Read Grant Moves South Online

Authors: Bruce Catton

Grant Moves South (80 page)

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Victory, and a New Plan

1
.

See Grant's reports to Halleck, O. R., Vol. XVII, Part Two, pp. 182, 197, 209–210.

2
.

For the various reports on the Clarksville debacle, see O. R., Vol. XVI, Part One, pp. 862–863, 865, 868–869. After the war, the cashiered officers got the Presidential orders revoked, so that they finally appear in the records simply as having been mustered out of service. Grant discusses the affair in his Memoirs, Vol. I, pp. 398–399.

3
.

The best summary of Confederate plans, numbers and movements for this campaign is in Stanley Horn,
Army of Tennessee
, beginning at p. 159.

4
.

For the interchange of messages between Buell and Grant, see O. R., Vol. XVI, Part Two, pp. 302, 315–316, 325, 333, 337, 344–345. See also the Grant-Halleck messages in O. R., Vol. XVII, Part Two, pp. 209–210, 214, 220, 222, 227.

5
.

Horn, as Note 3, pp. 172–174; Grant to Halleck, O. R., Vol. XVI, Part Two, p. 333.

6
.

Sheridan's Memoirs, Vol. I, pp. 181–182; Grant's Memoirs, Vol. I, p. 402.

7
.

Halleck to Wright, O. R., Vol. XVI, Part Two, p. 421. For the exchange of messages involving Buell and Thomas, see pp. 539–549, 554–555, 619–622.

8
.

O. R., Vol. XVII, Part Two, pp. 194, 206.

9
.

Charles W. Wright,
Experiences in the Ranks of Company C
,
81st Ohio Volunteer Infantry
, p. 54.

10
.

Grant's Memoirs, Vol. I, p. 412; C. S. Hamilton, “The Battle of Iuka,”
B. & L.
, Vol. II, pp. 734–736; Lieut. Colonel Cyrus Sears, “The Eleventh Ohio Battery at Iuka,” in the “Sundry Papers” of the Loyal Legion, Chicago Historical Society; Lyman B. Pierce,
History of the Second Iowa Cavalry
.

11
.

History of the 41st Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry
, by Robert L. Kimberly and Ephraim S. Holloway, p. 43; John Beatty,
The Citizen Soldier
, p. 229 ff.;
History of the 85th Illinois
, p. 61;
Army Life of an Illinois Soldier
, p. 144.

12
.

In his report to Halleck on Iuka, Grant gave Rosecrans good marks: “I cannot speak too highly of the energy and skill displayed by General Rosecrans in this attack.” (O. R., Vol. XVII, Part One, p. 64.)

13
.

Rosecrans gives a good description of this fight in
B. & L.
, Vol. II, pp. 737–757. See also
The History of Fuller's Ohio Brigade
by Charles H. Smith, p. 410; D. Leib Ambrose, “
History of the Seventh Illinois Infantry,
” p. 112; Capt. Henry M. Neil, pamphlet,
A Battery at Close Quarters;
Charles F. Hubert,
History of the 50th Illinois Infantry
, pp. 147–148.

14
.

Rosecrans, as Note 13, p. 753;
History of Fuller's Ohio Brigade
, p. 89.

15
.

Grant to Halleck, October 5, in O. R., Vol. XVII, Part One, p. 155.

16
.

Grant to Halleck, October 8, O. R., Vol. XVII, Part One, p. 156. Grant discusses the pursuit at length in his Memoirs, Vol. I, pp. 417'419. To Halleck, on October 30, he wrote: “Two days hard fighting without rest had probably so fatigued the troops as to make hard earlier pursuit impossible. I regretted this, as the enemy would have been compelled to abandon most of his artillery and transportation in the difficult roads of the Hatchie crossing had the pursuit commenced then.” (O. R., Vol. XVII, Part One, p. 158.) Rosecrans's protest at his recall is in the same volume, pp. 163–164. There is a good summary of the campaign in Greene, pp. 51–53.

17
.

Horn, p. 168.

18
.

Rosecrans to Halleck, Oct. 22, O. R., Vol. XVII, Part Two, p. 286. Rosecrans's message to Grant is in the same volume, p. 283.

19
.

“Personal Biography of Maj. Gen. Grenville M. Dodge,” typewritten copy in the Iowa State Department of History and Archives, Vol. I, pp. 78–79; O. R., Vol. XVII, Part Two, p. 307; speech by Dodge before the New York Commandery of the Loyal Legion.

20
.

Thomas to Halleck, O. R., Vol. XVI, Part Two, p. 657; Halleck's reply, and Thomas's final note, are in the same volume, p. 663. What is of primary interest here is Thomas's considered opinion that East Tennessee could have been taken and held in the fall of 1861. Most other Union officers felt otherwise, and critics since then have often assumed that Lincoln's insistence on such a move simply shows that
the President did not know what he was asking. It is illuminating to realize that an officer of Thomas's stature felt that Lincoln was entirely right.

21
.

O. R., Vol. XVII, Part Two, p. 278.

22
.

Same, pp. 225, 240–241.

23
.

Same, Sherman to Grant, Oct. 4, pp. 260–261. For the business of sending new regiments to Grant, see O. R., Vol. XVI, Part Two, pp. 574–575, 588–589, 656.

24
.

Grant to Halleck, October 26, O. R., Vol. XVII, Part Two, p. 296.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Forrest, Van Dorn and McClernand

1
.

McClernand set forth his views in detail in a long memorandum to Secretary Stanton dated November 10, 1862, in O. R., Vol. XVII, Part Two, pp. 332–334. See also the unpublished manuscript biography written by his son, General Edward J. McClernand, in the Illinois State Historical Library. According to this manuscript, McClernand presented his argument to President Lincoln verbally in September, 1862.

2
.

For the early cabinet discussions of this Mississippi project, see David Donald, ed.,
Inside Lincoln's Cabinet: the Civil War Diaries of Salmon P. Chase
, pp. 107–108. Lincoln's note is in Basler,
Collected Works
, Vol. V, p. 484.

3
.

Chase's diary entries, in Donald, as Note 2, pp. 162–163; John E. Smith to E. B. Washburne, letter dated June 17, 1862, in the Washburne Papers; Grant to Halleck, December 13, 1862, O. R., Vol. LII Part One, p. 314; Grant's Memoirs, Vol. I, p. 426; Halleck to Gamble, O. R., Series Three, Vol. II, pp. 703–704. See also Badeau, Vol. I, p. 129.

4
.

The order to McClernand is in O. R., Vol. XVII, Part Two, p. 282. for Lincoln's endorsement, see Basler,
Collected Works
, Vol. V, p. 468. Although Stanton's order was marked “Confidential,” Lincoln's endorsement authorized McClernand to show it to the Midwestern governors with whom he would be dealing.

5
.

Halleck to Banks, O. R., Series Three, Vol. II, pp. 736–737.

6
.

O. R., Vol. XVII, Part One, pp. 466–467; Vol. XVII, Part Two, pp. 315, 320, 322–323.

7
.

For the Grant-Halleck exchange, see O. R., Vol. XVII, Part One, p. 469.

8
.

Grant to Sherman, O. R., Vol. XVII, Part Two, pp. 347–348.

9
.

Editorial in the
Chicago Tribune
for November 25, 1862.

10
.

O. R., Vol. XVII, Part Two: Grant to Sherman, pp. 336, 366–367; to General Allen, p. 355; Grant to Halleck and Halleck to Grant,
O. R., Vol. XVII, Part One, p. 470. For Allen, see Garland, pp. 128–129.

11
.

O. R., Vol. XVII, Part One, p. 471.

12
.

Grant outlines his plans in dispatches to Halleck, O. R., Vol. XVII, Part One, p. 472, and in his orders to Colonel Dickey, Vol. XVII, Part Two, p. 388. Sherman's understanding of the program is set forth in a long dispatch to Admiral Porter in Vol. XVII, Part Two, p. 392.

13
.

O. R., Vol. XVII, Part One, pp. 472–474.

14
.

McClernand to Stanton, O. R., Vol. XVII, Part Two, pp. 371–372; to Lincoln, p. 401; Halleck to Curtis, p. 402.

15
.

O. R., Vol. XVII, Part Two, pp. 402–403, 408, 410.

16
.

Cramer, pp. 96–97.

17
.

O. R., Vol. XVII, Part Two, pp. 326–327, 350;
Army Memoirs of Lucius W. Barber
, p. 91;
Downing's War Diary
, pp.
56
, 92.

18
.

The telegrams regarding Forrest's move, and the measures taken to meet it, are in O. R., Vol. XVII, Part Two, pp. 399, 400, 404, 415, 426–427, 428, 430, 435. An admirable account of Forrest's raid is to be found in Robert Selph Henry, pp. 108–121.

19
.

O. R., Vol. XVII, Part Two, pp. 415, 420.

20
.

Same, pp. 425, 432–433. Regarding the division of his command into four army corps, Grant's postwar comment is significant: “This interfered with my plans but probably resulted in my ultimately taking the command in person.” (Grant's Memoirs, Vol. I, p. 432.)

21
.

Same, pp. 461–462.

22
.

Grant's Memoirs, Vol. I, pp. 430–431. See also the manuscript biography of McClernand, previously cited Note 1.

23
.

Grant to “Commanding Officer Expedition Down the Mississippi,” and Grant to “Commanding Officer Memphis,” O. R., Vol. XVII, Part Two, pp. 463, 480. Grant describes the Holly Springs debacle in Vol. XVII, Part One, pp. 477–478. At least one contemporary report blamed the loss of Holly Springs on excessive drinking by officers at that post. Major John J. Mudd of the 2nd Illinois Cavalry, reporting to Rawlins on December 27, insisted: “This disaster is another added to the long list occasioned by the drunkenness or inefficiency of commanding officers. I cannot doubt but that the place could have been successfully defended by even half the force here had suitable precautions been taken and the infantry been concentrated, their officers in camp with them and prepared to fight.” (O. R., Vol. XVII, Part One, p. 513.)

24
.

Sherman's account of the battle is in his Memoirs, Vol. I, pp. 290–292. For a strikingly different narrative by Brigadier General George W. Morgan, see
B. & L.
, Vol. III, pp. 462–470. See also Francis Vinton Greene,
The Mississippi
, pp. 75–79. (Hereafter cited as Greene.)

25
.

O. R., Vol. XVII, Part Two, pp. 528–530, 534–535; Sherman's Memoirs, Vol. I, p. 296.

26
.

Sherman's Memoirs, Vol. I, p. 296 ff.

27
.

Halleck to Grant, O. R., Vol. XVII, Part Two, p. 542.

28
.

O. R., Vol. XVII, Part Two, pp. 546–547, 553–554, 555, 559. Note that Grant presently reversed himself, after learning that it was Sherman who had originally suggested the move on Arkansas Post, and commended the venture; and this is usually taken as an indication that he was simply playing favorites, praising in Sherman what he had denounced in McClernand. Actually, there was a little more to it than that. When he first heard of the move, he knew only that McClernand, who was hard to control and who seemed to want independence of command above all other things, had taken the army off into Arkansas for what might well be an extended tour just when it was essential to keep the troops in the vicinity of Vicksburg because of the prospective arrival of Banks. When he changed his tune the situation itself had changed materially.

29
.

O. R., Vol. XVII, Part Two: Halleck to Grant, p. 555; Grant to McPherson, pp. 545, 557.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

A Noun Is the Name of a Thing

1
.

Cramer, p. 97. The story of the attempted bribe was printed in the
Missouri Republican
, July 25, 1885. Excellent accounts of the pressures generated by the re-opened cotton trade can be found in M. B. Hammond,
The Cotton Industry: an Essay in American Economic History
, pp. 103, 261; Charles W. Ramsdell,
Behind the Lines in the Southern Confederacy
, pp. 57–59; Joseph H. Parks, “A Confederate Trade Center under Federal Occupation,” in the
Journal of Southern History
, Vol. VII, No. 3, p. 292. See also O. R., Series Four, Vol. II, p. 151, and Series One, Vol. XVII, Part Two, pp. 839–840.

2
.

Chicago Tribune
, Oct. 6, 1862;
New York Times
, Dec. 24, 1862.

3
.

Grant's General Orders No. 64, dated July 25, 1862, are in O. R., Vol. XVII, Part Two, p. 123. See also O. R., Series Three, Vol. II: Sherman to Grant, p. 353; Sherman to Chase, p. 349.

4
.

Grant's General Orders No. 8, dated Nov. 19, 1862, in O. R., Vol. LII, Part One, pp. 302–303.

5
.

Sherman's Memoirs, Vol. I, pp. 266–268; M. A. DeWolfe Howe, ed.,
Home Letters of General Sherman
, p. 232.

6
.

O. R., Vol. XXIV, Part Three, p. 631; O. R., Series Four, Vol. III, pp. 645–648; Ramsdell, as Note 1, p. 107; Charles A. Dana,
Recollections of the Civil War
, pp. 17–20; Grant to Chase, July 31, 1863, in O. R., Vol. XXIV, Part 3, p. 538; Edmund Newsome,
Experiences in the War
, p. 22.

7
.

Letters from J. Russell Jones to Washburne, dated January 28, February 5 and February 15, 1863, in the Washburne Papers.

8
.

The deal between Jesse Grant and the Mack brothers is set forth in detail in a lawsuit which Jesse filed against the brothers in the Cincinnati courts early in 1863—a bit of litigation which the judge non-suited, and which is described in the
New York Tribune
, September 19, 1872. See also Nelson Cross,
The Modern Ulysses, LL.D.: His Political Record
, p. 76; and William B. Hesseltine,
Ulysses S. Grant, Politician
, pp. 30–31. There is an extensive discussion of the rather singular relationship between Grant and his father in
Captain Sam Grant
.

9
.

Grant's General Orders No. 11, dated December 17, 1862, in O. R., Vol. XVII, Part Two, p. 424. The visit of Jesse and the Macks, and Grant's response to it, is described in Cadwallader, pp. 45–50.

10
.

O. R., Vol. XVII, Part Two, pp. 330, 337, 421–422.

11
.

Dana,
Recollections
, p. 18; Hovey to Brig. Gen. Fred F. Steele, December 5, 1862, in O. R., Vol. XVII, Part One, p. 532. Sherman's correspondence, and that of other Army officers for this period, bristles with references to the activities of “Jewish traders.”

12
.

Chicago Tribune
for April 9, 1885, an interview with Rabbi Browne, who quoted his own diary entry for an interview with Grant on Aug. 27, 1875.

13
.

The details as to Colonel Dubois are in the
Chicago Tribune
for December 18, 1862, in a dispatch from Oxford, Mississippi. See also J. R. Grant's letter to Washburne dated Jan. 20, 1863, in the Washburne Papers; undated clipping from the
Cincinnati Commercial
, apparently for early January, 1863, in the Lloyd Lewis Papers;
New York World
, August 18, 1863; Otto Eisenschiml, “Anti-Semitism in Lincoln's Times,” in the
Chicago Forum
, Vol. I, No. I, p. 11.

14
.

O. R., Vol. XVII, Part Two, pp. 530, 544; Vol. XIV, Part One, p. 9.

15
.

Washburne to Lincoln, dated January 6, 1863, in the R. T. Lincoln Collection, Library of Congress.

16
.

John Eaton,
Grant, Lincoln and the Freedmen
(cited hereafter as Eaton), pp. 2–3;
Chicago Times
, June 3, 1863; John Beatty,
The Citizen Soldier
.

17
.

O. R., Vol. XVII, Part One, p. 481; Vol. LII, Part One, p. 323; O. R., Series Three, Vol. II, pp. 569, 663.

18
.

Eaton, pp. 5–6.

19
.

The whole of this account of the work for the contrabands is taken from Eaton, pp. 18–39. The book is recommended as an absorbing narrative by a conscientious and thoughtful observer. For a sample of the average soldier's reaction, see
Army Life of an Illinois Soldier
, p. 83: “I don't care a damn for the darkies, and you know that they are better off with their masters 50 times over than with us, but of course you know I couldn't help to send a runaway nigger back.”

20
.

Benjamin A. Quarles,
The Negro in the Civil War
, pp. 108–119, 166;
Dudley Taylor Cornish,
The Sable Arm: Negro Troops in the Union Army, 1861–1865
, pp. 46–47, 50.

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