate was it for the country, that at
this critical moment of his career Grant had so appreciative, true, and outspoken a friend.
When Corinth was evacuated by the rebels, and
entered by the Union troops after their six weeks of
fruitless toil, it was apparent that Grant's. plan would
have secured the capture not only of Corinth, but the
greater part of the rebel army. The inefficient pursuit
which followed, under the direction of Buell, assumed
the form of seventy thousand men acting on the defensive, against twenty thousand rebels retreating from
them! -This barren issue of the "siege of Corinth"
served to distract attention from the alleged mistakes
of Shiloh, and Grant was no longer subject to the




52          LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
calumnies which had been heaped upon his capacity
as a general, and his habits as a man.
Halleck was soon after called to Washington as
general-in-chief, and Grant resumed his former command; not, however, till Halleck had offered it to
Colonel Robert Allen, a quartermaster, who had the
good sense to decline it. Buell's army had already
gone towards Chattanooga, and Grant's army was still
further depleted by the departure of four divisions to
reinforce the former. Grant was, therefore, compelled
to act entirely on the defensive, an irksome duty for
him; and his task was the difficult one of guarding
several important points against an enemy who could
readily concentrate at any one of them a force equal to
his entire command.  He strengthened the defences of
Corinth, while he narrowly watched the threatening
movements of the rebels, and proved himself active and
prudent in a defensive campaign, though his genius
was for offensive operations. He would have defeated
the rebels at Iuka if his plans had been carried out;
but Rosecrans, who commanded one of the columns
moving against the enemy at that place, was slower
than he promised to be, which caused a necessary
detention of the other column, under Ord, and communication being difficult, the attacks were not well
timed. The enemy effected his retreat by a road which
Rosecrans was expressly ordered to hold, but which
he failed to occupy.
Afterwards the rebels, combining their forces,' attacked Corinth, to which place Grant had hurried
Rosecrans, and made other provisions for its defence.
With the aid of the strengthened fortifications Rosecrans




CHARACTER OF HIS PLANS.             53
made a gallant defence, and repulsed the enemy with
heavy loss; but he failed to pursue the demoralized
forces of the rebels until it was too late. Grant was
somewhat chagrined at this, for his plans always contemplated the prompt following up of a success until its
full benefits were reaped. The result, however, was
advantageous to the Union cause, and Grant's district
was relieved from apprehensions of a renewal of important movements on the part of the enemy. For the
defence of Corinth Rosecranrs received deserved commendation; but more was due to Grant than partial
observers allowed. His were the plans by which success was achieved, and had they been carried out,
would have resulted in a more complete victory.




54             LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
CHAPTER V.
Vicksburg.  General McClernand's Schemes.- Grant's Purposes.The Lessons of a rebel Raid. - Grant and the Secession Women.
-McClernand's Insubordination and Braggadocio. -The Difficulties of operating against Vicksburg. - Grant's Persistency and
Resources. - The Canal, Lake Providence, and Yazoo Pass. - The
Country impatient. - Plots to remove him. - President Lincoln's
Reply. - The final and successful Plan. - Opposition. - Grant
assumes the Responsibility. - Brilliant Operations. - Jackson,
Champion Hill, and the Big Black. -The Assault on Vicksburg,
and the Siege. - Strategy and Vigor. - Vicksburg reduced. -
Grant's Interview with Pemberton. - "Unconditional Surrender"
again. - Thirty thousand Prisoners, and one hundred and seventytwo Cannon. - The public Joy. - President Lincoln's Letter. -
General Halleck's Acknowledgment. - Grant's modest Dignity,
and the sullen Discourtesy of Rebels. - Grant's Confidence of
Success. - His Persistency dashes the Hopes of a rebel Woman. -
His unwearying Labors and Efforts. - Care for his Troops. - His
well-earnel Reputation.
IX ICKSBURG,which will be forever associated with
the name of Grant, was the scene of achievements
which confirmed him in the estimation of his countrymen, and established his reputation as a general above
the reach of the detractions of jealousy and misrepresentation.  While Grant was engaged  in  defending  his
district of West Tennessee from  the threatened invasion
of the superior forces of the enemy, McClernand, who
had been his subordinate, and was one of the politicalappointments which he had deprecated, was in Wash



GRANT AND MCCLERNAND.               55
ington, endeavoring to obtain an independent command.
It was very desirable that the Mississippi River should
be opened its entire length. The Union forces had
opened it to Memphis and below, but at Vicksburg the
rebels had strong fortifications, and entirely commanded
the river between that place and Port Hudson, thus
maintaining their communications between the west
and the east, and drawing large supplies from-Louisiana
and Texas. McClernand proposed to open this part
of the river, and persuaded President Lincoln to authorize him to organize a force of the new troops from the
west for that purpose. He imagined himself fully
equal to the undertaking, talked boastfully, claimed
the expedition as his original conception, and desired
the sole command, with the idea that he should have
the sole honor of its success. General Halleck, however, and others, had no such exalted opinion of
McClernand's abilities as an officer, and he was allowed
to organize the expedition subject' to General Grant's
direction. Halleck seemed to have more faith in Grant
than formerly, or at least placed him  far above
McClernand as a soldier. He atoned for his former
injustice by allowing Grant great freedom of action,
and heartily aiding him in all his plans.
But McClernand had no patent right to such a movement. It had formed a part of Halleck's grand plan
of operations when he was commander of the Western
Department; and Grant had long ago had his eye on
Vicksburg as an objective, towards which he would
have advanced had his forces been sufficient. Before
McClernand got ready to take command of his expedition, Grant sent Sherman, with all the troops collected




56         LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
at Memphis, except a sufficient garrison, down the
river to commence operations, and entered earnestly
into the movement which was to be under his general
direction.
As McClernand's new levies arrived, they were sent
to the same destination. Grant at the same time penetrated Mississippi, with the view of cooperating in the
rear of Vicksburg. But his forces, though he had accomplished much, were insufficient to hold his long
line of railroad communication, and still make advances.
The rebels were wary, and, avoiding battle, suddenly
cut his communications, and destroyed a large quantity
of supplies, and he was obliged to fall back; while
Sherman made an unsuccessful attack on the rebel
position on the Yazoo. But the cutting of his communications taught Grant to subsist his army on the
enemy's country. The rebels were rejoicing over this
disaster to the Union cause, which they exaggerated,
and fancied that the national troops must either starve
where they were, or retreat, demoralized and beaten,
an easy prey for Forrest's active cavalry.
Some rebel women came one day to Grant's headquarters, smiling with exultation at the news they had
heard. They thought to taunt him, " in a genteel way,"
with' his loss, and, as they supposed, his hopeless
condition.
" What will you do, general," asked one, " now that
you have lost Holly Springs, and your soldiers will
have nothing to eat?"
The general noticed, without appearing to, the
glances exchanged by his visitors, and the taunting
tone, which was but half concealed, and he quickly
replied, -




LIVING ON THE ENEMY'S COUNTRY.          57
" My soldiers will find plenty to eat in your barns
and storehouses."
The exultant smiles of his visitors were quickly
changed to looks of astonishment and alarm.
" You would not rob us! You would not take from
non-combatants!" they cried.
"A  commander's first duty is to provide for his
troops," replied the general, blandly. "Your friends
destroyed my supplies, and I must take others wherever
they may be found."
Remonstrances could not prevail, nor indignant
protests, nor harmless threats, nor angry tears. The
troops must be fed, and the orders were given to seize
all necessary supplies.  Grant was now convinced, if
he had not been at an earlier stage of the war, that the
rebels, who wickedly began the rebellion, and prosecuted it with such obstinacy, hatred, and cruelty, should
be made to feel the rigors of war, and that treacherous and malignant non-combatants  those innocents
whose "sufferings" Franklin Pierce bewailed - should
not be spared. So the country was stripped, and the
army was fed. The rebels paid dearly for this raid
on Grant's communications, not only there, but througlhout the South wherever the Union armies marched, for
the lesson which he then learned was afterwards
thoroughly and justly practised.
When McClernand took command, he not only
lacked the confidence of experienced soldiers, but he
manifested insubordination, with overweening conceit
criticised the orders of his superior, claimed the expedition as his own, and-sought to establish his independence of Grant. His'conduct was so offensive, and so




58          LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
endangered the success of the movement, that Grant
was authorized to name another commander, or to
assume the command himself. -To avoid unpleasant
results, which might have arisen fiom  superseding
McClernand by Sherman, to whom he wished to give
the command, he assumed it himself, and retained
McClernand in command of his own corps. But the latter, while not a very efficient officer, was still insubordinate and troublesome, boastful and obnoxious to his
fellow-officers. Finally his spirit of braggadocio led him
to exaggerate what he was doing during one of the fierce
assaults in the rear of Vicksburg, to claim successes
which he had not gained, and to ask for support which
involved an unnecessary sacrifice of life. And to crown
this, he published a bombastic address to his corps, in
which he recounted all its gallant deeds to his own
glory, and the disparagement of other corps and commanders.  This unsoldierly conduct justly incensed
other officers, and MeClernand was at once relieved
of his command, which he  had obtained through
political influence, and in the exercise of which the
good of the country was made subordinate to his own
glorification. But for Grant's patience and forbearance, he would have been sooner relieved for other
reasons.
The movement against Vicksburg was one of the
greatest importance.  Its object was to open the Mississippi, in order not only to secure that majestic line of
communication with the sea, and with the Union forces
at its mouth, but to divide the rebel confederacy in
twain, and to cut off the rebel armies in the east from
one of their chief sources of supply. It was a move



VICKSBURG —A DIFFICULT PROBLEM.    59
ment full of difficulties, for it was a position of great
natural strength, affording no vantage-ground for an
attack, and it had been industriously fortified. The
rebels knew its importance to them, and they spared
no pains to make it secure. At-the first indications of
a movement against it, they extended and strengthened
its defences, and concentrated their forces so as to be
able to present, at any point of attack, numbers at least
equal to the assailants.
General Grant believed from the first that the only
way of capturing Vicksburg was by an attack in the
rear, or a siege. Such had been his plans before the
expedition down the river had been determined upon;
and when his communications were cut, had he known
what he then learned by experience, and what was then
first tried by any considerable force, -that he could subsist an army on the enemy's country,.' he would have
moved promptly on Vicksburg. But the river expedition was now the favorite one with the government,
and at this time, perhaps, the most advantageous one,
and he'bent all his energies to secure its success, aiming still to get to the rear of the rebel position. It was
impossible to carry the enemy's works in front, or on
their flank, an attack at the only practicable point, on
the Yazoo, having already failed; and it was equally
impossible to pass the rebel batteries on the river with
a sufficient number of transports and gunboats in order
to flank them on the south. The problem was, therefore, somewhat difficult in theory as well as in practice.
The year previous, a Union force, under the command
of General Williams, had been sent up from New
Orleans by General Butler, with a part of Admiral




60          LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
Farragut's fleet, and being unable to pass Vicksburg,
had commenced cutting a canal across the neck of land
formed by the bend in the river opposite Vicksburg,
-with the view of turning the waters of the Mississippi,
and securing a safe passage, while leaving Vicksburg
some miles inland. Without being too confident of
success, Grant ordered this work to be completed on a
larger scale and in a more effective manner. He always
felt that it was essential to keep his men actively employed; and even if this canal did not enable the fleet
to pass down below Vicksburg, it occupied the attention
and encouraged the hopes of the troops. The work
was pushed forward with vigor; but it took months to
bring it near completion, and then a rapid rise in the
river broke through the embankment of the canal and
overflowed the country, and the work did not answer
its purpose.
But Grant had not been idly awaiting,the result of
this experiment. He was busy in seeking other practicable routes by which he could reach the position he
desired. As soon as he took command, he gave orders
for cutting a way from the Mississippi to Lake Providence on the west, from which it was hoped steamers
might pass into the Tensas, and thence into the Red
River, and a passage thus be opened for communication
with Banks, who was to coSperate from New Orleans
in the opening of the river. At about the same time
he sent an expedition to explore on the eastern side of
the Mississippi, and to open, if possible, a practicable
passage through Yazoo Pass and Steele's Bayou. At
one time the latter route promised to be practicable,
and to enable Grant to flank the rebel works on the




PRESIDENT LINCOLN SUSTAINS HIM.         6i
Yazoo, and reach the high land in the rear of Vicksburg. But unexpected obstacles, natural and artificial,
were encountered; and though the novel and remarkable movement was prosecuted with vigor, and caused
serious loss and alarm to the rebels, it was found at
last to be unavailing.
While Grant was making all these efforts to solve
the problem before him, the country, ignorant of the
difficulties and the measures taken to overcome them,
became impatient. There was a clamor for his removal, prompted in part by jealousy, and in part by
ignorance and impatience.  This feeling at Washington, and at the North, suggested all sorts of rumors
and misrepresentations about Grant, the condition of
his troops, and everything which could affect his
character as a general. Great efforts were consequently
made to remove him; and among those who were
using every exertion to accomplish this was General
McClernand, who desired and expected to have the
command himself.  How much of the misrepresentation
of Grant and his efforts is due to that scheming subordinate and his friends, may be imagined. He would
probably have succeeded but for the good will and
firmness of President Lincoln, who even then believed
in Grant. To one of those who urged Grant's removal
the President said, decidedly, "I rather like the man.
I think we'll try him a little longer." Secretary Stanton,
too, "rather liked the man," and he was not removed
to give place to incompetency and bombast. Amid all
this clamor and misrepresentation, Grant patiently and
earnestly discharged his duties, seeking success against
the enemy for the sake of the country, rather than




62          LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
wasting efforts for the sake of himself. So through his
whole career, while there was an enemy of his country
in his front, he did not turn back to fight his personal
enemies in the rear. And never did he undertake to
defend himself against the misrepresentations and plots
of unscrupulous men, until in himself the safety and
welfare of the country were assailed, and the fruits of
all his victories were endangered.
But Grant's resources were not exhausted.  He had
yet another plan, to which, from the beginning, he had
anticipated he might resort when the waters had
sufficiently subsided.  This was to move his army,
which was now large and well organized, partly by
water through the bayous on the west side of the river,
and partly by a wagon road to New Carthage, and
thence across the Mississippi below Warrenton, or to a
point still farther down the river, and thence across to
Grand Gulf. Admiral (then Commodore) Porter at
the same time was to run by the rebel batteries with
several of his gunboats, and some transports laden with
supplies.  These gunboats and transports, with such
small steamers as could pass through the bayous, were
to transport the troops across the river, and a movement was then to be made to the rear of Vicksburg.
To this movement Grant's most trusted  and  able
officers, such as Sherman and McPherson were strongly
opposed, as dangerous in the extreme. The army,
they represented, would abandon its base of supplies,
and would be entirely cut off from the North and all aid
in case of any failure; and if not entirely successful, for
which the chances were far from equal, the movement
would be disastrous.  But Grant had weighed the sub



BRILLIANT MOVEMENTS.               63
ject well, was confident of success, and quietly assuming the responsibility, without holding any council of
war, adhered to his plan, and issued orders for its
execution.
The movement was successfully made, and attended
with the most brilliant results. The gunboats, and
most of the transports, passed the batteries at night
without serious damage; the troops moved promptly,
under Grant's personal direction, and soon reached
New Carthage.  There, however, there was a delay
on account of McClernand's inefficiency, -and Commodore Porter was constrained to urge the immediate
presence of Grant at the front. Further examination
showing  that it was advisable, in consequence of
McClernand's delay, to cross the Mississippi at a point
below Grand Gulf, which was strongly fortified, General
Grant., upon assuming immediate command, moved
down from New Carthage to a point opposite Bruinsburg. There the troops were transported across the
river by the steamers and gunboats, and established
themselves on the Mississippi side, and compelled the
evacuation of Grand Gulf. Then Grant, sending his
pithy despatch, "You may not hear from me again for
several days," cut loose from his base, and commenced
his brilliant campaign. With skilful movements, which
deceived the enemy, he marched to Jackson, skirmished,
fought battles, captured Jackson, the capital of Mississippi, and then rapidly marched back to the rear of
Vicksburg, defeating the rebels at Champion Hill and
the Big Black, and driving them  at last within the
defences of their stronghold. The rebel forces were
driven in dismay from  Jackson, and their supplies




64          LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
captured and destroyed; and  as the army moved
towards Vicksburg, the country was laid waste, and
the railroad destroyed, so as to prevent or impede any
rebel movement for the relief of Vicksburg.
It was one of the most successful and brilliant operations of modern warfare, and reflected the highest credit
on Grant's military capacity. It was the conception of
military genius, and was carried through by that confidence which is inspired by genius. Grant's army was
now placed where he desired it-in front of the enemy,
who was thus cut off from reinforcements and supplies.
Another brilliant move and gallant contest, and communication was opened with the Mississippi above
Vicksburg, and a base of supplies established. Grant
was not disposed to commence the slow operations of a
regular siege until he had attempted to carry the
enemy's works by assault. He was especially induced
to do this because of the danger of a movement upon
his rear if he waited too long, believing the importance
of Vicksburg to the rebels might lead them even to
abandon other points, in order to concentrate a large
army for its relief. But finding that the rebel works
were too strong to be carried by assault, he commenced
regular siege operations, guarding, by a strong force
in his rear, against the advance of Johnston, who was
collecting all the troops he could for the relief of the beleaguered city. The operations of this force in the rear,
under the immediate command of Sherman, were
brilliant and effectual. The country, for a great distance, was stripped of supplies, and every important
point was guarded, so that Johnston was unable to make
any successful movement. The siege operations, in the




INTERVIEW WITH PEMBERTON.            65
mean time, progressed with vigor. By the disposition
of Grant's forces, and the activity of the gunboats
on the river, Vicksburg was completely cut off from
supplies and reinforcements. The Union army slowly
but surely advanced, siege guns were mounted, and
the rebel fortifications and the city were continually
shelled. The approaches at last reached the enemy's
lines; one or two important rebel works were mined,
assaulted, and captured, and the rebels, reduced to
quarter rations, harassed and worn out by fatigues, at
last, in despair, were obliged to yield.
On the 3d of July, Pemberton, the rebel commander,
proposed an armistice and the appointment of commissioners to arrange for capitulation, in order "to save
the further effusion of blood." Grant declined to appoint commissioners, and informed Pemberton that he
could stop the further effusion of blood " by an unconditional surrender of the city and garrison," and that
he could offer no other terms. An interview subsequently took place between the two commanders in
front of the lines.
When they met, Pemberton  inquired, somewhat
abruptly, what terms would be allowed him.
"The terms named in my letter of this morning,"
replied Grant.
" If that is all," declared Pemberton, haughtily, "then
this conference may as well terminate, and hostilities
be resumed at once."
"Very well," said Grant, quietly; and he turned
away, knowing that the enemy would soon be at his
mercy.
But Bowen, Pemberton's subordinate, proposed that
5




66          LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
he and General Smith, who accompanied Grant, should
confer together on terms, and report to their superiors.
While those two officers conferred together, Grant and
Pemberton paced to and fro, conversing. Pemberton,
nervous and dispirited, though insolent in manner,
plucked straws to gnash his teeth upon; while Grant,
quiet, imperturbable, and firm, calmly smoked his
cigar, and as calmly spoke, taking no notice of his
opponent's ill temper.
The terms proposed by Bowen were so utterly inadmissible as to elicit a smile from Grant, who promptly
rejected them, and promised to send his ultimatum in
writing, and the coniference ended. Grant summoned
a council of war, the only one he ever called, and
asked the opinions of his officers. Always self-reliant,
and ready to assume his proper responsibility, he
evidently did not believe that in war there was safety in
a multitude of counsel. In this case none of the terms
proposed by his subordinates met with his approbation;
but without any discussion he immediately dictated his
own terms, which were in the main simply such as had
been arranged by a cartel between the national and
rebel authorities. The rebels were comp'eiled to accept
them or fare worse; and that was the position in which
Grant always aimed to place the enemy.
On the 4th of July, Vicksburg, with its hundred and
seventy cannon, and its thirty thousand rebel troops,*
was formally surrendered, and a portion of the victorious army entered the city. The Mississippi was
opened, for Port Hudson was immediately surrendered,
* One hundred and seventy-two cannon and thirty-one thousand
six hundred men.




LETTER FROM PRESIDENT LINCOLN.          67
as a consequence of the capture of Vicksburg, and the
long-desired and important object of this campaign was
attained: the Father of Waters rolled " unvexed to the
sea."  The joyful news was flashed by telegraph
through the country, and, added to the victory at Gettysburg, made that birthday of the country triply glorious and happy for the loyal people. The popular
gratitude to Grant was freely expressed, and he was
now recognized, by people, government, and soldiers,
as, beyond all question, an able general, who, by
brilliant movements, as well as indomitable energy,
had secured victory unsurpassed in magnitude and importance by any hitherto achieved. President Lincoln,
who had watched the progress of the operations against
Vicksburg with the deepest interest, in a letter characterized by the honest frankness which was one of his
prominent traits, wrote to Grant, -
"MY DEAR GENERAL: I do not remember that you
and I ever met personally. I write this now as a grateful acknowledgment for the almost inestimable service
you have done the' country. I wish to say one word
further. When you first reached the vicinity of Vicksburg, I thought you should do what you finally did
- march the troops across the neck, run the batteries
with the transports, and thus go below; and I never
had any faith, except a general hope that you knew
better than I, that the Yazoo expedition, and the like,
could succeed. When you got below, and took Port
Gibson, Grand Gulf, and vicinity, I thought you should
go down the river and join General Banks; and when
you turned northward, east of the Big Black, I thought




68          LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
it was a mistake.  I now wish to make the personal
acknowledgment that you were right, and I was wrong."
Other men, soldiers and civilians, ignorant of the
difficulties and obstacles to be encountered, had made
plans for taking Vicksburg, but few were so frank as
President Lincoln, who, from that hour, had the fullest
confidence in Grant, and gave him his hearty support.
General Halleck, who had been so slow to acknowledge Grant's ability, but who was thoroughly competent to judge of the merits of a campaign accomplished, wrote, "Your narrative of the campaign, like
the operations themselves, is brief, soldierly, and in
every respect creditable and satisfactory. In boldness
of plan, rapidity of execution, and brilliancy of routes,
these operations will compare most favorably with those
of Napoleon about Ulm."
When, on the 4th of July, Grant rode into the captured city, it was without any ostentatious -parade, or
any exhibition of triumph. The rebel soldiers stared
at him curiously, as if they wondered how so unpretending a man could be a great general.  Stopping at
Pemberton's headquarters, he dismounted, and alone
entered the porch of the house, neither guard nor
officer receiving him. There sat Pemberton and his
rebel officers, occupying all the seats; but, though
they recognized him, not one of these polished scions
of chivalry had the grace to offer him a chair, nor to
give him a glass of cold water when he asked for it.
It was, however, a sullen incivility and exhibition of
bad temper, which had little effect on Grant. Though
he wore no air of haughty triumph, he was conscious




His CONFIDENCE.                69
of his victory; but he could pardon  something to
chagrin and wounded vanity; and while the vanquished
Pemberton and his fellows continued sitting, the victor
stood, quietly and courteously talking, till his business.
with the rebel chief was finished.
Through all the long campaign against Vicksburg,
Grant had felt sure of ultimate success. His greatest
anxiety — which, even then, did not amount to a
doubt — was when he was contending against unnumbered difficulties and obstacles in his efforts to
reach the enemy, and the country was becoming impatient at the tedious delays. But when he found that
his long-contemplated, movement could be made, he
was no longer anxious, except to get his troops forward.
He never doubted the result; he was confident of
victory. His confidence then, as in all his campaigns,
amounted almost to fatalism; but it was a confidence
born not of blind egotism, or a superstitious belief in
inevitable destiny, but of indefatigable effort and unyielding tenacity of purpose.  When Sherman and
McPherson advised against the movement, he was too
confident to listen to their fears. When McClernand's
inefficiency gave the rebels time to baffle his first plans,
his confidence was not abated;.but changing.the
details, he was never doubtful of reaching the end he
aimed at. An incident during the siege illustrates the
same confidence, and reveals its character.
As he was one day riding around his lines, he
stopped for water at a house in which, notwithstanding
its exposure, a rebel woman continued to live. Like
most of her class, she was a bitter hater of the Yankees,
and a thorough believer in the chivalry. Learning




70          LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
who Grant was, she thought she would taunt him by
asking, -
" Do you expect ever to get into Vicksburg, general?"
"Certainly," replied the general, quietly but decidedly.
"I wonder when!" said the dame, with an evident
sneer.
" I cannot tell exactly when I shall take the town,"
said the general, with a little more decision than before;
" but I mean to stay here till I do, if it takes me thirty
years."
The woman subsided.  Such Yankee persistency
and confidence dashed her spirits and her hopes. But
she saw the general's promise kept without waiting
thirty years.
While Grant was thus confident of the result from
his tenacity of purpose, he labored indefatigably to
secure it. Cautious, vigilant, active, his orders to his
subordinates were promptly and explicitly given; and
when fairly in the field, every considerable movement
contributed to secure the object in view. The experience of the campaign developed his military genius,
and proved him a great general in his ability to move
and feed troops, as well as in the grand tactics of the
field. His army was prompt and rapid in its movements, and always well supplied; and he attended so
closely to the details of these matters, that, without the
slightest effort or desire to make himself popular, he
secured the attachment of his men. But he did not
content himself with simply seeing that they were
furnished with  supplies; he looked well after the
wounded and sick, and protected all against the ex



A SOLID REPUTATION.              i7
tortions of sutlers and steamboat captains, and other
classes of vampyres that followed the army. Plain,
quiet, and unassuming, but self-reliant, brave, and
cool in the midst of danger, he was just the man to
inspire the confidence, if not the enthusiasm, of the army
under his command.  He had thus, at the close of this
brilliant campaign, established with the government,
in the army, and before the world, a reputation as a
general more solid than that of any other officer in the
country.




72             LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
CHAPTER VI.
Appointed Major General in the regular Army. - His military Genius developed by the War. - His comprehensive Ideas of the Rebellion.- A true Representation of the Policy of the Government.
- A Believer in Emancipation. - An Opponent of Trade with the
Rebels. - Speculators and illegal Traders at a Discount. - Recognized as a great Leader and " the Coming Man." - Grant's Plans
after the Capture of Vicksburg. -The Necessity of postponing
them. - Visits New Orleans. - Accident and Injury.- Critical
Position of Rosecrans. - Grant called to Cairo.- Meets Secretary
Stanton.- New and important Command.- Confidence of the
Government. - Assumes Command. - Affairs at Chattanooga. -
Grant's prompt and energetic Preparations. -Journey to Chattanooga.- Triumph of Will over physical Weakness and Difficulties.
- Extent of his Command.-Energy and Administrative Ability.
-Chattanooga relieved, and the Army encouraged.- Burnside.
- Grant's Purpose to attack Bragg. - Impatient of Delays. - The
Battle of Chattanooga. - Fought directly under Grant's Orders. -
His Headquarters. - The Crisis and the Charge. - Grant's Confidence. -"  They'll do it." - The Victory. - Grant at the Front. -
His Watchfulness. - Complete Defeat of the Enemy. - Pursuit. -
" One of the most remarkable Battles in History." - Recognition
of Grant's Services. - Modesty of the great Republican Soldier.
S OON  after the capture of Vicksburg, and in recognition of his distinguished  services, Grant was
appointed a Major General in the regular army, his
commissions hitherto having been in the volunteers.
With his characteristic generous regard  for his subordinates, he recommended many of them for promotion;
and Sherman and McPherson were, at his request, appointed brigadier generals in the regular army. All




His IDEAS OF TIHE REBELLION.          73
Grant's promotions had been won by merit and eminent
services.  He had risen in rank without personal or
political influence, and in spite of the opposition and
prejudices of men whose opinions essentially controlled
the government.
The war had gradually developed his military capacity, and he had grown in his abilities with each
new difficulty and each new campaign. Already the
most successful and the ablest general in the Union
army, in the coming campaigns he was destined to
surpass himself, and to secure still more the gratitude
and admiration of his country and the respect of all
the world.
General Grant had grown not only in military capacity, but he had grown more comprehensive in his
ideas of the rebellion.  In all the army the government had no better representative of its policy. For
Grant had always shown the most exact subordination, and declared his purpose to be, to carry out in
all cases the orders of his superiors. He had learned
what the rebellion was, and he had learned that it was
necessary to deal with it with the utmost rigor.. Never
having been an abolitionist, he yet had learned that
slavery was the cause, the object, and the strength of
the rebellion, and he not only felt no scruples in striking it down, but earnestly carried out the emancipation
policy. He did not hesitate to avow, still more decidedly than by passive obedience to orders, his sentiments
on this subject; and in a letter to some loyal men of
Memphis, who tendered him a public reception in I863,
he wrote, "I thank you, too, in the name of the noble
army which I have the honor to command. It is com



74         LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
posed of men whose loyalty is proved by their deeds
of heroism  and their willing sacrifices of life and
health. They will rejoice with me that the miserable
adherents of the rebellion, whom their bayonets have
driven from this fair land, are being replaced by men
who acknowledge human liberty as the only true foundation of human government."
When the policy of enlisting negroes in the army
was adopted by the government, he gave it his hearty
support, and he was not slow to acknowledge the
bravery and discipline of the colored troops, nor to
secure to them the full rights of soldiers.
He gave his hearty concurrence and his ready obedience to all orders and every policy which was calculated to weaken or break down the rebellion. But to
such orders as he believed would indirectly aid and
strengthen the enemy, he frankly presented his objections; and thus he urged cogent reasons against the
policy of opening trade with the rebels for the sake of
cotton, though he declared, what was always his rule
of action, "No theory of my own will ever stand in
the way of executing in good faith any order I may
receive from those in authority over me."
Speculators seeking profit from indirect trade with
the enemy found no favor at his'hands, but were persistently excluded from his lines. It is related that he
once even kicked out of his tent one of this class who
had the audacity to attempt to bribe him by the offer
of a share of the profits of such illicit trade. This
scrupulous integrity and devotion to the cause undoubtedly made him  enemies, who disparaged and
calumniated him; but it proved him  all the more




THE MAN FOR THE CRISIS.             75
worthy of the love and respect of the people, and
stamped him as an incorruptible patriot, to whom the
highest trusts may be safely committed.
Grant was in truth the legitimate and complete product
of the war, and after his triumph at Vicksburg began
to be regarded as the man for the crisis. Hitherto the
country had looked in vain for the great leader who
should conduct to victory the grand army of men and
the grand power of ideas furnished by the loyal North.
One more campaign, another growth of power, another
manifestation of military genius, another victory, and
the government and people alike were ready to hail
Ulysses S. Grant as the great captain raised up by
Providence to be the deliverer of his country.
After the capture of Vicksburg, and the complete
accomplishment of the purpose of the campaign, Grant
suggested to the government an expedition against
Mobile.  He desired that his success should be
promptly followed up by vigorous movements which
should weaken and dispirit the rebels, and he considered Mobile as the next most important point of
attack in the south-west, and at that time not very difficult to capture.  His suggestions were no longer
treated with contempt or indifference by Halleck, who
joined him in wishing he had a sufficient force at his
disposal to accomplish the purpose. But at this time
England and France were meddling in the affairs of
Mexico, and France was especially forward not' only
in crushing out Mexican republicanism, but in its
propositions to mediate, or rather to interfere, in the
contest between the government and the rebels. It
was therefore deemed of much political importance




76         LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
that a strong United States force should occupy the
line of the Rio Grande, to check any hostile movement
which France, under false pretences, might make into
United States territory. This required the forces which
would have been used against Mobile, and for these
reasons Grant was obliged to abandon a movement
which he believed desirable, and which under his
direction would probably have met with early success.
But he was called to take command of more important
operations, and to win the -more splendid victory at
Chattanooga.
Having sent many of the troops with which he was
temporarily reenforced back to their several departments, and having despatched others to re6nforce
Banks, Grant went to New Orleans to confer with the
latter general. While in that city he was thrown from
his horse at a review and severely injured. For a long
time he was helpless; but he continued to direct the
operations and' movements of his command.  Before
he had recovered, he received urgent despatches from
Halleck to send reinforcements to Rosecrans, who was
at Chattanooga confronted by Bragg. The despatches
to Grant were unaccountably delayed; but as soon as
received, with his usual promptness he hurried forward
the reenforcements under Sherman. But in the mean
time Rosecrans had not proved equal to the task confided to him, and having suffered a severe repulse at
Chickamauga, was shut up in Chattanooga, short of
supplies and closely besieged. The government then
determined to unite all the departments between the
Alleghanies and the Mississippi in one grand division,
as Grant had, many months before, suggested, though




A LARGER COMIMAND   CHATTANOOGA.   77
he had then stated that he did not desire the command.
Now, as the most successful and distinguished general
in the army, he was naturally selected for this new and
extensive command.
On his way up the Mississippi he received a despatch
ordering him, as soon as he was able to take the field,
to go to Cairo with his staff. Though yet very weak,
he arrived at Cairo on the I6th of October, and immediately reported that he was ready for duty. He was at
once ordered to Louisville, where he met the Secretary
of War, Mr. Stanton, who brought from Washington
the orders creating the new department and appointing
Grant to the command. The secretary also bore other
orders, which gave the general full power over all the
troops in his department, with authority to conduct the
campaign according to his own plans. The whole
proceeding showed how much confidence the government reposed in Grant, and how much they expected
of his military capacity.
There were already rumors, unfounded, however,
that Rosecrans was preparing to evacuate Chattanooga, a position of the utmost importance to hold;
and it was feared, from the posture of affairs, that, if
not abandoned, it would be captured, and thus a still
greater disaster would follow the repulse at Chickamauga. Grant, therefore, at the desire of the government, at once assumed the command and sent forward
orders, by telegraph, to prevent the deprecated movement, and to relieve Rosecrans.
There was need of prompt action. Rosecrans's army
was closely besieged, and Bragg felt confident that he
could soon starve him out and compel a surrender.




78         LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
The whole force was on half rations, and had scarcely
ammunition enough for a single battle. Three thousand wounded soldiers lay in the camps, suffering and
dying for the want of medical supplies. Ten thousand
horses and mules had died for want of forage; and even
had a retreat been contemplated, all artillery and baggage must be abandoned. From their elevated position
on Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge the enemy was throwing shells into the town and the Union
camps. The rebel forces, greatly increased and holding strong and commanding positions, were confident
that they would soon possess and maintain this important strategic point, while the Union troops were daily
becoming weaker and more dispirited.
Such was the condition of affairs when Grant assumed command. Besides the reenforcements which
he had already ordered forward under Sherman, other
troops were placed at his disposal, including the
eleventh and twelfth corps from  the army of the
Potomac, under the command of General Hooker, and
he was assured of the fullest support by the government. Although still lame and weak, Grant entered
at once into the conduct of the campaign with his usual
energy. He sent forward orders to hold Chattanooga
at all hazards till he arrived, gave directions for Burnside's operations at Knoxville, prescribed the movements
of reinforcements, ordered forward fresh provisions
and medical supplies, studied the whole field, mastered
its" difficulties, and laid his plans.  He hastened to
Chattanooga as soon as possible over the precipitous
mountain roads, which were rendered almost impassable by the heavy rains, but by which alone he could




EXTENT OF HIS COMMAND.              79
reach that place. He moved with a small party on
horseback, and in his weak physical condition only his
strong will carried him through the difficult and dangerous journey.  Often the entire party were obliged
to dismount in order to pass some point of extreme
difficulty and danger, and then Grant, unable to walk,
was carried in the arms of soldiers. But his resolution
carried him through, his mind all the time occupied
with the great work before him, and framing orders
and despatches to be sent to every part of his wide
command and to the government, which was anxiously
awaiting his action.
Grant's command extended a thousand miles, and
comprised three armies, numbering about two hundred
thousand men. The command was more extensive
than that of any other general during the war; the
operations of greater magnitude, the positions and the
interests at stake more important, than had yet been
intrusted to one man. And the condition of the army
at Chattanooga, and the urgent necessity of the speediest action, made the command still more responsible
and difficult. But Grant, in spite of his physical condition, which was but slowly improving, devoted himself to his great responsibility with the most untiring
energy, and the most patient attention to all the countless details of opening communications, providing supplies, forwarding troops, watching the enemy, foiling
his movements, and planning defence or attack. Every
movement was made by his orders; his care of every
department and of every position was wonderful, and
his letters, orders, and despatches, sent daily, and
almost hourly, to some part of his command or to




80          LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
Washington, testify not only to the amount of his
labors, but to his comprehensive generalship, his
fidelity to every duty, and a remarkable administrative power, which qualifies him for the highest civil as
well as military position. And all was done with his
characteristic quiet and self-reliance, without haste or
impatience, and without ostentation.
In five days after Grant's arrival at Chattanooga,
communication with Nashville was opened, by dint of
energy, skilful movements, and some sharp fighting,
and supplies were brought in abundance to the army,
which had been living on half rations. The soldiers
thus relieved, regained their spirit and enthusiasm, and
hailed Grant as a leader whom  they were proud to
serve under. With wondrous energy, aided by his
able subordinates, Thomas and  Hooker, he had
changed the aspect of affairs, loosened the clutch of
the enemy, brought up supplies, and secured the safety
of Chattanooga.  And this, so promptly done, was an
augury of future movements and future success, by
which the defeat at Chickamauga should be avenged.
The first and most important operation, the relief
and safety of the army at Chattanooga, had been accomplished, but it must be followed promptly with a
similar service for Burnside's army in East Tennessee.
To this Grant also gave his personal attention, his first
measure being to provide supplies for Burnside in his
distant and not easily accessible position. This was
followed by still more important measures, contemplating the relief of Burnside's army from the superior
forces of the enemy. As soon as Bragg found himself
foiled at Chattanooga, he sent Longstreet, with a large




AT CHATTANOOGA.                  8I
force, to drive Burnside from East Tennessee. The
government was exceedingly anxious to hold this section of country, not only on account of its strategic
importance, but for the sake of the loyal inhabitants
who had suffered the malignant persecution of the
rebels.  Grant was informed of the importance attached to this by the government, and appreciated the
urgency of the case. But it was impossible to reinforce Burnside, for the latter had no supplies for additional troops, and there was no way of sending supplies; while to weaken the forces at Chattanooga
would invite an attack on that place by Bragg's strong
army.  Grant therefore determined that the only way
in which he could relieve Burnside was to attack the
rebels before Chattanooga, and compel Longstreet to
abandon his movement. For this purpose he was most
anxious for the arrival of Sherman, without whose
forces such an attack could not be made. -But Sherman encountered many difficulties in moving his forces
hundreds of miles through the enemy's country, and
Grant was for once impatient, not at Sherman's delay,
for he knew that was unavoidable, but lest he might
be too late, and Burnside be captured or driven from
East Tennessee. He urged the latter to maintain himself as long as possible, promising soon to relieve him
by a movement at Chattanooga; and as Sherman's
forces drew near, he several times issued orders for an
attack, but was compelled to countermand them, for
the very elements seemed to conspire to retard the
movement of Sherman's column.
But at last the wished-for troops arrived, weary with
their long and difficult march, but having all the tough6




82         LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
ness and discipline of veterans, and the confidence and
ardor of victors. By skilful movements, concealed from
the enemy, Sherman's army was moved through Chattanooga and across the river to confront the rebel right.
The rapidity and energy with which this movement
was made, involving the con'structiou of bridges and
transportation of troops, artillery, and supplies, were
worthy of the army which, under the prompt, vigorous, and persistent lead of Grant, had made the brilliant campaign of Vicksburg. Contrast the movements
of this army, not only in that arduous campaign under
Grant, but in its long and difficult.march under Sherr
man from Memphis to Chattanooga, through swamps,
across rivers, over mountains, fighting and skirmishing, with the slow progress of the army of the Potomac under McClellan up the Peninsula, where there
were no serious obstacles! But there was a new order
of things in the army now, and especially at the west;
and Hooker, who had chafed at the delays and want
of vigor in the Peninsular campaign, at Chattanooga
found a general who gave him all he wanted to do,
expected him to surmount stupendous difficulties and
fight the enemy at the same time, and who would not
pause when the golden moment for decisive action
came, and say,'This is all that was intended for the
day.'
The battle of Chattanooga was one of the most remarkable in- the war, and indeed one of the most
notable in modern history. Notwithstanding the great
advantage of position the enemy enjoyed, and the difficult character of the ground, Grant so laid his plans,
and they were so carried out by the skill of his subor



BATTLE OF CHATTANOOGA.               83
dinates and the gallantry' of their troops, that the rebel
forces were compelled to move as he desired, and if he
had given the orders himself, their movements could
not have been more consonant with his purpose. It is
not necessary to give the details of the operations, or
even to attempt a sketch of the brilliant movements,
the gallant deeds, the splendid success of the Union
army.  The  reader knows the story well, — how
Hooker on the right, climbing the precipitous sides of
Lookout Mountain, drove the enemy from  point to
point, from redan and rifle-pit, over cliff and boulder,
till, fighting above the clouds, he planted the Stars and
Stripes on the summit of the rugged mountain, and
rolled back the rebel flank defeated; how Sherman on
the left stormed with such energy the rebel right on
Missionary Ridge, that Bragg was forced to send column after column from  his centre to maintain his
ground and protect his rear and stores; how, when
the rebel centre was thus weakened, as by the very
orders of Grant, he gave the word for the assault, and
the gallant army of the Cumberland swept with irresistible force across the plain and up the steep and
rugged hill, and fighting stubbornly against stubborn
resistance, broke through the centre and planted their
colors all along the ridge; how thus the victory began,
and then the long line of Union troops with triumphant
shouts pressed upon their dispirited foes, until Bragg's
whole army was routed and flying before the victorious
national arms. But it was no brief conflict or easily
won success, for the battle lasted three days, and the
victory was won only by skill, gallantry, persistency,
and a heavy cost of life.




84         LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
No battle of equal magnitude was ever fought more
directly under the orders of the commanding general.
Grant's plans were complete and well-digested, and
his orders to his subordinates were clear and explicit,
looking to one result, but providing for emergencies.
Those orders were carried out with'precision and alacrity
by his able subordinates, not only because Grant was
their superior officer, but because they had entire confidence in his ability. On the second, and decisive day of
the battle, the general established his headquarters with
Thomas, on Orchard Knoll, from which the rebels had
been driven the preceding day. It was well to the
front, and thus he had a full view of the whole field
of operations, from Lookout Mountain on the right,
down whose sides Hooker was driving the rebel left,
to the extreme of Missionary Ridge on the left, where
Sherman was making his vigorous assault on the strong
and obstinately defended positions of the rebel right.
In his front lay Thomas's army of the Cumberland,
waiting for the important crisis when they should be
allowed to join in the conflict, and avenge their defeat
at Chickamauga.
Smoking his cigar, Grant quietly but keenly watched
the tide of battle, waiting for Hooker to get into the
designated position, when he might order the attack
on the centre.  Sherman was having a difficult task,
for Bragg, regarding his right as the key to his position, or believing that to be the main attack of the
Union army, concentrated heavy forces there. Seeing
Sherman had paused, Grant ordered another division
to his support. The movement was seen by the enemy,
and it had the effect desired by Grant. A strong col



CONFIDENCE IN HIS SOLDIERS.            85
umn was moved from the rebel centre to their right,
and Grant, perceiving the opportunity for which he
laid his plans, without waiting longer for Hooker,
ordered the assault on the enemy's weakened centre.
The troops eagerly obeyed the order, and advanced in
splendid style towards the enemy's lines, utterly regardless of the heavy artillery fire which was poured
into them. Without firing a gun, they charged with
glistening  bayonets through the enemy's first line,
completely overwhelming it by their irresistible advance. Then they began to climb the steep and rugged sides of the ridge, met by a stout resistance, but
steadily advancing their colors, struggling up the difficult ascent, and fighting with untiring energy and
bravery.
While Grant and Thomas anxiously watched the
progress of this assault, a portion of the line seemed
to halt half way up the ridge, as if the troops there
had met with an overpowering resistance, and the
numbers of wounded men who straggled down the hill
gave the appearance of a repulse. Thomas, though
usually cool and collected in battle, was keenly alive
to the importance of success at this crisis, and said, with
much feeling and some hesitation as he watched, —
" General, I'm afraid they won't get up."
But Grant, watching more narrowly for a few minutes, saw that the colors still advanced, though slowly,
and knowing that the troops must be fatigued by the
extraordinary exertions of their rapid charge, but still
having full confidence in them and in the success of
his plans, he replied in his usual quiet manner, still
smoking his cigar, -




86          LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
0, give'em time, general; they'll do it."
And they did it. Mounting persistently up the steep
ascent, they at last reached the summit, and drove the
rebel centre in disorder from the field, capturing artillery and many prisoners.  But as the brave troops
reached the summit, Grant and Thomas mounted their
horses and rode forward to the front. When they
reached the ridge, the victory had been achieved, and
the soldiers, wild with joy, greeted their commanders
with enthusiastic cheers.  Crowding around Grant,
they grasped his hand and embraced his legs, and
caressed his horse, till he was compelled to order them
away.  His eye was still upon the field, and he saw
that some of the rebel troops which had gone to resist
Sherman were turning to attack the victors at the
centre. The "boys in blue" were in disorder from
very joy for their victory, and there was danger that
they would not soon enough rally to resist the threatened attack. Seeing this, Grant ordered up a brigade
yet fresh and under discipline, and this being placed
in position, the others also formed. The enemy, instead of attacking, retreated. The rebel left as well
as centre had been utterly routed, nearly their whole
force was flying panic-stricken, and the brilliant victory
was won.
But Grant was not one to sit down and exult over
what he had done while there was anything more
to do.  He immediately ordered pursuit, and himself followed to direct it. Bragg's defeated army retreated in all haste, or rather fled, much of it utterly
demoralized, though a portion, at one or two points,
offered a vigorous resistance to the pursuers.  The




A REMARKABLE BATTLE.                 87
roads were strown with artillery and small arms, ammunition and baggage, and the wounded and stragglers were found in large numbers.  No such utter
defeat had been inflicted upon the rebel forces in any
great battle of the war. At Antietam and Gettysburg
the enemy had been worsted with heavy loss, and, his
invasion thoroughly checked, he had retired suddenly,
but in order, and choosing his own time. At Chattanooga the rebel army had been driven from a position
of great natural strength, fortified with skill and defended with stubbornness, and, routed and. demoralized,
it had been chased back with heavy losses into the heart
of the rebel Confederacy.
As soon as the pursuit terminated on the day following the victory, Grant sent Sherman to East Tennessee
to the relief of Burnside, who had already repulsed
Longstreet in a desperate assault at Knoxville. The
approach of Sherman's forces caused Longstreet to
retire, and Knoxville was left secure.
"Considering the strength of the rebel position," says
General Halleck,"and the difficulty of storming his
intrenchments, the battle of Chattanooga must be regarded as one of the most remarkable in history."
And such is the testimony of other experienced and
scientific soldiers at home and abroad. Without forgetting the gallant services of the officers and soldiers
under him, the great glory of that splendid victory
must be awarded to Grant, who came, fed, strengthened, and encouraged a besieged and dispirited army,
and marshalled it for battle. To him the untiring director of all the operations, the vigorous mover and efficient feeder of troops, the able strategist and skilful




88       - LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
tactician, the persistent and confident commander, the
country is indebted for that signal success which was
the forerunner of other victories, and one of the severest
blows to the rebel Confederacy.
The country recognized its obligations, and everywhere among the gallant soldiers and the loyal people
the name of Grant was hailed with grateful joy. President Lincoln promptly sent him a telegram, in which
he said, " I wish to tender you, and all under your command, my more than thanks, my profoundest gratitude,
for the skill, courage, and perseverance with which
you and they, over so great difficulties, have effected
that important object. God bless you all." Congress
unanimously voted a resolution of thanks, and ordered
a gold medal, commemorating the victory, to be presented to Grant by the President, " in the name of the
people of the United States of America."
But amid all the praise and admiration with which he
was everywhere received by citizens and soldiers, and
all the honors awarded by the government, he was never
elated, and he assumed no superiority, but was always
the same simple, honest, and unpretending man that
he had been before he became the ablest and most
successful general of his time, -a genuine republican
soldier.




AFTER THE VICTORY.                        89
CHAPTER VII.
Grant's Activity, Policy, and Plans.  The Necessity for placing the
Armies under one efficient Commander. - The Man for the Place,
and the Place for the Man. - Appointed LIEUTENANT GENERAL.The Honor and the Responsibility. - Unsought by Grant. - All his
Promotions made without his Knowledge. - Called to Washington.
-Cordial Relations with Sherman and McPherson. -No Jealousy
among his Subordinates. - Modest Appearance at Washington. -
Dislikes the " Show Business."- Presentation of his Commission.
-President Lincoln's Address and Grant's Reply.-A Commission worthily bestowed. -Grand Reviews and Military Balls in
McClellan's Time. - Disapproved by the Lieutenant General. - He
disappoints the Ladies. - Reviews for Utility, not Show. - His
Opinion of the Army of the Potomac. - Customs and Abuses reformed. - Reduction of Baggage. - Grant's Baggage in the Vicksburg Campaign. - Quiet and unostentatious Method of reforming
Abuses. -Temporary Return to the West. —His first Orders as
Lieutenant General. — Headquarters IN THE FIELD. — With the
Army of the Potomac. -- Confidence of the loyal People. -- Entire
Trust of the Government. -- Relations between President Lincoln
and Grant. -- Their Letters on the Eve of the great Campaign.
^ FTER  the victory at Chattanooga, Grant personally  inspected  every  part of this extensive department, his purpose being so to dispose his troops
that he might assume the offensive in the spring, still
making the rebel armies his  objective.  He sent an
expedition, under Sherman, from  Vicksburg into the
interior of Mississippi, for the purpose of "cleaning
out" the rebel forces in that state, and so destroying




90         LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
communications and supplies that large armies could
not easily move there; and he kept all his forces well
in advance, in order that he and not the rebels might
take the initiative in the next campaign. That was
Grant's policy always, to assume the offensive; to seek
out the enemy, and strike him boldly and vigorously.
At this time, too, he projected, as his next campaign,
an advance from Chattanooga to Atlanta, and thence,
possibly, to Mobile.  And from  this plan resulted
Sherman's brilliant movements to Atlanta, and his
grand march to the sea.
But Grant's plans for his own operations in the next
campaign were destined to be considerably modified.
The government and the people had long felt that in
order to secure unity of purpose in the conduct of the
campaigns, east and west, and an efficient cooperation
between the several Union armies, it was important to
have all the forces under the command of one active
and able general. The generals-in-chief had thus far
been unable to secure such unity of purpose and cooperation, and the country had looked anxiously for
the " coming man" who should achieve what the loyal
masses resolved upon. But now events pointed unmistakably to the man who was qualified, if any in the
army was, for this high command. Donelson, Shiloh,'Vicksburg, and Chattanooga pointed to Grant as the
most successful general, while all the movements in his
campaigns were seen to be the most prompt, vigorous,
and well sustained in the whole progress of the war.
Moreover, he, was always ready to conform  to the
policy of the government, and without question to support it earnestly, and to secure its support for others.




APPOINTED LIEUTENANT GENERAL.          9I
He had felt no petty jealousies, and he had inspired
none in others, and at this time was the one who, of all
others, could be promoted to the highest command
without causing heart-burnings and insubordination,
which would have been dangerous to the efficiency of
the army.
The man for the place having thus unmistakably appeared, a measure which had been for some time under
consideration in Congress was adopted. The grade
of Lieutenant General, which had been first created for
Washington; and was conferred by brevet on Scott
alone, was revived with great unanimity, and the
President was authorized to appoint, with the advice
and consent of the Senate, from among those officers
most distinguished for courage, skill, and ability, a
commander, "who, being commissioned as lieutenant
general, shall be authorized, under the direction of the
President, to command the armies of the United
States."  President Lincoln approved the bill on the
ist of March, 1864, and on the same day nominated
Major General Ulysses S. Grant as Lieutenant General. The Senate promptly confirmed the nomination,
and thus Grant was promoted to the highest military
rank then recognized by law, and to the command of all
the armies engaged in crushing the gigantic rebellion.
Such honor had been fully bestowed upon but one
man before, and that one Washington; such power
and responsibilities had been intrusted to no one. But
honors and responsibilities came to Grant unsought,
and were accepted with becoming modesty and with
hopeful self-reliance, his only aim being to do his duty
and serve his country. His position at this time is best




92          LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
described by Hon. E. B. Washburne, of Illinois, a
friend who had come to know him well and to fully
appreciate him, and who, in a speech in Congress,
said, "No man, with his consent, has ever mentioned
Grant's name in connection with any position. I say
what I know to be true, when I allege that every promotion he has received since he first entered the service to put down this rebellion, was moved without his
knowledge or consent. And in regard to this very
matter of lieutenant general, after the bill was introduced and his name mentioned in connection therewith, he wrote to me, and admonished me that he had
been highly honored by the government, and did not
ask or deserve anything more in the shape of honors
or promotion; and that a success over the enemy was
what he craved above anything else."
On the 3d of March he was summoned to Washington; and though he obeyed the order with alacrity, as
he did all orders from the government, it was without
ostentation or exultation, but with a just sense of the
heavy responsibilities which were about to be imposed
upon him. His modesty and his justice to the merits
of his subordinates are illustrated by a friendly letter,
which he wrote at this time to Sherman and McPherson, in which he acknowledged, with perhaps too little
credit to himself, how much of his success was due to
the energy and skill of his subordinates, and especially
to those distinguished officers. The cordial relations
and friendship which existed between Grant and his
able lieutenants was remarkable. They not only felt
no jealousy, but they heartily rejoiced at his promotion.
Nor was this feeling confined to the officers who had




APPEARANCE AT WASHINGTON.             93
served under him. General Halleck, whom by his
new  appointment he superseded, and who was at
first slow to acknowledge Grant's merits, sincerely congratulated him on this recognition of his distinguished
and meritorious services. General Meade, also, and
other prominent officers of the eastern army, recognized
his ability, and entertained nothing but respect for the
man who by zis merits alone had attained to such distinguished honor, and who so modestly wore it.
Grant arrived at Washington on the 8th of March,
accompanied by two or three members of his staff and
his eldest son, and almost an entire stranger in the
city. Quietly entering his name on the register at
Willard's Hotel, he modestly took his place among
strangers at the table, with his boy, evidently seeking
to avoid rather than to court public recognition. The
crowd of guests did not see in the unassuming officer,
who had come without any heralding, the man who
had just been appointed to the highest military rank.
But he was at last recognized by one gentleman, and
the news passing rapidly through the company, he was
greeted with enthusiastic cheers. That evening he
attended the President's levee, and there he was the
object of more striking demonstrations of enthusiasm, in
which the President himself heartily joined. The victorious general who captured Donelson, defeated the rebels
at Shiloh, made the brilliant and successful campaign
of Vicksburg, and drove Bragg's legions from before
Chattanooga, could not escape the grateful plaudits of
then people, nor, as the newly-appointed Lieutenant
General, fail to receive the most cordial tokens of the
confidence and hopes which he inspired.




94          LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
Deeply impressed by these demonstrations, and
grateful for the manifestations of respect and confidence so fully and heartily bestowed, Grant was nevertheless unused to such things, and had a decided aversion to being lionized. As he left the White House he
said to a friend, —
"I hope to get away from Washington as soon as
possible, for I am tired of the show business already."
The next day, March 9th, a more impressive scene
took place in the Cabinet Chamber of the White
House, when President Lincoln formally presented to
Grant his commission as Lieutenant General. The
presentation took place in presence of the members of
the Cabinet, General Halleck, two members of General Grant's staff, his son, Hon. Owen Lovejoy, and
one or two others who had been invited to be present.
After Grant had been introduced to the members of the
Cabinet, President Lincoln addressed him as follows:'General Grant, the nation's appreciation of what
you have done, and its reliance upon you for what remains to be done in the existing great struggle, are
now presented with this commission, constituting you
Lieutenant General in the army of the United States.
With this high honor devolves upon you, also, a corresponding responsibility. As the country herein trusts
you, so, under God, it will sustain you. I scarcely
need add that, with what I here speak for the nation,
goes my own hearty personal concurrence."
Receiving the commission, General Grant replied,"Mr. President, I accept the commission, with gratitude for the high honor conferred. With the, aid of the
noble armies that have fought in so many fields for our




A CHANGE OF FASHION.               95
common country, it will be my earnest endeavor not to
disappoint your expectations. I feel the full weight of
the responsibilities now devolving on me; and I know
that if they are met, it will be due to those armies, and,
above all, to the favor of that Providence which leads
both nations and men."
Such was the spirit with which this most important
commission was given and received - confidence and
hope on the one side, patriotism and modest devotion
to duty on the other. And never was such a commission, involving so much the honor, safety, and integrity
of the nation, more worthily bestowed. For in Grant
the country had not only an officer whose ability had
been fully proved in long campaigns and on great battle-fields, but one who inspired the truest enthusiasm
and confidence of the soldier and the harmony and respect of his subordinate officers, and who himself manifested, without ambition or selfishness, a thorough
respect for and deference to the wishes and commands
of his superior, the President, and his sympathy with
the war policy of his government.
Washington, as the capital of the nation, is of course
a place famous for fetes, balls, and all sorts of gay festivities. The war had made little difference in this
respect, except that the southern aristocracy did not now
rule society there. While McClellan commanded, and
the army of the Potomac was waiting before Washington, there had been "grand reviews," at which the
commanding  general was " attended by a brilliant
staff," and all the beauty and fashion of the city came
out to see and to be entertained at his headquarters,
and those of subordinate generals.  Pleasant times




96          LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
those for young officers, and equally agreeable to the
gay belles who admired such brave cavaliers.  Balls
in camp followed the grand reviews, and of course gallant officers exerted themselves to make everything
charming for their fair guests and distinguished visitors.  Pleasure-seeking ladies voted these festivities
delightful; and as the gay scenes hid from their view
the horrors and sorrows of war, - the battle-field, the
hospital, the desolated home,-they were ever ready
to contribute their part to such agreeable entertain
ments.  -The fashion set in McClellan's time had
been duly observed when an opportunity offered.
The appointment of Grant to a superior rank, and
his accession to the command of all the armies, seemed
to some of the thoughtless a rare opportunity for the
revival of the " grand reviews," and the gay ball to follow it. The project was buzzed about with approbation at one of the receptions of some official host, at
which Grant was present, and  a bevy of ladies
gathered about him to propose it. They expatiated on
the enjoyments of such occasions in the past, and with
all their' witchery begged him to have another grand
review, and allow them to arrange for another military
ball to follow it. Grant listened with the quiet politeness which he always shows to ladies, smiling at their
eagerness, and putting a few questions relative to former
festivities, and the assailants thought they were about
to carry the fortress, to secure an "unconditional surrender" to their demands and their plans. But the new
Lieutenant General dashed their hopes by saying,Ladies, please stop the agitation of this subject at
once, for if another ball is attempted in the army of the




HIS IDEA OF THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC. 97
Potomac, I shall feel called upon to forbid it-by a special
order. I appeal to you if this is a time for feasting and
dancing among officers of the army, when the stern
duties of war are before them?  Or are they becoming, when our country is in danger, and so many sick
and wounded soldiers fill our hospitals?"
There was no help for it, and the ladies gracefully
surrendered to the quiet and sensible determination of
the new Lieutenant General, and the young officers
of the army of the Potomac soon forgot their dreams of
such gayeties in earnest preparation for the realities of
war.
Reviews, however, were had, not that the Lieutenant General might display a brilliant staff either to
spectators or the army, nor that he might please the
soldiers by complimentary remarks or grandiloquent
addresses, but that he might see of what material this
noble army of the Potomac was composed, and what
was its equipment and discipline. After one of these
reviews he was one day asked what he thought of the
personnel of the army, and replied, -
"This is a very fine army, and these men, I am told,
have fought with great bravery. But I think," he
added, after a pause, "the army of the Potomac has
never fought its battles through."
Whether the opinion was entirely just or not, it illustrated Grant's own character for indomitable energy and
persistency, and manifested also his faith in that army
which, under his direction, was to display his characteristics, and fight its battles through to the final victory.
The army of the Potomac had been, through nearly
all its existence, so near to the national capital, and
7




98          LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
within such easy communication with the great cities
and the manufacturing States of the Atlantic coast,
that it was supplied with some comforts and luxuries
which were not enjoyed by the western armies. The
nature of its campaigns, too, and frequent communication with Washington, had gradually introduced customs which were unknown in western campaigns.
The amount of officers' baggage, especially during
the months of comparative inactivity, had materially
increased, and was much larger than that carried in
the campaigns at the west. In the Vicksburg campaign Grant had ordered the amount of baggage, both
of officers and regiments, to be reduced to the smallest
possible amount, and it was facetiously said that all
that the general allowed himself was "a pocket-comb,
a tooth-brush, and a brier-wood pipe."
Another custom  had grown up at the east for officers to use ambulances, and even more luxurious
carriages, for transportation from one point to another,
and many horses and vehicles were thus used without
any legitimate authority, sometimes much to the dissatisfaction of the soldiers, who were precluded from
such privileges, and not much to the advantage of the
officers.
Sutlers, too, and other camp followers, were numerous, making discipline more lax, and interfering with
the efficiency of the army in active service.
When Grant assumed the direction of the movements of the army, his first action was quietly to reform these abuses, to reduce the quantity of baggage
allowed to officers and regiments; to prohibit the use
of ambulances and carriages by officers on ordinary




ASSUMES COMMAND OF ALL THE ARMIES.  99
occasions, and to drive out a large number of sutlers
and camp followers. These measures were, to the
credit of officers and men, acquiesced in without much
complaint, and the army was made more ready for the
campaign which was to follow. They were carried
out, too, by Grant, in his usual quiet way, with a tact
and absence of all parade, or public condemnation,
which avoided offence, and secured willing cooperation.
When Grant was summoned to Washington to be
invested with the command of all the armies of the
United States, he expected soon to return to the west,
and resume command of the forces which had already
achieved such victories under him. But after a council
of war had been held at the capital, and Grant had
matured his general plans of the campaigns for all the
armies, he determined to remain at the east. As commander-in-chief he might with propriety have established his headquarters at Washington, and directed
the various operations fronm that place. But he felt out
of his element in Washington, and preferred to be in
the field, directing in person the active operations of
one army, -while he more indirectly ordered the movements of the others. The campaign in Virginia, where
the opposing armies had been so long contending without decisive results, promised to be the most difficult
and severe, and gave him the opportunity of rendering
the greatest service to his country; and he therefore
determined to take the field with the army of the Potomac, the immediate command of which was still held
by General Meade. Going west for a short time, to
consult with General Sherman, and- give directions con



1oo         LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
cerning the campaign there, he issued his first orders,
assuming command of all the armies, at Nashville, on
the I7th of March. In those orders he announced,
"My headquarters will be in the field, and until further
orders, will be with the army of the Potomac."
This announcement was highly gratifying to the
army of the Potomac and to the loyal people, whose
confidence in Grant was such that they believed the
brave soldiers of that noble but too often unfortunate
army, under his able and persistent lead, would achieve
a signal success, which should not only foil an invasion
of the north by the rebels, but ultimately defeat them
utterly and forever.
General Grant, indeed, entered upon his heavy responsibilities and duties under all the advantages of
entire trust on the part of the government and a majority of the people, and their determination to sustain
him to the extent of their power. Every exertion was
made to strengthen the armies, and to give effect to all
the measures which he proposed. The nature of his
relations with his only superior officer, the President,
is shown by the following correspondence, which took
place on the eve of the great campaign against Richmond. Those cordial relations were maintained through
the life of President Lincoln.
EXECUTIVE MANSION,
WASHINGTON, April 30, 1864. 
LIEUTENANT GENERAL GRANT: Not expecting to
see you before the spring campaign opens, I wish to
express in this way my entire satisfaction with what you
have done up to this time, so far as I understand it. The
particulars of your plan I neither know nor seek to know.




LETTER TO PRESIDENT LINCOLN.          1OI
You are vigilant and self-reliant, and pleased with this
I wish not to obtrude any restraints or constraints upon
you. While I am very anxious that any great disaster
or capture of our own men may be avoided, I know that
these points are less likely to escape your attention
than they would be mine. If there be anything wanting which is within my power to give, do not fail to let
me know it. And now, with a brave army and a just
cause, may God sustain you.
Yours very truly,
A. LINCOLN.
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE U. S.,   }
CULPEPPER C. H., VA., May I, I864.
MR. PRESIDENT: Your very kind letter of yesterday is just received. The confidence you express for
the future, and satisfaction for the past, in my military
administration, is acknowledged with- pride. It shall
be my earnest endeavor that you and the country shall
not be disappointed. From my first entry into the volunteer service of the country to the present day, I have
never had cause of complaint, and have never expressed
or implied a complaint against the administration or the
Secretary of War for throwing any embarrassment in
the way of my vigorously prosecuting what appeared
to be my duty. Indeed, since the promotion which
placed me in command of all the armies, and in view
of the great responsibility and importance of success,
I have been astonished at the readiness with which
everything asked for has been yielded without even an
explanation being asked. Should my success be less
than I desire and expect, the least I can say is, the fault
is not with you.
Very truly your obedient servant,
U. S. GRANT, LiZeutenant General.




102            LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
CHAPTER VIII.
Campaign against Richmond. - Grant's Vigor and his Staff.Strategy. - Grant with the Army of the Potomac.. - His Tenacity. - No such Thing as Defeat. - His Eye always towards the
Front. - He didn't believe in Disaster. - Practical Application of
Science. - Use of a Rebel Shell. - Flank Movement. -" On to
Richmond."-At Spottsylvania. -The famous Despatch: "I propose to fight it out on this line."- A Pause in the Fight, and
efficient Work in the Rear.- Croakers' Talk of Strategy and Copperhead Abuse.- Grant's Purpose. - Hard Fighting and Strategy
equally valued. - The Purpose never abandoned. - Desperate
Resistance of the Enemy.- Grant's skilful Manceuvres. -His
Hold on Lee. - General Butler's Movement. - Grant disappointed. - Before Petersburg.- The Rebels kept busy. - The
Weldon Railroad. - Laying Plans and waiting the Developments
of other Campaigns. - A new Clamor. - Sherman's brilliant Operations. -THE FINAL CAMPAIGN. - Grant the Director. —His
Strategy, Mancedvres, Sagacity, and Persistency. - Flight of Jeff
Davis and Retreat of Lee's Army. - Grant chooses Lee's Route.
- The Pursuit. - Lee in a Strait. - Correspondence. - The Interview at Appomattox. -The Surrender and Downfall of the
Rebel Confederacy. -Joy of the People. -Grant's Honors well
won. - What he had done.
S  soon as the general plan of the campaign of
1864 had been determined upon by Grant, he
went vigorously to work to carry it into effect. He
had no taste for show, and gave no time to it.  He did
not believe in delay, and would not tolerate it.  Ready
to work himself, and capable of accomplishing a great
deal of labor, he set a good example, and required it




CAMPAIGNS AGAINST RICHMOND.           I03
to be followed.  His headquarters were always distinguished by the quiet, business-like industry of his staff
and clerks. And in the selection of his staff, he chose
only men of capacity for their several duties, never
simply for their good looks or social position, as some
officers did, nor for mere friendship. No intimation of
his plans ever leaked out from his headquarters to reach
alike the loyal press and the rebel commanders. The
Lieutenant General kept his own counsel, except so far
as it was necessary to intrust a knowledge of his purposes to his subordinates; and his staff learned reticence from his example, if not from his injunctions.
The government heartily supported the man to whom
it had intrusted the whole military power. Supplies
and munitions were furnished without stint, and all that
Grant deemed necessary at any point was furnished as
promptly as possible. The country, too, sent forward
troops with unfailing zeal, and the'armies were filled
up to a strength they had never before reached. Two
years before, after great preparation and long delay,
after many grand reviews and, much unpractical discipline, a commander, of whom the country unwisely
expected as much as they did now of Grant, had begun the first campaign against Richmond.  From the
outset, he had asked for reinforcements, and the burden of all his despatches was "more troops," "more
troops," or something more and different from what the
government had provided or proposed, not because he
had proved the strength of the enemy, but because he
feared it, and was ready to magnify it. And so the
very delays resulting from his dissatisfaction with what
he had, and his distrust of his troops, if not of his own




104        LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
capacity, served to make the enemy as formidable as
he had feared.
It is true that there had now been a great improvement in military affairs. The army was better organized, better equipped, and better officered, and experience had made both men and officers more efficient.
But Grant, on assuming command, had made no extravagant demands, and  sought no extraordinary
power.  Never in all his campaigns had he clamored
for reinforcements.  He had always taken what the
government could send, and made the best possible use
of them. So, as the commander of all the armies, he
evinced the same spirit, trusting to the patriotism of
the government and the people to furnish all that they
could to accomplish the work of crushing the rebellion,
and resolved to do his part by a faithful and persistent
use of the means thus placed in his hands. His letter
to President Lincoln, quoted in the preceding chapter,
shows how he acknowledged the efforts of the government, and with what a generous spirit he recognized
his own responsibility.
As Grant's strategy in his former campaigns had
been simply to make the rebel armies his objective, so
in his wider field he did not change it. The rebel army
in Virginia was the objective of the eastern campaign,
and the rebel army between Chattanooga and Atlanta
was the objective of the western campaign.. These
two armies comprised the mass of the rebel forces, and
covered the vital points of the rebel Confederacy, and
they were to be the objects towards which the two
great Union armies were to move; all other operations
being in aid of these, to create diversions, or to hold




WITH THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.    105
detached rebel forces from  joining the main rebel
armies. Neither Richmond nor Atlanta were considered strategic points which it was important to reach
and hold, but Grant's purpose was to reach and defeat
the rebel armies, whether in front of those places, or
wherever they might be made to give battle. In them
was the strength of the rebellion, and with their defeat
it would be conquered.
Grant's combined movements were made early in
May, General Sherman succeeding him in the immediate command of the western army, Grant himself, as
before stated, directing the campaign in Virginia,
General Meade being in immediate command. Coiperating with the army of the Potomac was a force under
General Butler, which moved up the James River towards Richmond, and upon the operations of which
Grant relied for early success, and another under
General Sigel, which moved up the Shenandoah
Valley.
Though General Meade remained in immediate
command of the army of the Potomac, it was unmistakably a satisfaction to the country that General Grant
was present to direct the campaign and to fight the
battles. The army too was inspired by his presence;
for his previous success, his acknowledged ability, and
his well-known perseverance, were an assurance of
ultimate victory.  His unassuming, quiet, self-reliant
manner, and his republican simplicity, also impressed
the soldiers and won their respect. For the Union
army was a democratic army, and essentially AngloSaxon, or certainly not French enough to be long carried away by Napoleonic displays of military grandeur,




IO6         LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
high-sounding addresses, and lofty condescension, such
as in its earlier days seemed to be the spirit of the headquarters of the army of the Potomac. The soldiers
had learned to judge of officers by their success, and
not by brave words or brilliant promises; by their energy and activity, and not by a showy staff or excess
of etiquette.
As the campaign progressed, he imparted to officers
and men something of- his own persistency and indomitable purpose, and thus carried them through terrible
conflicts and trying emergencies, which, without his
presence and direction, might have resulted in discouragement and defeat.
The advance from the Rapidan to Richmond illustrated Grant's tenacity of purpose, and the battles
illustrated his skill as a tactician. They were the-most
obstinate contests of the war; for here was the flower
of the rebel army under their ablest officers, fighting
for their capital, and knowing that with their defeat
the rebel Confederacy must go down in ignominy.
The campaign was vital to both the contestants; for,
while defeat of the rebels was the death-blow to the
rebellion, a defeat of the Union army would have
involved a similar fate to the western army, and
could be retrieved only by still greater sacrifices of
blood and treasure.  Nay, defeat now' involved more
than this, for a disloyal peace party at the North,
and foreign intervention, would have profited by such
a disaster, and the rebel Confederacy would have
become a recognized nation. Fortunate for the country was it that it had such a man as Grant to lead its
principal armies at such a crisis, - a soldier of tried




NO SUCH THING AS DEFEAT.             107
skill, of inexhaustible resources, unfaltering persistency, and who, with the confidence of a fatalist, knew
no such thing as defeat.
Grant never supposed such a thing as defeat possible,
though he never placed his army in a position from
which his skill could not extricate it in case of necessity.  His eye and his thoughts were always turned
towards the front and on his own aggressive movements, and he found no time to direct them to the rear.
He took care that the quartermasters, with ample supplies, should always be there, and.that was the only
reason for keeping his communications open, for he
never thought of return.
It would have taken a terrible defeat to make Grant
believe it, so strong was his faith in success. At the
battle of the Wilderness, when the rebels, massing
heavily against Hancock's corps, pressed it back, an
aid brought word to Grant that the corps had suffered
serious disaster. "I don't believe it," said the general,
with somethingmore of vehemence than usual; and he
sent the aid back for further reports, which proved that
the first accounts were greatly exaggerated. The nature of the country where the battle of the Wilderness
was fought was such as to make it but little better than a
fight in the dark. A thick, low growth of wood on a
wide plain, with only moderate elevations, concealed
the movements of both friend and foe, except where
they were actually engaged, and it was impossible for
the commanding general or his subordinates to direct
the movements of the troops with the precision which
had been shown at Chattanooga. Though the rebels
could see no better, the ground was more familiar to




Io8        LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
them, and they had only to feel the position of an army
just advancing into the Wilderness. An open country,
where he could see the enemy's lines, and the advantages or disadvantages of his own position, might have
enabled Grant, with his skilful manceuvres and grand
tactics and tenacity, to achieve a victory on the first
field, which he was determined to achieve somewhere.
The obscurity of the field, and Grant's practical mind,
which in a campaign was full of resources for great
occasions or small, are shown by an incident at his
headquarters. A rebel shell struck quite near to himself and Meade as they were conversing together, furrowing the ground and bursting at some distance.
Though the shell came unpleasantly near, Grant
neither started nor spoke, but he put it to some use.
Drawing from his pocket a small compass, he calculated the course of the shell, and in a few minutes he
had some artillery posted to silence the rebel battery
which had thrown it.  The guns thus posted and
pointed soon silenced the unseen battery, and Grant,
inquiring the elevation of the guns, calculated the position and distance of the enemy's line, and acted
promptly on the result. 
Not content to fight, as it were, in the dark, where
he could not strike a decisive blow, Grant had recourse
to a flank movement, which, in his progress towards
Richmond, soon became famous. Severing his communications at the Rapidan, he moved the army to
Spottsylvania, for the purpose of placing it between
Lee's army and the rebel capital, or forcing him to
accept battle on a different field. Having determined




THE FAMOUS DESPATCH.                IO9
upon this movement, he sent to the President the following brief despatch:"I am on to Richmond.  All goes well."
In allusion to this despatch, the President said, with
characteristic point, 
"General Grant has gone ahead, and drawn his
ladder after him."
But the rebels had the advantage of interior lines,
and, perceiving Grant's movement, reached Spottsylvania first. There they already had fortifications, which
they promptly strengthened, and-occupied a strong
position.  The country was more favorable for grand
tactics, and Grant made some brilliant manceuvres and
attacks, which forced the rebels within their strongest
works.  It was from this place that he sent to Washington his famous despatch, which thrilled the country
with its determined spirit, and became familiar throughout the land.  It simply recounted, in the briefest possible terms, what had been done, and his own determination.  It contained no boast, and no extravagant
promise; no call for reinforcements, and no complaint; but it showed the spirit of the great commander, and that with which he inspired the army.
IN THE FIELD, May II, I864.
We have now ended the sixth day of very'heavy
fighting.  The result to this time is much in our -favor.
Our losses have been heavy, as well as those of the
enemy.  I think the loss of the enemy must be greater.
We have taken over five thousand prisoners in battle, while he has taken from us but few, except stragglers.
I propose to fght it out on this line if it takes all
summer.




I I         LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
The army of the Potomac was likely to "fight its
battles through" now, if it never had before.
But the rebel position was one of great strength, and
could be carried only by greatly superior numbers or at
a heavy sacrifice of life; and the army, after its eight
days of fighting and marching, needed rest.  Grant
therefore ceased to attack, and the rebels had suffered
too much to assume the offensive. In this pause, all
the vast work necessary for the support of a great army
the bringing up of supplies, removal of the wounded,
and the arrival of reenforcements -went on with unusual celerity and success, and all the arrangements
were perfected for establishing a new base when the
army moved. Never before during the war had the
quartermaster's department been so efficiently administered; and not a little of its promptness and efficiency
were due to the direction and influence of Grant, who
had already at the west proved himself the ablest of
administrative officers.
During this brief delay, Grant determined upon his
next move, which was another flank movement to force'
the rebel army back, farther from Washington, nearer
to Richmond. But Lee, also, had made preparations
to move; and, having still interior lines, he retired to
another and stronger position between the North Anna
and South Anna Rivers.  Some persons, who were
continually talking about "strategy," and who were,
doubtless, admirers of the strategy of the first campaign against Richmond, imagined Grant was simply
an obstinate fighter, and possessed no attribute of a
good general.  Copperhead admirers of McClellan,
such as had before maligned the hero of Donelson and




HAMMERING AT THE REBEL ARMY.    III
Vicksburg, now called him a "butcher" who wantonly sacrificed his own men. But such malignant charges
originated only with those whose sympathies were not
with the Union sacrifices but with the rebel losses, and
who hated Grant because he was hammering at the
rebellion with the purpose of crushing it, and not parleying' with it.
Grant's purpose was to drive the rebel army back
forever from its threatening position too near to Washington; to fight it at all times, and in all places, when
necessary; to "hammer" at it, and deal it frequent and
heavy blows, from which it could not recover.  But
whenever his purpose could be better gained by strategy and manceuvring, he resorted to them with a skill
not inferior to his persistency in fighting. So at the
South Anna, without a battle, he again flanked the
enemy, and forced him  nearer to Richmond.  Hard
fighting followed, for the rebels grew more and more
desperate as they were driven towards their capital,
but they struggled in vain.  It is true they were not
beaten, though they suffered irreparable losses; but
they-achieved no victory,- for a victory to them was
nothing less than the utter defeat of the Union army,
and the abandonment of its purpose.
In the previous campaigns of these opposing armies,
after a great battle, one or the other had withdrawn,-at
Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville, the Union army;
at Antietam and Gettysburg, the rebels. But in this
campaign the rebels found a change in the tactics
of the Union army.  Grant massed his troops, and
launched heavy columns against them, after the manner of their own ablest generals; and when his forces




II2         LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
were checked, and the attacks failed, he did not withdraw, discouraged or disconcerted, but held on still,
and, with ready resources, changed his plan, but never
abandoned his purpose. The battles of the Wilderness, Spottsylvania, and Cold Harbor, were among the
severest of the war, and the rebels fought with a desperation they had never before shown, and which they
believed must triumph.  But northern  persistency,
under the lead of Grant, was a match for southern fire
and desperation. - The army of the Potomac was no
longer to be shaken off or compelled to retire.
It is not to be supposed that the campaign plans of
even the greatest military genius can be fully carried
out in their details if opposed by an enemy of even ordinary skill and bravery.  Grant was contending with
the most skilful generals of the rebel Confederacy, and
with their strongest army of veteran soldiers, animated
with the belief that they were fighting the desperate
battles which must decide the fate of the rebellion.
He was forced to modify or wholly change his plans,
but he'never changed his -purpose, which was, sooner
or later, on one field or another, to defeat and destroy
Lee's army. In changing his plans, he proved his
abundant and ready resources, and, trusting to his subordinates for the skilful execution of skilfully laid plans,
he did not hesitate to adopt some bold manceuvres and
unexpected movements. The withdrawal of the army
from the closest contact with the rebels at Cold Harbor,
and the flank movement made before their eyes, was a
daring trial of a dangerous piece of tactics; but its
boldness and admirable execution made it a complete
success.  It showed, in Grant, a perfect appreciation




A DISAPPOINTMENT.              113
of the situation, courage, skill, resources, and tenacity
of purpose. He had found Lee's army stronger than
he had hoped, and he had not defeated it before it
reached the defences of Richmond; but he had driven
it from its fortified lines on the Rapidan back to the
very streets of Richmond; had hammered it, wasted
it, and dealt it heavy blows; and now, with an
inflexible purpose and an unwavering  confidence,
he skilfully and successfully changed his base, and
transferred his army to the south side of the James.
But he still had his hold on Lee, and he keit it to
the end.
A part of Grant's plan for the campaign was the
movement of an army, under General Butler, up James
River, to secure possession of the south bank, occupy
Petersburg, and hold the rebel railroad communications
with the South. He had expected important results
from this expeditionary army, which was supposed'to
be amply sufficient to accomplish the purpose, so long
as t.he army-of the Potomac acted the vigorous part assigned it. General Butler's prompt and decisive manner of dealing with the rebels at New Orleans led
Grant to hope for similar energy and success in the
conduct of this movement. But, whether the failure
was due to the want of military ability in Butler or his
subordinates, or to the inadequacy of the forces, the
movement on Petersburg failed, and Butler's army,
after a short time, was besieged in its intrenchments
at Bermuda Hundred, and suffered some reverses.
This result, which disappointed his hopes and expectations, and doubtless led to a change of plans and a
prolonged contest, confirmed Grant's prejudices against
8




114         LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
military appointments for political considerations. His
experience with McClernand's inefficiency, insubordi-,nation, and conceit, led him, upon Butler's failure, to
regard the latter in a similar light. Subsequent events
did not increase his confidence in Butler's military capacity, and with straightforward and soldierly frankness he expressed it. Butler's irrepressible nature did
not accept this kindly, and, in a war of words, noticeable only because of his prominent political position,
he gave vent to his feelings.  But if Butler will rest his
reputation on his earlier services, and on his expedition
to New Orleans, and his able and effective administration of affairs in that rebellious city, no one more than
Grant will award him the fullest credit.
Finding, upon trial, that it was too late to take the
strong fortifications of Petersburg by assault, Grant
determined to invest them, extending his lines to the
north side of the James, and gradually on the south side
of Petersburg.  But while he undertook the siege of
the rebel stronghold, he was so constantly active that
he kept Lee's army on the defensive, and prevented
him from sending any very large force to create a diversion.  Lee, indeed, undertook one such diversion
by sending Ewell down the valley of the Shenandoah,
but Grant transferred a sufficient force to meet him,
and, under the gallant lead of Sheridan, Ewell and his
army were utterly defeated.  The ease and rapidity
with which he transferred his troops - a whole corps
at once-from one point to another, across the James,
and from one flank to the other, illustrated not only the
increased mobility of the army, but Grant's skilful direction and vigorous activity.




UNMOVED BY POPULAR IMPATIENCE.    I15
By persistent movements to the left, Grant seized the
Weldon Railroad, an important line of communication
between Richmond and the South, and held it against
all the efforts of the rebels to regain it. The tenacity
with which he held what he gained was illustrated at
that time, as the reader may recollect, by a popular
cartoon in one of the pictorial papers, in which Grant
was represented as a mastiff sitting composedly before
the bone of contention, and asking the canine rebels,
" Why don't you come and take it? " Other advantages
were gained, and cavalry raids interrupted the rebel
communications, and subjected them  to loss and a
dearth of supplies which discouraged both army and
people. But Grant was now waiting for the developments of other campaigns, laying his plans and making
preparations for the final and successful operations
which were to commence as soon as the proper time
arrived.
During this period of comparative inactivity and absence of palpable results, the country, ignorant of what
was in store, became again a little impatient. There
were some who clamored for more active operations;
and though the general faith in Grant was not lost, there
were occasional demands that he should give place
to Sherman, who appeared more active. But Grant,
undisturbed by such clamors, quietly pursued his way,
conscious that he was faithfully serving his country,
and confident that his plans, embracing the movements
of all the armies, would result in that great and final
success which the country desired.
In the mean time Sherman had made his brilliant and
successful campaign to Atlanta, and by strategy and




ii6        LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
hard fighting had driven Johnston into that place to be
deprived of his command. By strategy he had forced
Hood, Johnston's successor, out of Atlanta, and captured the town. Then sending Thomas with sufficient
force back to Nashville to punish the rashness of Hood,
he had cut loose from his base, and made his great
march from Atlanta to the sea; and, under orders from
Grant, was on his more difficult but no less successful
march through the Carolinas, where Johnston, restored
to command by the despair of the rebel leaders, was
vainly preparing to resist him. Spring opened, and
the auspicious moment for which Grant had anxiously
waited was at hand. It was not suffered to pass. The
army was in excellent condition and spirits, and with
characteristic promptness and energy the Lieutenant
General commenced his final and most brilliant campaign.
It is not necessary to go at all into the details of that
memorable campaign, the splendid achievements and
glorious- results of which are fresh in the reader's
mind. In conception, plan, and execution, it was
Grant's - the result of no council of war, of no important suggestions from other officers or the government.
His strategy had brought Sherman's grand army from
Savannah into North Carolina almost within reach,
and had moved another large force under Hancock up
the Valley of the Shenandoah and towards Lynchburg,
while the army of the James threatened Richmond on
the south-east, and the army of the Potomac, south of
Petersburg, and between Lee and Johnston, only
waited for his orders to commence the battle, or series
of battles, which should overthrow the hard-pressed




DEFEAT OF LEE.                  I17
rebel Confederacy. His manceuvres secured the chief
battle-field of his own selection. His orders massed
the troops where he wanted to strike the heaviest
blows.  His sagacity selected the gallant Sheridan to
lead the boldest movements and the hardest fighting.
His keen vision saw the key to the rebel position at
Five Forks, and his persistency pressed his heavy
columns upon it till it was carried, and Lee sent his
message of dismay to the trembling traitors at Richmond.  His strategy had practically surrounded the
rebel armies, and his tactics forced Lee to retreat by a
line north of the Appomattox, on a route chosen by
himself.
Jeff Davis and his confederate traitors of the rebel
government fled precipitately from  Richmond, and
Lee's army evacuated that city and Petersburg, utterly
defeated and demoralized.  Retreating by the route
which Grant had forced them to take, the, rebels were
promptly and vigorously pursued by a shorter road,
harassed and hurried by the Union cavalry.  Every
skirmish resulted in their defeat, and the roads were
strown with the evidences of their demoralization.
Numerous guns and prisoners were captured, and the
army which had so long resisted the national authority
was rapidly diminishing by the desertion of the disheartened men.  Not only was it pursued by the
victorious army of the Potomac, but by Grant's strategy at Lynchburg, whither it was retreating, it was
confronted by Hancock's forces from the Shenandoah
Valley, and  Stoneman's strong cavalry force was
approaching from the west.
While the pursuit was still in progress, Grant,




1I8        LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
anxious to avoid the further effusion of blood, sent
to Lee the following communication --
APRIL 7, I865.
GENERAL: The result of the last week must convince you of the hopelessness of further resistance on
the part of the army of northern Virginia in this struggle. I feel that it is so, and regard it as my duty to
shift from myself the responsibility of any further effusion of blood by asking of you the surrender of that
portion of the Confederate States army known as the
army of northern Virginia.
U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant General.
To this Lee replied that he did not entertain Grant's
opinion of the hopelessness of further resistance, but
asked what terms would be offered. Grant promptly
and generously responded: —
APRIL 8, I865.
GENERAL: Your note of last evening, in reply to
mine of same date, asking the conditions on which I
will accept the surrender of the army of northern Virginia, is just received.  In reply, I would say that
peace being my great desire, there is but one condition I would insist upon, namely, that the men and
officers surrendered shall be disqualified for taking up
arms again against the government of the United
States until properly exchanged. I will meet you, or
will designate officers to meet any officers you may
name for the same purpose, at any point agreeable to
you, for the purpose of arranging definitely the terms
upon which the surrender of the army of northern
Virginia will be received.
U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant General.




LEE'S SURRENDER.               II9
But Lee was disposed to quibble, and desired to make
terms for the whole Confederacy. He said he did not
propose to surrender, but wished to know whether
Grant's proposals would lead to peace, and to that end
he proposed a meeting. Grant, however, true to his
soldierly instincts, would assume no responsibility
which did not belong to him as a military commander
fighting the armed forces of the rebellion. He knew
that with the government and not with him rested the
authority and the duty of settling the final terms of
peace and reconstruction, and he had already, on a
former occasion, when requested by Lee, refused to
assume any such authority to enter into a convention
with the rebel government for the suspension of hostilities. He would only consent to the surrender of
Lee's army upon terms which were liberal enough for
the bravest foe, and which he wisely believed would
terminate the great struggle: He therefore declined
to meet Lee to discuss the terms of peace.
Lee soon found that his case was more hopeless than
he had been disposed to admit, and was forced to ask an
interview to arrange the terms of surrender offered by
Grant. The request was at once acceded to, and the interview took place near Appomattox Court-house, under
a tree which has since been " cut into toothpicks" as
memorials of that important occasion. Lee came crestfallen and humiliated, but with the bearing of a great
commander, and the formal courtesy of an aristocrat;
Grant came quiet and unassuming, and with a republican simplicity of manner. They had met before, but
probably had never formed an acquaintance or exchanged words. When Grant, an unknown subaltern,




I20         LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
led a gallant charge at Chepultepec, Lee was a favorite
on the staff of General Scott, and he had remained
there till after secession had called for the preparations
of war, and then, turning traitor to the government
which had educated and honored him, carried the
secrets of that government to its enemies, and joined
them in their infamous rebellion. The subaltern who
had once received only his contemptuous notice, was
now his conqueror and the greatest general of America.
The one had received the just rewards of patriotism,
loyalty, and faithful service; the other the humiliation,
but not the punishment, of treason.
The interview was not a protracted one. While the
officers who accompanied their respective chiefs mingled in conversation as pleasant as the circumstances
would allow, the latter conversed apart. Lee's endeavor to secure terms which should include the rebel
government, and settle the conditions of peace, was
firmly resisted by Grant, and the rebel officer was
compelled to accept the simple but liberal terms of
surrender which were offered, or see his wasting army
utterly destroyed. With a sore heart he chose to surrender, and with formal courtesies the officers parted.
The terms were dictated and accepted in writing, and the
surrender of that rebel army which had so long resisted
the power of the nation was speedily carried into effect.
With the defeat and surrender of that army, the rebel
Confederacy crumbled into dust.
Thus Grant struck the final blow which crushed /he
rebellion. With what joy and exultation and thanksgiving that victory was received throughout the loyal
states! Bells rang and cannon thundered the glorious




His ACHIEVEMENTS.              121
news. Business, public and private, pleasure, and
sorrow even, gave way to the universal jubilee. Millions shouted praises to Grant and his victorious legions,
his name blazed in illuminations in honor of the Union
triumph, and he was enthusiastically hailed as the second savior of his country.
And he was fully entitled to the honors and praises
awarded to him by the grateful people. Not only had
he achieved this decisive and crowning victory, but
through the war he had struck more heavy and damaging blows than any other general in the army, and
had done more than any other to weaken and subdue
the rebel armies. At Donelson, at Shiloh, at Vicksburg, and at Chattanooga, he had won great victories,
which thrilled the loyal people with joy, and endeared
him to their hearts. At Belmont, in the Wilderness,
at Spottsylvania, and at Cold Harbor, he had struck
so heavily and effectively as to stagger, if not defeat,
the enemy, while never, in all his conflicts, had he
been driven from the field or forced to retreat. Moreover, under his direction, as commander of all the
national armies, Sherman had won his victories in
Georgia, made his "grand march to the sea," and
moved through the Carolinas with unvaried success,
to join in a final and irresistible campaign against the
exhausted Confederacy; Thomas had won his glorious
victory at Nashville; Canby had captured Mobile;
Terry had taken Fort Fisher and Wilmington; and
Sheridan had vanquished Early in the Valley of the
Shenandoah. In the campaigns under his immediate
command, he had captured more than a hundred
thousand prisoners, and hundreds of cannon, while




122        LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
his subordinates, in the campaigns under his general
direction, had taken as many more. Wherever he
commanded, wherever his orders were received,
wherever his influence was felt, he had 6rganized
victory, and moved on steadily to the final triumph.




SHERMAN'S NEGOTIATIONS.                   123
CHAPTER IX.
Sherman's Indiscretion.-His Negotiations with Johnston disapproved.-Grant sent to assume Direction of Sherman's Movements.- His Influence with Sherman, and his Friendship for him.
-The most successful General of the Age. - His military Genius
recognized at Home and Abroad. - Thanks and Honors. - A new
Grade established to reward him.  Appointed GENERAL of the
Army.- Modest Wearing of his J-onors. -Manifestation of popular Admiration. - His Recognition of the Merits of his Subordinates and the Army. -No Napoleonic Airs.  Farewell Orders to
the Armies. -Justice to the Soldiers of the East and of the West.
- His Fidelity to his Soldiers. - Sharing their Hardships. - His
Army always supplied. - His Men protected from Imposition.The steam-boat Captain. — The Respect and Confidence of the
Army.
T    HE  surrender of Lee was soon followed by like
submission of the other rebel armies.  But Johnston, under instructions from the fugitive rebel government, attempted to gain from Sherman what Lee had
failed to obtain from Grant,   a negotiation for the settlement of civil as well as military matters. Sherman,
less prudent than Grant, and anxious to secure peace,
agreed with Johnston upon terms which confessedly
exceeded his authority, and which assumed to settle
some political questions contrary to the principles on
which the war had been necessarily conducted. More
able as a soldier than he was as a politician or diplomatist, he had agreed to terms which were considered by




124         LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
government and people entirely inadmissible, but hav
ing no intention of transcending his powers, he sent the
terms to Washington for approval.
The government was a little startled at the comprehensive character of this agreement between one of its
military officers and the representative of a suppressed
rebellion, and it was at once repudiated, and Sherman
was ordered to resume hostilities. The disapproval
was prompt and curt, and General Grant was ordered
to proceed to Sherman's headquarters and direct operations against the enemy. Sherman, nervous and excitable, was indignant at the manner in which his welldisposed but mistaken measures were rejected, and he
himself snubbed, and what he would have done in his
anger and chagrin, had not Grant gone to him, can
hardly be imagined.  He was pretty sure to do something to his own injury, however; but-Grant's presence
saved him, and his steadfast friendship, and calm, dispassionate words, allayed the excitement and anger of
the brilliant general, and repaid him for his own kindly
offices when Grant, for once, - and only once in his
military career, — gave way to his feelings under a
keen sense of injury.  The manner in which he performed the duty required of him by the government
illustrated Grant's generosity towards his subordinates,
by carefully keeping in Sherman's hands the fruits of
his brilliant operations, and giving him the entire credit
of enforcing and receiving the surrender of Johnston.
The great achievements by which he crushed the
rebellion, and put an end to one of the fiercest wars of
modern times, stamped Ulysses S. Grant as the most
successful general of the age. His ability as a strate



APPOINTED GENERAL OF THE ARMY.   125
gist and tactician, his power of combination and of
execution, his talent for command, united with his energy and persistency, in a word, his military genius,
could no longer be doubted, and received the encomiums, not only of a grateful people, but of able soldiers
and military critics abroad. Except Napoleon, no man
of recent times had achieved so many brilliant successes, or accomplished such splendid results on so
extended a field.
The thanks of the government, of the states, of popular assemblies, were freely tendered to him, and he
received substantial tokens of public gratitude and private appreciation. Swords and medals were voted him
by states, and among the more costly gifts presented
to him, by private individuals, was an elegant house in
Washington, completely furnished, an admirable library, and a munificent sum of money. These gifts were
thrust upon him out of honest gratitude and admiration,
and were accepted with a modest dignity characteristic
of the man, and becoming his position and his relations
to the givers.
Subsequently, in July, I866, upon reorganizing the
army, in order to reward him by a higher honor than
the service then allowed, the grade of GENERAL of the
army, the highest rank yet created in the American
service, was established by act of Congress, and invested with unusual powers. The rank was created
expressly for the then Lieutenant General, and though
President Johnson would have preferred to select another, the universal verdict of the people, and the
unmistakable purpose of the act, compelled him  to
nominate Ulysses S. Grant. It is needless to add that




126         LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
the Senate promptly confirmed the nomination, and
General Grant, by his own merits, and the gratitude
and confidence of his country, holds a rank from
which there can be but one promotion, and that
promotion will be made by the people of the United
States.
The honors bestowed upon Grant were borne with a
modesty equalled only by his ability and the greatness
of his achievements.  They came without his seeking;
they were accepted with a determination to be worthy
of them.  Making a private and unofficial tour to the
east and west with his family in 1865, he was made
aware of the gratitude and admiration of the people.
- He was everywhere received with the most enthusiastic demonstrations which his private mode of travelling
permitted. But everywhere he was the same quiet,
unostentatious, unpretending soldier that he had been
when he first entered the service as colonel in I86I,
ever ready to give a hearty greeting to his comrades
of the army, and with republican simplicity courteous
to all. His few speeches, in response to the popular
demands, were brief and modest.  But the people
could see that with all his modesty he was self-reliant, clear-headed, brave, and firm in the discharge of
his duties.
While awarding the highest meed of praise to General Grant, the country should never forget the able
subordinates and the brave men to whom, with the
chivalrous spirit of a true soldier, he had always attributed his successes.  He assumed no Napoleonic
airs, and made to them no grandiloquent and flattering
speeches, but in all his reports and despatches he ac



ADDRESS TO THE ARMIES.               I27
knowledged their skill and bravery, and claimed for
them  the credit of the results.  Before the grand
armies were disbanded he issued the following address, which told, once for all, after all their battles
were fought, and their toils ended, and the victory
won, the estimation in which he, speaking for the
country, held them: —
SOLDIERS OF THE ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES:
By your patriotic devotion to your country in the hour
of danger and alarm, your magnificent fighting, bravery,
and endurance, you have maintained the supremacy of
the Union and the Constitution, overthrown all armed
opposition to the enforcement of the laws and of the
proclamations forever abolishing slavery, -the cause
and pretext of the rebellion, - and opened the way to
the rightful authorities to restore order and inaugurate
peace on a permanent and enduring basis on every foot
of American soil. Your marches, sieges, and battles,
in distance, duration, resolution, and brilliancy-of results, dim the lustre of the world's past military achievements, and will be the patriot's precedent in the defence of liberty and right in all time to come.  In obedience to your country's call you left your homes and
families, and volunteered in its defence. Victory has
crowned your valor, and secured the purpose of your
patriotic hearts; and with the gratitude of your countrymen, and the highest honors a great and free nation
can accord, you will soon be permitted to return to your
homes and families, conscious of having discharged the
highest duty of American citizens.  To achieve these
glorious  triumphs, and  secure to yourselves, your
fellow-countrymen, and posterity the blessings of free
institutions, tens of thousands of your gallant comrades
have fallen, and sealed the priceless legacy with their
lives.  The graves of these a grateful nation bedews




128        LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
with tears, honors their memories, and will ever cherish
and support their stricken families.
U. S. GRANT, Lieutenanl General.
So in his final report of the war he spoke of the
armies of the East and of the West with a just recognition of the services and valor of each, and with a
patriotism which embraces the whole country and all
the loyal people. "It has been my fortune to see the
armies of both the West and the East fight battles; and
from what I have seen, I know there is no difference
in their fighting qualities. All that it was possible for
men to do in battle they have done..    The
splendid achievements of each have nationalized our
victories, removed all sectional jealousies (of which we
have unfortunately experienced too much), and the
cause of crimination and recrimination that might have
followed had either section failed in'its duty. All have
a proud record, and all sections can well congratulate
themselves and each other for having done their full
share in restoring the supremacy of law over every
foot of territory belonging to the United States. Let
them hope for perpetual peace and harmony with that
enemy, whose manhood, however mistaken the cause,
drew forth such herculean deeds of valor."
Not only did Grant thus recognize the bravery and
endurance of the men who served under him, but
through the war he was true to them as to his country. He demanded of them hard service, but he was
always ready to share their hardships and exposure.
He counted himself as one of them. His language
was, "More difficulties and privations are before us;




FIDELITY TO HIS SOLDIERS.          129
let us endure them manfully. Other battles are to be
fought; let us fight them bravely." No luxuries for
him. His headquarters often offered scarcely more
comforts or better food than the tent of the private soldier; and when he ordered the army to march "light,"
he set the example by reducing his own baggage to the
smallest amount possible. He slept under a sheltertent, or bivouacked with his men with the sky for a canopy. At Shiloh, after the first day's battle, when he
had personally given his orders for the attack the next
morning, he lay down on the ground, with a stump
for a pillow, and without shelter from the storm which
raged, slept till the dawn called him again to unremitting labor. And he took good care of his men. He
was always watchful over the quartermaster's and commissary departments, and wherever he commanded
supplies came promptly to hand. During the period
that he commanded the army of the Tennessee it never
was short of food; and the only time when there was
danger of such a condition, he promptly ascertained to
what extent the rebel country would support his forces,
and was one of the first to learn that important policy
in the conduct of the war. He protected his men, too,
from the imposition and excessive charges of sutlers
by strict orders properly enforced; and when a steamboat captain, on the Mississippi, demanded an exorbitant sum for the passage of sick and wounded soldiers
on their way home on furlough, he compelled him to
refund the excess over a reasonable sum, at the risk
of having his boat confiscated. "I will teach these fellows," said he, " that the men who have perilled their
9




330        LIFE.OF GENERAL GRANT.
lives to open the Mississippi for their benefit cannot be
imposed upon with impunity."
A commander so true to his men, and at the same
time so able and successful as a general, could not but
inspire them with respect, love, and confidence. He
made no attempt to render himself popular, and never
resorted to any clap-trap or pretence; but in everything he did for his soldiers, as in everything he did
for his country, he was in downright earnest, and they
knew it. For this they will always love him, as for
the victories to which he led them they will always
honor him.




THE RETURN OF PEACE.                       131
CHAPTER X.
After the War. - Generous to repentant Rebels. - Tour-through the
South. - Andrew Johnson's Usurpations. - Encouragement to the
Rebels. - Grant's Measures to control the rebellious Spirit.- The
New Orleans Riot. - Grant and Sheridan. - President Johnson's
Tour. - Grant's Company ordered. - His Reticence and Escape.
- Not to be caught again. - Confidence of Congress. - The military Districts and Commanders. - Execution of the Reconstruction
Acts. - Grant's Firmness and Support of the Authority of Congress. -Johnson's Anger. - The General's Duties faithfully performed. - He anticipates Trouble. - Intrusted with extraordinary
Power. - Johnson's Hostility. - Removal of Stanton. - Grant's
Protest. -Johnson's Obstinacy. - Grant Secretary of War ad interim. - His rare administrative Powers. - Removal of Sheridan.
- Another Protest. - Removal of Sickles and Pope. - Grant the
Defender of Congressional Policy. —Johnson's "little Game."He misrepresents Grant. - Grant's Letter to thd President. -
Johnson's vulgar Hatred. - He maintains his Version. - Grant's
Reply. - The People's Judgment. - Failure of the " little Game."
- Consequences to Johnson. - Contrast between Grant and
Johnson.
T    HE  return  of peace imposed  new  duties upon
General Grant, not, perhaps, so  much  to  his
taste as active employment in the field, but none the
less faithfully performed.   His headquarters were at
Washington, where some of the citizens of the North,
in gratitude for his great service to the country, presented to him a spacious and well-furnished house, with
an excellent library well supplied with military works,
and adapted to the use of the commander of the armies.




132         LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
These and other free gifts from a grateful people were
acknowledged with the quiet modesty characteristic. of
the man.
He who had done so much to crush the rebellion,
who knew the terrible cost of the war in blood and
treasure, who had learned by experience the spirit of
the rebels, like all true and patriotic soldiers did not
wish to see all that blood and treasure wasted, and all
the toils, burdens, and sufferings of those four long
years borne in vain. If the rebels, humbled and penitent, would accept in good faith the results of their
foolish and wicked contest, and seek to restore the
Union upon a permanent basis of freedom and justice,
he was disposed to treat them leniently. It was in the
hope of securing such a disposition on the part of the
rebels that he had granted magnanimous terms to Lee's
army, and by that precedent to all the rebels in arms.
When, not long after the war, he made a tour of.inspection at the South, he was encouraged by the conduct of most of those with whom he came in contact
to believe that the great majority of the late rebels did
honestly accept the situation, and were ready to submit
to such conditions as the government might impose, in
order to resume their relations with the Union, and restore the exhausted resources of their states. Such,
undoubtedly, at that time was the sentiment of these
men, so utterly defeated in the field, ruined in property, and hopeless, except in the clemency of their
conquerors.
But Andrew Johnson, usurping the prerogatives of
Congress, undertook to restore the rebel states according to what he denominated " my policy," and destroyed




JOHNSON'S POLICY.               133
the fair prospect of a just settlement of the important
questions involved in reconstruction. Without authority he appointed provisional governors, authorized conventions to frame constitutions, dictated who should
vote, and on what conditions the states might be restored to the Union. And all this he did to secure to
rebels and not to loyal men the power of reconstruction.
He had declared that rebels " must take back seats," but
he now pardoned them, and even appointed them provisional governors.  He had promised to be the Moses
of the colored race, but now all his efforts were directed
to leading them back into virtual bondage. And that
was the sum and substance of " my policy "- to restore
all political power to the old slave-holding aristocrats
who had risen in wicked rebellion, and to subject the colored race, who had been made freemen by the war and
by amendment to the constitution, to a state of dependence and tutelage in no way better than slavery itself.
Encouraged by favors they had no right to expect,
the old spirit of the rebels was soon made manifest.
They no longer accepted their condition as conquered
enemies of the republic, but arrogantly demanded the
rights of citizens. They showed their hatred of Union
men, and sought to oppress the freedmen as they
had oppressed their slaves, bringing on again a state
little better than war in some portions of the South, and
exciting a spirit no better than rebellion.
General Grant had occasion to issue orders for the
suppression of this rebellious spirit which grew out of
Andrew Johnson's policy, and he became convinced
that he had been deceived by the apparent humility of
the rebels, or that the malignant spirit of the rebellion




134         LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
had become newly aroused by the action of the President, and could be controlled only by military authority.
So far as the disposition of troops permitted, he gave
orders for the protection of loyal white men and freedmen, and for the punishment of the atrocities of unrepentant rebels.  His influence and his action, as might
be expected, were all on the side of law and order, and
against the arrogant and vindictive spirit which exulted
in cruelty and atrocity.
Andrew Johnson's policy, and his direct communications with the Louisiana rebels, encouraged them to the
most bitter opposition to the loyal element in that state,
and caused the New  Orleans riot of August, 1866,
when they wantonly attacked the members of the State
Convention, which had previously framed a constitution,
and reassembled according to the terms of its adjournment. Whether the assembly was by proper authority
or not, there was no justification for the bloody opposition manifested by the rebels, with Mayor Monroe and
some of the state officials at their head. But the support and encouragement which they received from the
President led them to commit the outrages and murders
by which loyal men, white and black, were assailed,
hunted down, and killed.  General Sheridan, who
commanded the department, and who was absent at the
time in Texas, was not disposed to tolerate the rule of
that rebellious spirit which he had fought for four years
to conquer.  He investigated the affair, and reported
the atrocious spirit and acts of the rebels, and acting
under.the instructions of General Grant, he took measures for the protection of loyal men, and watched the
schemes of these still malignant rebels. He was sus



THE PRESIDENTIAL TOUR.            I35
tained and strengthened by Grant, although the rebels
appealed to the President, and received all the aid and
comfort he dared to give them. Sheridan's firm and
loyal conduct gave great satisfaction to the people of
the North, except to those who were ready to join
hands with the rebels against Congress. But it was
due to Grant's firmness and fidelity to the principles
which had triumphed over rebellion, that the army was
not at New Orleans and elsewhere at the South actually
ranged on the side of the rebels against loyal men.
Soon after the New Orleans riot the President made
his notable and notorious tour to the tomb of Douglas;
and in order to create as much popular enthusiasm as
possible, he invited, in the form of a command, General
Grant and Admiral Farragut to join the presidential
party. His course on that journey, "swinging round
the circle," and making vulgar, undignified, and seditious
speeches, must have disgusted these two patriotic veterans. Their presence served to bring out vast crowds,
whose cheers the President was conceited enough to
imagine were tributes to himself. But on more than
one occasion it was made evident that the crowd came
to cheer Grant and Farragut, and not Johnson, -the
heroes who had conquered the rebels, and not the renegade who sought to restore them to power. Grant
modestly acknowledged the honors offered him, but
made no speeches, knowing that silence, after Johnson's tirades, was more eloquent and becoming than
words.
Notwithstanding Secretary Seward's repeated insinuations that Grant supported and approved Johnson's
policy, and his declaration that "General Grant can



I36         LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
not be separated from the President," the general improved the first favorable opportunity to leave the party.
He had no taste for " shows;" he was indignant that he
should be used to give eclat to the President's political
tour, and be placed in a false light before the country;
and he was disgusted with that functionary's vulgar
manners and malignant speeches. He determined that
he would no longer be subject to the imputation of opposing Congress and the will of the loyal people, and
that he would not again be caught in such unworthy
company.  While the President, the next year, was
on his tour to Boston, Grant returned to Washington
from a visit to West Point.  On the cars he met some
ladies, who remarked upon his not being one of the
President's party. "I was not invited," said the general, dryly, "and had I been, I should not have accepted the invitation."
When Congress assumed the prerogative which belonged to it, and prescribed the terms and conditions
on which the rebel states might be restored to their
relations with the Union; when it saw the necessity of
affording protection to the freedmen against the oppression and outrages of their late masters and rebel opponents of emancipation, it was found necessary to use the
military power to secure the desired results. Andrew
Johnson had vetoed the " civil rights bill," designed to
protect the freedmen; he had denounced, opposed, and
almost undertaken to veto the fourteenth article of
Amendments to the Constitution, which was designed
as a basis of restoration of the states, and he had so
indicated his hostility to Congress and to its policy,
which was the policy of the people who had carried




GRANT AND RECONSTRUCTION.            137
through the war, that it was necessary to provide for
some executive power as far as possible free from the.
interference of his wrong-headed will. General Grant
had given such evidence of his adherence to the policy
on which the war had been carried through, and of his
obedience to law, that Congress saw in him, as the
head of the army, the officer whose authority and influence would aid in the execution of its laws, and
oppose a barrier to the schemes by which the President
sought to restore the rebels to power.
The rebel states were divided into five military districts, each to be commanded by a major-general.
These officers were selected by Grant, though appointed to those places by the President, and in
making the selection he took those whom he knew to
be faithful to the policy on which the rebellion had
been suppressed, and opposed to the restoration of
rebels to power.  Schofield, Sickles, Thomas, Ord,
and Sheridan were the officers appointed to the several
districts; but Thomas, desiring to remain in command
in Kentucky and Tennessee, Pope was designated in
his place.  The authority of these commanders was
great, but their acts were subject to the approval or
disapproval of General Grant, who thus had the responsibility of the execution of the laws and the exercise
of military power in the rebel states, so far as such
responsibility could be separated from the President.
It was necessary that this should be done in order to
remove " impediments " to reconstruction, and to restrain
the greatest of all impediments, Andrew Johnson, from
thwarting the will of the people as expressed in the
just measures of Congress.  The result proved that




138         LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
the confidence of Congress and the people was not
misplaced.
That the reconstruction acts were executed with any
degree of fidelity and success, was due chiefly to General Grant.  From him emanated the general instructions under which the military commanders acted, and
with him rested the power to revoke or approve their
acts. Like their superior, the commanders who were
first designated for the several districts were faithful to
the principles upon which they had fought through the
war. They were obedient to the law, and knowing
the spirit of those who opposed it, they were watchful
and energetic in the performance of their duties. IHad
they been under the discretionary orders of the President, and consented to be the instruments of his will,
no principle of reconstruction determined upon by Congress would have been carried out.  Mr. Johnson's
influence was constantly exerted against congressional
reconstruction in every way in which he could make it
felt; and his well-known bitter hostility to negro suffrage, his avowed hatred of the "radical" Congress,
and his language and promise in his frequent conversations with the unsubmissive rebels who went to Washington to misrepresent the condition of southern affairs,
and to secure his aid to their plans for thwarting the
will of Congress, did more than anything else to prevent an early settlement, and rendered the duties of the
military commanders more arduous.
But for the firmness of Grant, the influence of the
President, and his rebel and Democratic supporters,
might have been more disastrous. The general was
determined to carry out the provisions of the law, so




SUPPORTS THE POLICY OF THE LOYAL NORTH. I39
far as it was intrusted to the military authorities,
whether it clashed with the purposes of Andrew Johnson and the rebels or not; and his subordinates, equally obedient to the law, and inspired and sustained by
him, acted promptly and fearlessly. This conduct of
Grant, and the military commanders, excited the anger
of Johnson, who has always hated those who opposed
his will and his opinions. Their removal of rebel civil
officers, in governments which were merely tolerated
till new and permanent governments could be established, were especially objectionable to him. Their
full recognition of the rights of negroes, as secured by
the reconstruction acts, was unpardonable. That they
could act independently of him, and in opposition to
his "policy," was intolerable. Their popularity with
the people of the North, not only for their faithful service in reconstruction, but for their brilliant victories
and brave deeds during the war, was an additional
annoyance, for he did not dare to do what he most desired, and remove them all at once to make way for his
tools, if he could'find any.
Regardless, however, of Mr. Johnson's ill temper,
Grant quietly performed his duties under the laws
of Congress, and as commander of the army manifesting the same subordination to legitimate authority,
and the same steady support of the policy of the loyal
North, which he had shown during the war.  He made
no public declarations of his views, and did not undertake to construe the laws to suit any theory of his own,
but executed them according to their plain intent and
purpose. As a soldier, he abstained from a frequent
expression of his political opinions, and his constilu



140        LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
tional reticence made him appear still more cautious in
that respect. But in private, among his friends, he did
not hesitate to avow his sentiments, and those who
knew him best were assured of his sympathy with the
prevailing sentiment of the North, while his official
acts satisfied even the most exacting. He won the
entire confidence of Congress as an officer faithful in
the administration of law as he had been able in his
conduct of the war, and they saw in him the firm supporter of the laws, a barrier against the usurpations
and schemes of the Executive to oppose and nullify the
will of the people, as expressed by their representatives.
The bad temper, threatening language, and unscrupulous conduct of Andrew Johnson, foreboded trouble
in some shape as soon as Congress adjourned, and the
danger of impeachment, which was then first agitated,
should not be imminent. So satisfied was Grant that
the President intended to defeat the will of Congress in
its reconstruction policy, if not even to do something
worse, that he urged members of Congress not to adjourn without provision for reassembling in case of an
emergency. Congress, though it made a partial provision of this kind; relied chiefly upon the passage of
laws to restrain the President. The reconstruction act
was amended in spite of a veto, and the tenure of
office act was passed, designed, among other things, to
prevent the removal of Mr. Stanton, who alone, in the
cabinet, supported the congressional policy. Another
act provided that the general of the army should always have his headquarters at Washington, that he
should not be ordered elsewhere, nor be removed, ex



OPPOSED TO ANDREW JOHNSON'S SCHEMES. 141
cept with the consent of the Senate, while all military
orders were to be issued through his headquarters.
That Grant should thus be intrusted with extraordinary powers for the safety of the republic, as well as
for the reconstruction of the rebel states, shows how
strong was the faith of Congress in his integrity and
fidelity to law and principle. The confidence of Congress i;as fully shared by the people, among whom he
was regarded as the man for the next President,-a designation which made him doubly obnoxious to Johnson.
Grant was too strong in the popular estimation, as well
as in his position by law, for Mr. Johnson openly to
quarrel with him, or to seek to remove him, however
much he-desired to do so. But bitter in his hostility to
Congress, and to the faithful agents of its will, the
President determined to do all he could to prevent the
success of the congressional policy, and indirectly to
assail or damage Grant. His purpose, soon made
manifest, was to remove or suspend Secretary Stanton,
whom he hated, and'to put Grant in his place ad interim, and then to remove those military commanders at
the South who were the most efficient in their execution of the reconstruction laws, and who were most
highly esteemed and heartily approved by the general.
In this way Mr. Johnson, while carrying out his policy
of obstruction, hoped also to place General Grant in a
false position, as the instrument of these removals, and
to shake, if not destroy, the confidence of Congress
and the people in him. To snub the general, by removing those who had obeyed his instructions, was
another pleasant intention of this high-minded President.




142         LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
But General Grant, though always subordinate as an
officer, could not see such open disregard of the law,
and such hostility to the will of the law-making power,
without a protest, and' when the purpose was announced to him, he addressed to the President the
following letter, which shows his respect for law, his
fidelity to principle, and his honest independence.
HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES,
WASHINGTON, D. C., August I, I867.  S
SIR: I take the liberty of addressing you privately
on the subject of the conversation we had this morning, feeling, as I do, the great danger to the welfare of
the country should you carry out the designs then expressed.
First.  On the subject of the displacement of the
Secretary of War.  His removal cannot be effected
against his will without the consent of the Senate. It
is but a short time since the United States Senate was
in session, and why not then have asked for his removal
if it was desired? It certainly was the intention of the
legislative branch of government to place cabinet ministers beyond the power of executive removal, and it
is pretty well understood that, so far as cabinet ministers are affected by the "tenure of office bill," it was
intended specially to protect the Secretary of War,
whom the country felt great confidence in. The meaning of the law may be explained away by an astute
lawyer, but common sense, and the views of the loyal
pebple, will give to it the effect intended by its framers.
On the subject of the removal of the very able commander of the fifth military district, let me ask you to
consider the effect it would have upon the public. He
is universally and deservedly beloved by the people
who sustained this government through its trials, and
feared by those who would still be enemies of the




PATRIOTIC APPEAL TO THE PRESIDENT.  143
government.  It fell to the lot of but few men to
do as much against an armed enemy as General
Sheridan did during the rebellion, and it is within
the scope of the ability of but few in this or any other
country to do what he has.  His civil administration
has given equal satisfaction. He has had difficulties
to contend with which no other district commander has
encountered. Almost if not quite from the day he was
appointed district commander to the present time, the
press has given out that he was to be removed; that
the administration was dissatisfied with him, &c. This
has emboldened the opponents to the laws of Congress
within his command to oppose him  in every way in
their power, and has rendered necessary measures
which otherwise may never have been necessary.  In
conclusion, allow me to say, as a friend desiring peace
and quiet, the welfare of the whole country north and
south, that it is in my opinion more than the loyal people
of this country (I mean those who supported the government during the great rebellion) will quietly submit
to, to see the very men of all others whom they have
expressed confidence in removed.
I would not have taken the liberty of addressing the
Executive of the United States thus but for the conversation on the subject alluded to in this letter, and from
a sense of duty, feeling that I know I am right in this
matter.
With great respect, your obedient servant,
U. S. GRANT, General.
His EXCELLENCY A. JOHNSON,
President of tie United States.
But neither reason nor the patriotic appeal of the
foremost soldier of the country could prevail against
the obstinate ill will of the President, and on the 12th
of August he issued an order suspending Secretary




I44         LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
Stanton, and appointing General Grant Secretary of
War ad zntcrimz. The general and the secretary were
on the best of terms, and were agreed in their support
of the congressional policy of reconstruction.  While
Mr. Stanton protested against the action of the President, there was no one to whom  he would more
readily yield the place than to Grant. And the general, who cordially expressed his " appreciation of the
zeal, patriotism, firmness, and ability" with which Mr.
Stanton had ever discharged the duties of Secretary of
War, accepted the position in order that the department
might still be administered in the interests of loyalty
and the enforcement of the laws, and not be made the
instrument of Andrew Johnson in opposing Congress
and encouraging rebels.
Whatever might have been the motive of Mr. Johnson in appointing Grant, the people knew enough of
that functionary to believe that it was not an honest
desire to promote the welfare of the country. But it
had an effect which was probably not intended, as it
had a result which was not anticipated. If at first any
doubts arose as to Grant's fidelity to the principles
which he had hitherto supported, they were dispelled
as soon as the facts connected with his appointment
were known; and any fears for his capacity for civil
office were also as speedily and certainly removed.
The administration of the war department with regard
to reconstruction was not changed, and its affairs were
conducted with an energy, ability, and spirit of economy, which proved that General Grant's rare admzinistrative and executive talent was none the less suited to
the discharge of civil duties than to the conduct of
military affairs.




PROTEST AGAINST SHERIDAN'S REMOVAL. 145
General Grant had been but five days the acting
Secretary of War, when Johnson commenced the other
part of his programme, by issuing an order for the removal of General Sheridan from the command of the
fifth military district, and for the assignment of General
Thomas to that position. Being asked if he had any
suggestions to make concerning this assignment, General Grant again protested against the movement as
follows:HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES, }
WASHINGTON, D. C., August I7, I867.
I am pleased to avail myself of this invitation to urge,
earnestly urge, urge in the name of a patriotic people,
who have sacrificed hundreds of thousands of loyal lives
and thousands of millions of treasure to preserve the
integrity and union of this country, that this order be
not insisted on. It is unmistakably the expressed wish
of the country that General Sheridan should not be removed from his present command..This is a republic, where the will of the people is
the law of the land. I beg that their voice may be
heard.
General Sheridan has performed his civil duties
faithfully- and intelligently. His removal will only be
regarded as an effort to defeat the laws of Congress.
It will be interpreted by the unreconstructed element in
the South, those who did all they could to break up this
government by arms, and now wish to be the only element consulted as to the method of restoring order, as
a triumph. It will embolden them to renewed opposition to the will of the loyal masses, believing that they
have the Executive with them.
The services of General Thomas in battling for the
Union entitle him to some consideration. He has reIo




I16         LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
peatedly entered his protest against being assigned to
either of the five military districts, and especially to
being assigned to relieve General Sheridan.
There are military reasons, pecuniary reasons, and,
above all, patriotic reasons, why this should not be insisted upon.
I beg to refer to a letter marked "private" which I
wrote to the President, when first consulted on the
subject of the change in the War Department. It bears
upon the subject of this removal, and I had hoped
would have prevented it.
I have the honor to be, with great respect,
Your obedient servant,
U. S. GRANT, General U. S. A.,
Secretary of War ad interim.
His EXCELLENCY A. JOHNSON,
President of the United States.
The President, however, persisted in his encouragement to the unreformed rebels by removing General
Sheridan, and as General Thomas's health would not
justify his being sent to New Orleans, General Hancock
was appointed in his place. On the same day General
Sickles was removed, because he, like Sheridan, carried out the reconstruction acts in the interest of loyalty,
and General Canby was ordered to succeed him. And
subsequently, for, similar reasons, General Pope was
removed, and General Meade assigned as his successor. In making these changes, except so far as his
petty ill will was gratified, Mr. Johnson must have been
disappointed.  For all the new commanders, except
Hancock, honestly and faithfully administered the reconstruction laws in accordance with their plain intent
and meaning, and with the general instructions of




SUPPORTS THE POLICY OF CONGRESS.   147
Grant; and though Hancock was in some way demoralized, and became, perhaps unwittingly, the tool
of the President in fostering the rebel element in New
Orleans, most of his retrograde and unjustifiable orders
were promptly revoked by Grant, not a little to the
President's annovance.
In all this, and in many other less apparent ways,
General Grant has been the defender and enforcer of
the congressional policy of reconstruction, which is the
policy of the people who fought through the war and put
down the rebellion. Faithful to the principles for which
the North with so m ny sacrifices contended, and faithful to the memory of the thousands who laid down their
lives for the suppression of the rebellion and its infamous spirit, he could neither be bullied, nor coaxed,
nor deceived into a policy which should restore rebels
to power and place loyal men under their heel. He
has been, too, a barrier to the possible schemes of folly
and madness which Andrew Johnson is said to have
contemplated. His very presence at Washington, as
commander of the army, has been the safety of the
republic, and a constant intimidation to rebels, and to
any executive usurpation in the interest of rebels.
When the regular session of Congress commenced in
December, I867, and Mr. Johnson, complying in one
respect with a law which he assumed to declare unconstitutional and void, sent to the Senate his reasons for
suspending Secretary Stanton, his "little game" was
made apparent. The Senate refised its consent to the
removal of Mr. Stanton, and, according to the intent
of the law, he was immediately reinstated. General
Grant, now as always obedient to the law, recognized




148        LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
the action of the Senate as itself a reinstatement of
the secretary, and notifying the President of the fact,
vacated the office. Mr. Johnson, baffled and angry,
made known through some of his favorite correspondents of the press, his own schemes to thwart the will
of Congress, in which he made it appear that General
Grant had been a willing and active participant, but
had finally been guilty of falsehood and deception, and
had allowed Mr. Stanton to resume the war office in
violation of his express promises. The substance of
the statement was, in brief, that General Grant had
promised the President that he would either hold on to
the office of Secretary of War and resist the reinstatement of Mr. Stanton by the Senate, or, if he should
change his mind and prefer not to be a party to the
controversy, would resign, and thus enable the President to appoint some one who would be his tool; that
on the Saturday previous to Stanton's reinstatement
Grant virtually repeated this promise, and also promised to see the President on the following Monday,
but failed to do so; and that at a cabinet meeting,
being asked if he had not made such promises and
broken them, he admitted that he had   The newspaper account, of course, did not fail to color the picture
to Grant's disadvantage.
This story was published to gratify the vulgar hatred
of Mr. Johnson, and with the hope of alarming the
Republican party, and so damaging the general's reputation that the people would not accept him as a candidate for the Presidency. It was intended also to divert
attention from Mr. Johnson's own guilty purposes. So
mean a game was never before played by an occupant




REFUTES ANDREW JOHNSON'S STORIES.   T49
of the White House, nor indeed by any politician of respectability and position. But it did not succeed. General Grant, whose conduct through all his career had
been straightforward, honest, and obedient to law, could
not in decency submit to the imputations authorized by
a President of the United States, although he was a
man in whom, notwithstanding his high office, the
country had learned to put little confidence.  He addressed to the President the following letter, which
palpably states the truth: —
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE UNITED STATES, 
WASHINGTON, D. C., January 28, 1868. 
SIR: On the 24th instant, I requested you to give
me in writing the instructions which you had previously
given me verbally, not to obey any order from Hon.
E. M. Stanton, Secretary of War, unless I knew that
it came from. yourself. To this written request I received a message that has left doubt in my mind of
your intentions.  To prevent any possible misunderstanding, therefore, I renew the request that you will
give me written instructions, and, till they are received,
will suspend action on your verbal ones.
I am compelled to ask these instructions in writing,
in consequence of the- many and gross misrepresentations, affecting my personal honor, circulated through
the press for the last fortnight, purporting to come
from the President, of conversations which occurred
either with the President privately in his office, or in
cabinet meeting.  What is written admits of no misunderstanding.
In view of the misrepresentations referred to, it will
be well to state the facts in the case.
Some time after I assumed the duties of Secretary
of War ad interimz, the President asked me my views
as to the course Mr. Stanton would have to pursue, in




I50        LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
case the Senate should not concur in his suspension, to
obtain possession of his office. My reply was, in-substance, that Mr. Stanton would have to appeal to the
courts to reinstate him, illustrating my position by citing
the ground I had taken in the case of the Baltimore
police commissioners.
In that case I did not doubt the technical right of
Governor Swann to remove the old commissioners and
to appoint their successors. As the old commissioners
refused to give up, however, I contended that no resource was left but to appeal to the courts.
Finding that the President was desirous of keeping
Mr. Stanton out of office, whether sustained in the
suspension or not, I stated that I had not looked particularly into the tenure of office bill, but that what I
had stated was a general principle, and if I should
change my mind in this particular case, I would inform him of the fact.
Subsequently, on reading the tenure of office bill
closely, I found that I could not, without violation of
the law, refuse to vacate the office of Secretary of War
the moment Mr. Stanton was reinstated by the Senate,
even though the President should order me to retain it,
which he never did.
Taking this view of the subject, and learning on
Saturday, the IIth instant, that the Senate had taken
up the subject of Mr. Stanton's suspension, after some
conversation with Lieutenant General Sherman and
some members of my staff, in which I stated that the
law left me no discretion as to my action, should Mr.
Stanton be reinstated, and that I intended to inform the
President, I went to the President for the sole purpose
of making this decision known, and did so make it
known.
In doing this I fulfilled the promise made in our last
preceding conversation on the subject.
The President, however, instead of accepting my




A TRUTHFUL STATEMENT.               I5I
view of the requirements of the tenure of office bill,
contended that he had suspended Mr. Stanton under
the authority given by the constitution, and that the
same authority did not preclude him from reporting, as
an act of courtesy, his reasons for the suspension to the
Senate.  That, having appointed me under the authority given by the constitution, and not under any
act of Congress, I could not be governed by the act.
I stated that the law was binding on me, constitutional
or not, until set aside by the proper tribunal. An hour
or more was consumed, each reiterating his views on
this subject, until, getting late, the President said he
would see me again.
I did not agree to call again on Monday, nor at any
other definite time, nor was I sent for by the President
until the following Tuesday.
From the IIth to the cabinet meeting on the I4th
instant, a doubt never entered my mind about the
President's fully understanding my position, namely,
that if the Senate refused to concur in the suspension
of Mr. Stanton, my powers as Secretary of War ad
interim would cease, and Mr. Stanton's right to resume
at once the functions of his office would under the law
be indisputable, and I acted accordingly.  With Mr.
Stanton I had no communication, direct nor indirect,
on the subject of his reinstatement, during his suspension.
I knew it had been recommended to the President to
send in the name of Governor Cox, of Ohio, for Secretary of War, and thus save all embarrassment-  a
proposition that I sincerely hoped he would entertain
favorably; General Sherman seeing the President at
my particular request to urge this, on the I3th instant.
On Tuesday (the day Mr. Stanton- reentered the
office of the Secretary of War) General Comstock,
who had carried my official letter announcing that,
with Mr. Stanton's reinstatement by the Senate, I had




I52         LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
ceased to be Secretary of War ad interim, and who
saw the President open and read the communication,
brought back to me from the President a message that
he wanted to see me that day at the cabinet meeting,
after I had made known the fact that I was no longer
Secretary of War ad interim.
At this meeting, after opening it as though I were a
member of the cabinet, when reminded of the notification already given him that I was no longer Secretary
of War ad interim, the President gave a version of the
conversations alluded to already. In this statement it
was asserted that in both conversations I had agreed to
hold on to the office of Secretary of War until displaced
by the courts, or resign, so as to place the President
where he would have been had I never accepted the
office. After hearing the President through, I stated
our conversations substantially as given in this letter.
I will add that my conversation before the cabinet embraced other matter not pertinent here, and is therefore
left out.
I in nowise admitted the correctness of the President's statement of our conversations, though, to soften
the evident contradiction my statement gave, I said
(alluding to our first conversation on the subject) the
President might have understood me the way he said,
namely, that I had promised to resign if I did not resist
the reinstatement. I made no such promise.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
U. S. GRANT, General.
His EXCELLENCY A. JOHNSON,
President of the United Slates.
Mr. Johnson replied, repeating what he had before
published through newspapers hostile to Grant and
Congress, and adding that four members of the cabi



THE TRUTH REITERATED.                153
net concurred in the general accuracy of the published
statement.  This called out the following manly and
honest response from General Grant:HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE UNITED STATES, 
WASHINGTON, D. C., February 3, I868. 
SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt
of your communication of the 3Ist ultimo, in answer
to mine of the 28th ultimo. After a careful reading
and comparison of it with the article in the National
Intelligencer of the I5th ultimo, and the article over
the initials J. B. S., in the New York World of the
27th ultimo, purporting to be based upon your statement and that of the members of your cabinet therein
named, I find it to be but a reiteration, only somewhat
more in detail, of the "many and gross misrepresentations " contained in these articles, and which my statement of the facts set forth in my letter of the 28th
ultimo was intended to correct; and I here reassert the
correctness of my statements in that letter, anything in
yours in reply to it to the contrary notwithstanding.
I confess my surprise that the cabinet officers referred
to should so greatly misapprehend the facts in the matter of admissions alleged to have been made by me at
the cabinet meeting of the I4th ultimo as to suffer their
names to be made the basis of the charges in the
newspaper article referred to, or agree in the accuracy, as you affirm they do, of your account of what
occurred at that meeting.
You know that we parted on Saturday, the iith
ultimo, without any promise on my part, either express
or implied, to the effect that I would hold on to the
office of Secretary of War ad zinerinz against the action
of the Senate, or, declining to do so myself, would
surrender it to you before such action was had, or
that I would see you again at any fixed time on the
subject.




154        LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
The performance of the promises alleged by you to
have been made by me would have involved a resistance
to law, and an inconsistency with the whole history of
my connection with the suspension of Mr. Stanton.
From our conversations, and my written protest of
August I, I867, against the removal of Mr. Stanton,
you must have known that my greatest objection to his
removal or suspension was the fear that some one would
be appointed in his stead who would, by opposition to
the laws relating to the restoration of the Southern
States to their proper relations to the government, embarrass the army in the performance of duties especially
imposed upon it by these laws; and it was to prevent
such an appointment that I accepted the office of Secretary of War'ad interiz, and not for the purpose of
enabling you to get rid of Mr. Stanton by my withholding it from him in opposition to law, or not doing
so myself, surrendering it to one who would, as the statement and assumptions in your communication plainly
indicate was sought. And it was to avoid this same
danger, as well as to relieve you from the personal
embarrassment in which Mr. Stanton's reinstatement
would place you, that I urged the appointment of
Governor Cox, believing that it would be agreeable
to you and also to Mr. Stanton - satisfied, as I was,
that it was the good of the country, and not the office,
the latter desired.
On the I5th ultimo, in presence of General Sherman, I stated to you that I thought Mr. Stanton would
resign, but did not say that I would advise him to do
so. On the i8th I did agree with General Sherman to
go and advise him to that course, and on the'9th I
had an interview alone with Mr. Stanton, which led
me to the conclusion that any advice to him of the
kind would be useless, and I so informed General
Sherman.
Before I consented to advise Mr. Stanton to resign,
I understood from him, in a conversation on the sub



DEFENDS HIS HONOR.              155
ject immediately after his reinstatement, that it was his
opinion that the act of Congress, entitled "An act temporarily to supply vacancies in the executive departments in certain cases," approved February 20, S863,
was repealed by subsequent legislation, which materially influenced my action. Previous to this time I had
had no doubt that the law of 1863 was still in force,
and notwithstanding my action, a fuller examination
of the law leaves a question in my mind whether it is
or is not repealed. This being the case, I could not
now advise his resignation, lest the same danger I apprehended on his first removal might follow.
The course you would have it understood I agreed
to pursue was in violation of law, and without orders
from you; while the course I did pursue, and which I
never doubted you fully understood, was in accordance
with law, and not in disobedience of any orders of my
superior.
And now, Mr. President, when my honor as a soldier and integrity as a man have been so violently
assailed,pardon me for saying that I can but regard
this whole matter, from the beginning to the end, as
an attempt to involve me in the resistance of law, for
which you hesitated to assume the responsibility in
orders, and thus to destroy my character before the
country. I am in a measure confirmed in this conclusion by your recent orders directing me to disobey
orders from the Secretary of War, - my superior and
your subordinate,- without having countermanded his
authority to issue the orders I am to disobey.
With the assurance, Mr. President, that nothing less
than a vindication of my personal honor and character
could have induced this correspondence on my part,
I have the honor to be, very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
U. S. GRANT, General.
His EXCELLENCY A. JOHNSON,
President of the United States.




156         LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
The President reiterated his version of the affair,
with the further charge against Grant of insubordination; and he undertook to substantiate his statements
by the certificates of five members of the cabinet. But
it is significant, that of these indorsers of presidential
veracity, those who are of the least political consequence, and the most obsequious followers of Mr. Johnson, give the briefest and most emphatic certificates
of his correctness; while those who chose to exercise
their own memory, though they do not contradict the
President, whom they felt compelled to sustain, really
show that General Grant's statement was the true one.
Certainly every unprejudiced reader could not but believe the plain, straightforward, soldierly declarations
of General Grant, which accord with his well-known
character and acts, rather than the disingenuous statements of Andrew Johnson, who was bent upon disobeying law, and defying Congress, and was trying to force
a loyal officer to share his guilt.
When the correspondence was placed before the
people, they speedily rendered a verdict in favor of the
tried and honest soldier. They saw that his fidelity to
the country in time of peace, against the wily schemes
of an unscrupulous executive, was as firm and true as
it had been in war when contending against the armed
forces of the rebellion. And Mr. Johnson had the satisfaction of seeing his little game of damaging Grant's
reputation no more successful than his malignant and
unlawful attempt to get rid of Stanton; for the general
was only the more firmly fixed in the regards of the
people, and all the more trusted by Congress.  On
the other hand, the unexpected result of Mr. Johnson's




CONTRAST BETWEEN GRANT AND JOHNSON. 157
schemes soon followed this correspondence; for, continuing in his folly and madness, he boldly defied the
law, and was impeached for high crimes and misdemeanors.
The contrast presented by Grant to Johnson is just
what the country now needs in its chief executive in
order to secure peace, stability, the legitimate fruits of
a costly victory, and the sure return of prosperity.
While Johnson, for his scandalous degradation of his
high office, wrong-headed defiance of law, opposition
to the will of the loyal people, and political apostasy,
will be consigned to obscurity or infamy, Grant will be
honored for his modest dignity, strict obedience to law,
respect for the people, and fidelity to principle.




158           LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
CHAPTER XI.
Grant's Character. - His intellectual Ability proved. - Insight into
the Character of others. —Wise Selection of Agents. -Tenacity of
Purpose. - Firmness. - Obedience to Law. - Respect for the Will
of the People. - Qualifications for high Positions. - Generosity
to his Subordinates. - Reticence. -An inquisitive Visitor alarmed.
-Judicious Silence at Washington. -No Speech-maker. -The
Advantage of his Reticence. -Not repulsive or inaccessible.Republican Simplicity. - No Taste for Display or Etiquette. - Two
Weaknesses: Smoking, and driving Horses. - An Inveterate
Smoker. — A Yankee Habit. - Horses and Fast Driving. — A
false Accusation. -An Invention of Enemies. —His Features
and Appearance. - Conclusion.
T    HE  leading traits of General Grant's character
have been indicated in the foregoing sketch of
his career, but it may be well to group together some
of the characteristics and habits which go to make up
the man who now holds so prominent a position before
the American people.
His intellectual ability, which early in the war was
not appreciated nor even admitted  among those who
measured such ability by scholarship or brilliant success in some civil pursuit, has been fully proved. It
only required the opportunities of war to develop itself,
so that it should tower above his modesty, his undemonstrative  manner, and  retiring  habits.  After his
successful campaigns, planned and executed with so
much of skill and persistency; after Vicksburg, and




INSIGHT INTO CHARACTER.             159
Chattanooga, and Richmond; after the skilful direction of movements on the most extended field of war
which ever came under the supervision of one man,
his intellectual ability cannot be questioned. Though
not of a type to be called into exercise under ordinary
circumstances, or rather being accompanied by traits
of character which prevented- its being called into
exercise except under extraordinary pressure, it has
proved itself in the most difficult field, and on the most
important of occasions; and it has proved itself to be
of that quality and character that it can be safely
trusted to conduct prudently and successfully the affairs of a great country in time of peace as well as in
time of war.
His remarkable insight into the character and capacity of others has been illustrated by his wise choice of
subordinates to carry out his plans. It has been said
that he owed his success to his able subordinates, and
this idea has been encouraged by his own modesty and
generosity towards them; but, in truth, they were more
indebted to him than he to them. It was his sagacity
which recognized their merit, and, in more than one
instance, called them from obscurity, and gave them
the opportunity of distinguishing themselves.  It was
his discernment which selected each to take that command, and to perform those deeds, for which he was
best adapted.  His most brilliant subordinates, Sherman and Sheridan, were especially thus indebted to
him. Sherman was looked upon as little better than
a lunatic till Grant gave direction to his abilities, and
Sheridan achieved no distinction till Grant, seeing his
true capacity, made him his cavalry commander, and




I6o         LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
sent him' to the Shenandoah to defeat Early, and to
Five Forks to break through Lee's lines. Thomas,
McPherson, and others, were in like manner indebted
to Grant for promotion and opportunities; and each of
them was trusted and assigned to dificult duties, because of his intuitive knowledge of their ability and
fitness for the work demanded of them. So, also, his
staff has always been composed of men admirably
qualified for their respective duties, and who performed
them with the same quiet energy which characterized
their chief. This power to discern the character and
ability of others, and to make a. wise selection of
agents, is one of the essential traits of a genius for
command and for administration; and it is one as important for complete success in civil affairs as in military. Should General-Grant be called to the higher
position to which the people wish to promote him, the
country has reason to feel assured that his wise choice
of counsellors and executive officers will secure the
most honest, faithful, and successful administration that
has been vouchsafed to the country for many years.
His tenacity of purpose is another trait which has
been illustrated through his whole career, and which
is so prominent in the foregoing narrative of each of
his campaigns, that it is needless to do more than
allude to it here.  Happily, in Grant persistency is
united with patriotism, honesty of purpose, and sound
judgment, which give it direction and exalt its character.
Allied to this is his firmness, which, being entirely
free from conceit, never degenerates into obstinacy,
although Mrs. Grant says " Mr. Grant is a very obsti



FIRMNESS AND INDEPENDENCE.         I6I
nate man." His firmness is generally for a good purpose, and subordinate to reason. He does not adhere
to an opinion simply because he has expressed it, but
only when he is convinced it is right; and when he
has adopted a course which he is satisfied is the true
one, he is not to be turned aside by opposition or flattery. Self-reliant and independent, by nature and by
long training, he is not easily moved by the various
advice of various men, but he calmly listens, weighs,
and acts upon his own conclusions. He can say " no" 
to unworthy office-seekers, and keep political schemers
at a distance, as he did the cotton speculators, who
sought to bribe him when he commanded on the Mississippi.
But with all his firmness and independence, he has
always manifested the strictest obedience to law, and
submission to legitimate authority. This was illustrated throughout his career during the war, and it has
been especially shown in his efforts to carry out the
provisions of the reconstruction acts, against the adverse influence of Andrew Johnson, the sneers and
opposition of northern Democrats, and the schemes of
perverse rebels. Again, in his respect for the tenure
of office act, he resisted the machinations of the President and his advisers to disregard the law, and involve
him in a violation of it. His obedience to law has always been based upon respect for the source of law,the will of the people. He conducted the war in accordance with the declared policy of the loyal people,
and in his protest against the removal of Stanton and
Sheridan, he boldly told Mr. Johnson, "It is more than
the loyal people of this country (I mean those who
Ii




I62         LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
supported the government during the great rebellion)
will quietly submit to, to see the very men, of all others,
whom they have expressed confidence in, removed;"
and again, he reminded him, " This zs a republic, where
the will of the people is the law of the land.  I beg
that their voice may be heard."  Thus, by his acts and
by his language, he has put himself upon record, and
established his reputation as a true democrat, and a
thorough republican, whom the people can safely trust.
Such traits of character, possessed in a remarkable
degree by General Grant, admirably qualify him, not
only for the high position, and the important command
and trusts to which he has been called, but for the still
higher functions for which the loyal people have everywhere designated him. But besides these, he possesses
other traits becoming that high position, if not so important to it, which commend themselves to the admiration of the people, and to their love.
He has always manifested a noble generosity to his
subordinates,    a generosity which has won their firmest friendship, and the genuine respect of his soldiers.
No one more heartily rejoiced in the successes of his
brother officers than he; no one more warmly commended them for their gallantry and good service; no
one more earnestly supported them  in the hour of
danger and trial. No petty jealousy ever disturbed
his relations with any officer in the army; and if there
were some whose capacity he doubted, or whose conduct he censured, it was never because of any mean
prejudice, ungenerous rivalry, or narrow  ill will.
Never acting from impulse, his judgment of others was
always founded on reason, while a kindly nature has




His RETICENCE.                I63
made his favorable judgments all the more friendly
and his unfavorable opinions less harsh.
Much has been said about General Grant's reticence,
and it might be supposed from some accounts that he
is mute as a statue. But, on the contrary, though he is
not loquacious or demonstrative, and never seeks opportunities to express his opinions, he is often very
agreeable in conversation, and is straightforward, honest,. and simple in his language as he is in all his conduct.  But upon all matters connected with his official
action he is discreetly reticent. During the war he
never announced his plans or talked about them, except with those whom he could absolutely trust, and
his staff officers, following his instruction and example,
were equally silent.
When he took the field with the army of the Potomac, he was frequently beset by members of Congress,
correspondents of the press, and visitors favored with
special passes to the front, who endeavored to elicit
from him something of his views and purposes.  But
they were always unsuccessful, and were obliged to be
content with the most general remarks, from which
they drew inferences -to suit themselves, or were put
off with quiet monosyllables, which sometimes alarmed
their fears and sometimes wounded their conceit.  Impertinent querists and officious advisers often retired
from his headquarters utterly biffled in their purposes,
and uncertain whether to be angry or not. A characteristic anecdote of such an interview is told.
A visitor to the army, during the brief quiet which
followed the battle of Spottsylvania, called at the general's headquarters, and found him talking with one




164         LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
of his staff, and smoking as usual.  The stranger,
who had studied strategy to his own satisfaction, encouraged by the absence of all ceremony at headquarters, ventured to address the commander, and
inquired,"General, if you flank Lee, and get between him
and Richmond, will you not uncover Washington, and
leave it a prey to the enemy?"
"I reckon so," replied the general, indifferently, discharging a cloud of smoke, perhaps to conceal a quiet
smile.
The visitor, encouraged, again asked, "Do you not
think Lee can detach a sufficient force from his army
to reinforce Beauregard, and overwhelm Butler?"
"Not a doubt of it," replied Grant, promptly.
The stranger, finding that his views were so readily
accepted by Grant, asked again, "Is there not danger,
general, that Johnston may come up from  Carolina
and reinforce Lee, so that with overwhelming numbers he can swing round and cut off your communications and seize your supplies?"
"Very likely," coolly replied the general, knocking
the ashes from his cigar. The stranger, alarmed at
all these dangers admitted by the general, and amazed
at his indifference and stolidity, hurried away to startle
the timid with a vivid account of the critical position
of affairs.
Such was Grant's reticence while conducting the
war, and the country saw abundant reason for applauding it. After the war, when he established his
headquarters atWashington, where he was continually
surrounded  by  impertinent inquirers and  political




No SPEECH-MAKER.                I:65
schemers, that reticence was none the less needed, and
was as discreetly practised. If they endeavored to entrap
him, they were completely foiled by quiet monosyllables or a blunt change of the topic. If schemers talked
politics to elicit his views, he could "talk horse," as a
subject with which he declared- himself more familiar;
and it is related that when President Johnson undertook to find out what he thought of the rumored intention of the Democrats to nominate him for the presidency in order to flank the Republicans, he replied,
"I think - this is the poorest cigar I ever smoked."
As for making speeches, he is utterly averse to doing
so; and on many occasions when the people, aroused
to enthusiasm by his presence, have called him out, he
has in the briefest possible manner thanked them, and
excused himself, or called upon soriie friend to respond
for him. There is no danger of his making speeches,
under any circumstances, which would compromise
himself; but in view of the speech-making of Mr.
Johnson, Grant's silence is a virtue more precious than
gold.
By his discreet reticence, General Grant has avoided
many embarrassments which a more loquacious and
demonstrative man might have experienced in the atmosphere of Washington; and, in avoiding embarrassments, he has also saved the country from the excitement and alarm  which the ever-changing rumors of
his sayings and opinions might produce.  But if he
knows when to be silent, he knows also when and
where, and to whom, he can talk frankly and without
reserve.  And his views and opinions thus expressed
harmonize fully, and always, with the conduct and acts




x66         LIFE OF GENER.AL GRANT.
which have proved his devotion to the country.  He
is, in words as well as deeds, a firm, unhesitating supporter of Congress in its reconstruction policy, and a
strenuous opponent of executive usurpation and disregard of law.
Though retiring and undemonstrative in manner, he
is by no means repulsive or inaccessible. On the contrary, he is easily approached, and is courteous and
pleasant. But the citadel of his thoughts and purposes
he does not yield either to the bold assaults of brazen
inquisitors, or to the wary approaches of cunning
diplomatists.
Of all the distinguished officers in the army, Grant
has always been the most unostentatious and unpretending in appearance and manner.  He is careless,
but not slovenly in his dress, and is so devoid of any
air of importance, that but for the four stars upon his
shoulder-straps, no one would suppose he was more
than a hard-worked quartermaster's subordinate.  In
the winter of I865, shortly before his final and triumphant campaign, while in Washington, he visited the
Capitol, and was received with becoming respect by the
members of Congress. But so quiet and modest was
his deportment, that when he retired from the Senate
chamber, a Democratic senator declared that "a gross
mistake had been made in appointing Grant lieutenant
general, for, in his opinion, there was not a second
lieutenant of the home guard of his state who did not
cut a bigger swell' than this man who had just left
their presence!"  Such is his modesty and simplicity
of demeanor on all occasions, except when at the very
front he gives orders on the field of battle; and then




HIs REPUBLICAN SIMPLICITY.          I67
his energy and determination assert themselves above
his modesty and usual quiet.
During the war there was no parade about his headquarters, which was no more pretending in appearance
or arrangement than a colonel's, while his " headquarters train" was often the smallest in the army. In the
winter of I864-5 he lived in a small log-house on the
banks of the James, sleeping on a common camp cot,
and eating with his staff at a table furnished with such
simple food as " roast beef, pork and beans,'hard tack,'
and coffee."  No body-guard ever accompanied him
simply for display, and he never made a show of goodlooking, well-dressed, and formal orderlies about his
headquarters.
The same simplicity he continues in his position as
general of the army, at Washington. While not wholly
negligent of the proprieties of life and of his office,
he discards all useless display, and seems to deprecate
all unnecessary formalities. No punctilious etiquette
is necessary in order to reach him; and no omission
of customary form would call down his wrath on the
head of any careless or ignorant offender, though
some brigadier generals have in that way manifested their importance.  In truth, his whole style
and bearing afford an example of repujblican simplicity remarkable in a successful military commander,
but not inconsistent with true dignity, nor unbecoming
in the high office he now holds, or the higher office
which awaits him.
But General Grant is human. Though possessing
a genius for command in war, and sterling qualities
which fit him for high executive duties, and inspire the




i68        LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
confidence of the people, he is not an immaculate hero.
He has two weaknesses: he loves to smoke a good
cigar, and he loves to drive good horses. There are
some persons to whom  even these weaknesses, in a
man like Grant, commend themselves more than rigid
virtues; and there are few who, while they appreciate
his high qualities and well-balanced character, will like
him any the less for such tokens of a genial humanity.
He is an inveterate smoker. He smokes on almost
all occasions when there is not an absolute impropriety
in the indulgence. And sometimes the force of habit
has been so strong that it was necessary to remind
him of the propriety of laying aside his cigar; as once,
when he visited the Capitol, and was about to enter the
Senate chamber as the most distinguished guest of the
Senate. So on more than one occasion the guard over
ammunition wagons has been obliged to repeat to him
the orders, "No smoking allowed here, sir!' Like a
gentleman and a soldier he always good-naturedly
complied with  such  suggestions, whether there is
danger of a social explosion or an explosion of gunpowder.
Smoking, with Grant, acts as a sedative rather than
as a stimulant. During the war, in the most trying
times of anxiety, while awaiting the result of movements vital to success, and in the most exciting moments of battle, he smoked incessantly, and, to all outward appearances, as calmly as if his mind were not
burdened with the heavy responsibilities and duties of
his position and the time. He smoked while laying
his plans and consulting his officers in his tent, and
while, on the battle-field, he watched the eventful con



SMOKING AND DRIVING.             I69
test and gave his orders for skilful manoeuvres or for
the decisive charge.
With smoking he sometimes combined the Yankee
habit of "whittling" when deep in thought or anxiously awaiting results; and in the Wilderness is a tree
which he industriously hacked with his penknife while
the great battle raged, as if smoking alone were not
enough to keep the outward man quiet while his mind
was occupied with the great events around him, and
the great purposes within. So, in front of Vicksburg
he smoked and whittled while watching the mounting
of some guns in an important position, utterly regardless of the bullets of the enemy's sharp-shooters which
whistled about him.
As for his love for driving good horses, it is what
might be expected of one whose earliest trait was a
love for, and command over, a horse. That trait was
developed so early in his boyhood, that it must have
been born in him, and is not the result of education or
association. He knows a good horse, and knows how
to drive one; and he has too much humanity'to abuse
the animal he loves. He is said to be one of the best
riders in the army, as might be expected from his early
habit of riding, though his physique does not render
him the most showy. In these times of peace, he prefers to ride in his carriage and drive. If once or
twice he has driven a little faster than the snail-pace
gait which municipal laws allow, he was simply up
with the times; and when some vigilant policeman,
prompted by fun or malice, complained of him for violating an ordinance against fast-driving, with his usual
deference for law, he modestly acknowledged his error,
and promptly paid his fine.




170        LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
It has been alleged that he has a more serious weakness, which would be less pardonable in the eyes of
the people. At various times during the war, malignant enemies charged that he was grossly intemperate
in his habits; and since he became, by his acts, identified with the party which seeks to reap the just fruits
of victory over a wicked rebellion, Copperhead presses
have asserted, or meanly insinuated, the same charge.
No allusion would be made here to- such accusations
but for the gross injustice which has been done him, in
thus seeking to create a prejudice against him in the
minds of a large number of people. It is sufficient to
say, that those who know him best, who have been
most intimately associated with him  during the war
and since, pronounce such charges utterly false; and
that gentlemen, earnest in the cause of temperance,
have satisfied themselves that there is no foundation
for the assertions and insinuations derogatory to his
character in this respect, but that he is a man whose
temperance cannot justly be called in question. Such
charges originated in personal or political enmity, and
have been encouraged and circulated through total
misapprehension of Grant's temperament and manner.
They are the mean and malicious inventions of those
who, during the war, hated him for his victories; those
who have always sympathized with the rebels whom
he conquered, or those who have supported the policy
of the man who publicly disgraced the country when
he became Vice-President. Narrow prejudice and ignorance, which are ever ready to misapprehend, have
given credit and circulation to the libel; but it is none
the less a libel, unsupported by any evidence worthy of
belief.




His APPEARANCE.                I7I
The photographer and engraver have made Grant's
features familiar to the public as first among the heroes
of the war.  Those features indicate the modest and
reticent character of the man, as well as that persistency and firmness which are among his most prominent traits. Q.uiet and retiring in his appearance,
there is yet an air of reserved power in his look and
manner which his career has abundantly proved that
he possesses.  He is of medium height, rather under
than over the average standard, and has a very slight
stoop of the shoulders.. With all his retiring and modest expression, and absence of pretension of every sort,
there is in his manner a quiet dignity, and a courteous
but unceremonious bearing, becoming his position. He
has, too, a pleasant smile; and at times a keen glance
in his gray eyes tells how closely he observes. He
can give a cordial greeting to a guest; but his very
look seems to read the motives of men, and inform
him when to close his heart and his thoughts against
sycophants and selfish schemers. While honest merit
will meet with a quiet welcome, place-hunters and corruptionists will find little encouragement in his face or
in his words.
General Grant has not infrequently been compared
with him who holds the first place in the reverence of
the American people.  Though it is not proposed here
to trace the resemblance between the two,-an attempt
which would be distasteful to no one more than to our
modest general,-it may with truth be said, that, more
than any other one man the " saviour of his country"
on the battle-fields of the recent unparalleled rebellion,
Grant deserves to have a stronger hold upon his coun



I72        LIFE OF GENERAL GRANT.
trymen than any man since Washington.  Contending
for principles no less noble, and in a cause as just, he
achieved victory on a grander scale; and, possessing
many of the traits of the illustrious "Father of his
country," he may well receive, at the hands of a people saved from anarchy and ruin, the highest rewards
they can bestow, and be called to preside over a Union
dedicated to Liberty, Equality, and Justice.
As by his victories he has proved himself "first in
war," so by his patriotism, ability, fidelity to principle,
moderation and firmness in civil life, he may yet be
hailed as " first in peace," and still be, as he now is,
" FIRST IN THE HEARTS OF HIS COUNTRYMEN."